Daily national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1854, 1854-07-27
LITERARY MISCELLANY.
For the National Era
THE NINETEENTH CENTURY.
BY D. W. RANSEY.


by D. W. RANSEY.
The dawn Of the nineteenth century was
ushercd in by the brilliant chemical discoy-
cries of Sir Humphrey Dayy and scientific dis
coveries have followed each other, in rapid sue
cession
The mind OF man has burst the shackles OF
ignorance, and spirit Of free inquiry and in
vestigation has been the "star ascendant" dis
polling the er.ors and darkness Of the past
while education, morals and philanthropy,
have received an impulse which will be tslt
as long as time shall roll his iron chariot
down the vista of ages Though Bacon and
Newton, in their scientific Investigations,
tower like light houses in the past" yet their
fame dms, in contrast with the achievements
of the present century
Ii has long been the ain Of astronomers to
determine the parallax of one Of those fixed
stars that sparkle in tho heavens like !" gilt
tering dust ~ but the honor Of that achieve
ment has been reserved to be awarded to the
science Of the nineteenth century.
At no time since the Egyptian priests, the
Chaldee shepherds, and the Ph@ncian nayiga-
tors, turned their gazo to the consolidated
vault, has astronomy progressed with more
rapid strides than the present New worlds
are found, where science had uttered its prophe-
oy the nebu'g are dissected and classified,
and the comet from it's vast fight has return
ed at its appointed time.
The discoveries which have been made, in
every department of science and art, are varied
and extensive. Geology, with all its volumes
Of history, locked in fossil, pebble, or granite
block, is gift of the nineteenth century. The
invention Of the safety lamp has made the phi
lanthropy of future generations debtors to the
science Of tho present century. Ocean steam
navigation, the railroad, and the telegraph, are
among the trophies that distinguish the nine
teenth century.
But the moral and philanthropic achieve
ments Of the present century are its greatest
boast The dissolution Of nionasic institutions
and feudal privileges the adjustment of the
torture, the horrors of the IEquistion and the
African slave trade, viyidly portray the moral
triumphs Of the nineteenth century.
The temperance Reform, in its benign infu-
cnce, has softened the misery of two continents,
and spread halo Of brightness, like the bow
Of promise around the moral world. Sobriety,
peace, and happiness mark its angelic course.
The Genius Of Liberty has also scared proud
ly in its course from nation to nation. The
American descendant Of tho proud Spaniard,
the blacks of st. Domingo, and the inhabitants
Of Italy, Germany, and Hungary, have all felt
The reform which has taken place In the
management and discipline OF insane asylums
and prisons is one which will forever honor
the philanthropy of the present century.
Kindness charity, and furgiveness--those
foundation principles of Christianity, inculca-
ted by the immortal Howard-are now applied
in the alienation of the suferings and miseries
of humanity.
How beautifully falls
From human lips that blessed word. forgive
Forgiyencss-it is the attribute of gods
The sound that opcneth Heaven-rcnews again
On EARTH lost Edeu's faded bloom and filings
Hopes halcycn halo tho waste OF lifo
Thrice happy he whose heart has been so schooled
In the mock lessons of humanity,
That he can give il utterancc; il imparts
Celestial grandeur TO the human soul,
Aud maketh mau an angel"
Anti-Slavery is also one Of the enlarged
schemes Of philanthropy which will forever
distinguish the present century.
What q scene Of moral desolation did the
world present at the opening Of the nineteenth
century Most OF the civilized nations had
lcgalized Slayery-that libel upon man-that
system Of rapine and fraud, where the strong.
oyerpowering the weak, force them To life Of
unrequited toll The African slave trade, with
iis untold horrors of the amiddle passage"
was in the full tide Of success.
by UNIVERSAL COu5cuI INC nhfc tIhuc was
a, clared piracy, and the friends Of emancipa-
ton, from a glorious few, led on by Clark
son and Wilberforcc, have increased to
mighty hosf Their thunders were heard by
tho British Parliament, and every recurring
twelfth Of August hears their shout Of joy, for
West India emancipation.
The cry Of the oppressed has been heard-s
mighty phalanx of strong hearts have come to
the rescue. IL need be, the wstoh-fres of Lib
erty can blaze from every hesdlsnd and hill
top; and when the sun of the present century
shall
-" towards Heavens descent
Have sIoped its wcstering wheel"
when it shall sink for its last time to it, bed
in the West, may its departing rays fan not
upon the brow Of single living slave
Nh. Prospsa Woter-Cure, Binghamtora, ". Y.