Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1854-10-04
OCTOBER 4.
Iaoits' Department.
FOR the SPIRIT OF THE AGE.

FOR THE SPIRIT OF THE AGE.
Southern Talent and Southern Enterprise.
DEAR Mr.. EDITOR IL do hope that, in
answer 10 your appeal in last weeks paper,
North Carolina spirit will be more thor
ouohly aroused than ever before, to a stron-
ger and deeper interest in her local Litera-
ture. The unvarying disposition which
YOU have manifested, to send a paper richly
worthy Of perusal to her social firesides,
merits and should receive prompt and gen
erous support. 1t has gone out on its
weekly mission, rigid alone in its deter
mined opposition to the black tide Of drunk
en- immortality, which has already desolated
her faircst scenes-br0ken her most deeply
trusting hearts-destroycd her strongest
intellects-and laid her hopeful pillars with
all the buds and blossoms that clu%steringly
around them hung, in unwept, dishonored
graves. But even whilst depicting vice in
the hideous hues she always wears, after
her false colors are sent away it has never
ceased to hold up virtue in her own true,
beautiful character and such a paper, me
thinks, within the limits of our beloved
South, should commend itself to every home
circle, and every heart that throbs around
We have putlonized ING NORTH, with her
endless array of schools, and pedlars, and
watering places, and literature long enough;
it is time to waken up to sectional interest,
equally as cngrossing, and perhaps far more
calculated to produce good and beneficial
effects. In perseverance,, zeal aud indomi-
table industry, she has indeed set US q glo-
lit -. - Ioon o1r-x 20
follow; for not only in every species of
mechanism and the fine arts nave we been
outstripped by our Northern brethren, but
in the cultivation of Literature also far in
deed have we been left in the background.
Where she can point with an unfaltering
and triumphant finger to scores of brilliant
stars in the armament of our national lite
nature, the South, in contrast to this glo-
rious galaxy, can show but few to the world.
And, perhaps, to our shame be it said, no
reason may be more co~nclusivcly assigned
for this prevailing listlessness, than the fact
of our long continued dependence upon
others, rendering us unfit for much e~xcrtion
either Of Il mental or physical character
Enervated constitutions are often the inner
itaDce with the troop of slaves accustomed
to do our slightest bidding, and in that
sympathy of mind with the body it tenn.
porarily inhabits, as proven not only by the
laws of metaphysics but by observation o.
every days occurrence, result a neglect o.
laying that groundwork of self-dependenct
from which the firm fabric of characte,
should be reared.
Who can calculate the influence whicl
is exertcd over communities and States
through our newspaper literature Their
are very many readers of newspapers VIII
rarely peruse a book, and breaking in a
it does upon the business of the week, arrest
ing thought whilst most heavily laden wit
worldly dreams, the effect which a wor
ftly spoken through that paper may pre-
duce upon after life, may be of the mo:
momentous consequences. 1t may diret
dswa q widaly different chauuei n curreI
Of bitter feeling which has inundated tt
hearts better and purer perceptions.
may arouse an honorable, never-sloepin
ambition in a breast previously ignorant
its dormant power. 1t may send virtu
fitting as such an angel of light before IL
base ones vision, that her pure face is lie
daguereotyped in all its beauty upon b
soul. Admiration for the loftier attribute
of human character-sympathy for I'll
crushing cares following in poverty's wax
sorrow for man bcsotted and levelled to IL
brute creation through drunknness-dete
tation of the h~eartless libertine's trail am
bright flowers which no after spring tin
may restore to original purity and beauty
horror for the daring profanity which triay
with Gods holy law-and a bitter and lf
long aversion to the thousand acts derog
tory to the high character it is mans 81
rious privilege to sustain, but which a
still diguiied by the name of business ira,
s%actions, may be planted in the mind by Q
essay or paragraph in a newspaper, new
more to be obliterated.
l care not for the insinuating snee
which says l am investing a little THU
with too much power. The natural al
social world are each made up Of little o
jects and little events, but every one
which help in some manner to contribu
to the general harmony, or send discorda
thrillings through the euphony that shou
pervade its notes. 1t is an acorn that |
comes ar oak a spark that makes a fir
AZ HAAI w oldhu OdCh i dNO-pbA uCh u
temptation of the devastating grandeur
the one, OF are invigorated by the refres
Jag shelter from solar heat as afforded
the outrageous foliage of the other, no CO
tempt arises in connection with the feel
sources from which they sprang. 1t is
our desire to do too much, that imports
opportunities of doing good are neglect,
We forget that as rational, redeemed CT
lures, the obligation is always resting W
US to influence benefcially our fellow-mt
We forget that each respective day is a n
era for the discharge of some imperat
~ duty; that every hour teens with oppor
mites to improve others or grow better Q
selves. This is an acknowledged age of
ny form, and though many Of its moveme
are of an exceedingly questionable char
ter, no one ventures to dispute the POI
of the press in suppressing vice, in iudu
cling the tide of public sentiment, and ]
ing the spirits eye to the full appreciat
of moral and christian consistency.
And who will deny the need Of ma
important changes in their own immedi
community? 2. The rafting of dice has
ceased-nor do broWs s%cowling beneath
worst Of human passions neglect to b.
Ger the card table. Drunkenness does
shrink back appalled, at its own loathso
figure nor has the black face of %licentio
ness hid its hateful features forever. Mo