The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1854-04-12
COMMUNICATION.
For the Ledger.
I'M GIN ALTON.

| III ISL InorouEhly comprrhchueu, WIN VIC
relations they mutually bear to each other.
The study of its %bndNfuf m,hhineryy'is
replete with interest, more especially as it
awnkens in us II sense of the wisdom Of Him
who framed it, and causes us to endorse
the language ofthe poet: show wonderful is
man, how passing wonderful him who made
him such" 1t causes us to spurn the advo-
Gates of Atheism, when we have proof Of
the exhibition Of tho First Great Idea, and
confirms the language of the psalmist, that
"the fool hath said in his heart there is no
God" But when we take into considera-
ton the human mind that immaterial prin-
ciple which brings us in communication with
the external world with its VARIOUS and won
dcrful attributes, we are lost " ithin ourselves
Perhaps there is no one Of these attributes
with which we are more singuarly and
beautifully endowed than that which we
are about to consider. Imagination minis
ters to she strains ofpoEtry. it guides the
artists pencil, and gives splendor to Ian.
gtage--it transports us into the regions Of
bliss and makes earth a heaven, or it en-
shrouds us in the darkness of hydrn-hcaded
despair land sinks us into misery and wretch
e1ness.
This faculty, when regulated, has , great
influence over bothdhe moral and intellec-
tual mahfestations-a diseased imagination
entails upon us all Of the evils Of capricious-
ness which blunt those finer feelings, and in
the end destroys that which makes man
sembiaPcc to deity-or when well regulated
it unfolds the power OF intellect ana makes
the pen mightier than the sword There is
no faculty with which Imagination is more
| closely connected, or even subscrvient to,
than hope; it Is this latter power which has
the same relation, so imagination rs the
loadstonc, excrts towards the magnet, and
II We were deprived Of this attribute, imagi-
nation would he at a very low standard, its
workings would be the cloudy phantoms of
despair, but
| "Hope, like the gliincring taper's light,
Adorns and cheers the way, :
!. AMI still rs darker grows the night, '''' -
Emits brighter ray"
| Hope seems TO be the suggcstive-imag.
ination, the creative faculty-the one IL the
base, the other the superstructhfe OF human.
progress; and there seems to be such n re-
cprocity Of action existing between the two,
that they both are very often used to ex-
press the same things whilst the one points
the future, the other delineatcs or deasribes
the operations of that future.
Imagination exerts n great influence over
our physical. organizations, by calling into ac-
tion diserses, or By aggravating those which
already exist. When there is pr"ponder.
nnce Of this element over the combined OPP
Perations of the intellectual endowments
constituting the power of reason, it is then
that facility of,lqpguagc end augmentation
inherent in those who are happily thgA en-,
dowed, enable them to exalt the imagina-
tions Of those who are feebly intellectual
and thus stir their hearts to mutiny and
rage, melting them to superstition, (Nlicht
Mt present exists to singularIy great de-
gree id our country,) or convey those use
ful Lessons which are the foundations of NOR
al excellence. 1t is then that the statesman
exerts his influence In the councils Of the
nations; that the General impants courage
in the heart of the soldier, and il is the hap
py,comb'nation Of, the moral with the intel
lectuaf endowments, of the statesman with
the warrior, that So beautifully characterises
him who is justly styled, "the father Of his
country" who, by rousing the imaginations
| ualt tha ntk nfl !.
men, enabled them to chant their greatful
reans and 10 plant the banrer Of freedom
in soil so indigenous to IL.
There 10 another subject with which i'm.
imagination is intimately connected II is the
phenomenon Of dreams, which may be as-
cribed to the workings Of an unconti oiled
imagination being hot under the influence
OF the other faculties. they -bsins~sslsrp:
but in proportion as the disconnected events
then existing are regulated, or ln harmony
with othcr'';e,ions ofibe mind that NAV be
awake-are our dreams possessed of inter.
est and consistency. Dreams may also he
awakened. by peculiar conditions Of the sys-
TEN.
There ara no agents, perhaps, that call in
To action our imaginatiohA more than the
use Of fstihuIants and hare soiics. -wfhemakes
the poor man rich, and the coward brave; Il
makes plebian king, aud wisdom spring
out Of ignorance. Opium has even more
special action, for all who have been add.ss
ted to the unfortunate excess 10 the use Of
this drug. particularly refer TO tbs exalta.ions
| Of their imaginations, and the inspirations "a
kpoeFy. = 49, y
tfzStig. e 1t wers,pot for inaginialss, the
world would be bereft Of al its bss6ty. \
The spblimily of nature with all Of her vi.
cessitpdes which GIL us with admiration
would bs lhat spd4the sunshine Of life,
would be nbspared BY tho daFkaaed -shxd.
avs Of monotqny- ss-r
4sa~s~ss~sr~ E.e,u .,,r.
'fatch :sth, 1855,