Democrat and sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1853-1866, 1854-01-27
The Dignity Of Han.

q" 1t is g little thing to be man was the
expression of a poet, whose heart was cmbittered
by neglect, and crushed by misfortune. And
perhaps it is, to those who look upon him mere
Il l. ss.a beefeating and colee-drinking animal,
,,,gs. lt,s,' iigestion is rather to be preferred
v,.lla,,e >z..eGrt, and cultivated mind. Look
ing upon man in this light, he is truly creature
ofvery little Importance. Nothing could be said
more interesting or more TO the point, than the
remark of the cid sergeant in Benthaa - Give
him plenty to Get and send him to Sleep
at is little thing to he man." And If so,
whence springs this Hstlcness What causes it?
If men are bat race Of erect bru;es-but no,
this is not the theory of human life the sum Of
human happiness, the limit of human progress
sion 1t is not little thing to be 1t is
not little thing to possess rejecting mind a
feeling heart, an immortal soul. These gifts are
great, and make men great. They arc the en-
dowments of Heaven, and ally him TO it. The
opposite doctrine traces his origin to the brutes
and denies his natural superiority and immor-
tality. 1t loses sight of his high duties and high
destinies. It dcgcadcs him ct once 10 the
lowest level OF animal existence.
Mans dignity does not consist in the fact that
highest honor springs not from his love of roaa
beef, sausagcs, dinner tables, and sumptuous
suppers. The highest style Of man is not tle
enc who finds his chief happiness in g creature
canfoTts'' and plun puddings. There is no
bier life than the life Cf 81 cpicUre cotGmaIsd
and theirs is nobler death than that caused BY
over indulgence, and a sGrfeit. Who died more
Ike man, than Howard, the philanthropist
who perished in ministering to the suffering d
the needy, or the great Roman Emperor, who
died from excessive drinking of wine? Thee
is no necessity for a.reply-the one died in the
discharge Of the most kindly offices to his fellow
men-the other, g Ike the beasts which perish -
The memory Of the one is blcssed-the memory
of the other is unhonored If not execraed. 1t has
well been said that sor!e men are buried, and
from their graves through the hands of minister
ing love, arise fragrant flowers, and clustering
boughs which q smell sweet and blossom in the
dust" But there are others who are deposited
in their long home, and though no flower or
bougI mslfo tho sret, ~ nAresnitnn it sever
be- for there lies the record of life i'll spent tie
record of guilt and the crown Of crime sits 81
lent and shadowy on the tombstone
The cultivation Of the mind, and the finer feel
| ings Of our common nature are greater objects
than the gra.ifcation Of appetite, OF the accumu
| lation of dollars. Even locking at man as he ex
lists in the present state Of being, with no referee
to the future, there are higher c,,ects Of which
Is ca:;a Die .,. noblcr aspirations which shoul
f, elevate his mind There are his mental power
10 be cultivated, and his social affections to /
enlarged and sindled into fresh life. And 1t IS
these that his chicfhappiness is linked, and
these that his true dignity will be found. ho
well it would be if some persons could oni
be convinced that they have minds and heart
ss well as appetites and purses. Lat up yot
ewes and look at the heavens. Forget the thing
Of earth Cor a time, and contemplate the true, Il
beautiful, and eternal g Is there such thing
an immortal soul, =" said Carlyle to Leigh hun
as they walked under the brilliant splendor OF q
starry heavens; and how eloquent and expresSi
was the answer: :. Look up, and lind your a
swer there ''-Honle Gazette.
II ~ Mistrust the man who fnds everythiI
t