Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1855-02-14
ICONCLUDED.


Look not thou upon the wine when it is red,
when it giveth his colour in the cup, when it NOV
eth itself Alright:
AT the last it biteth ikea serpent, and stngeth
like an adder. Proverbs, 23d ch., 3lst and 32d
VS.
There we're two men, says Macauley, in
in The tirsl quarter Of the nineteenth century,
who, before the time when men are usually
completing their eduqaop, had reached
in his own department. the summit of hu-
man glory. The one lied at Longwood,
li.4.-.sl.--- - sa----i--l's .il---~--e -
have read au, thing S&he history Of your
own times, will remember that one of these
was Bonapar,e, the other Byron. Of the
latler it is now we'll known that in his vc'un-
iary exile, he shattered bis splendid intellect
ito borrow the words OF he essayisD oy mid
night draughts Of ardent spirits and Rhensh
wines. There is much Of his later poetry
which smacks rather Of the inspiration of
gin, than Of the inspiration of genius. But
what we wish you specially TO observe, is
how literally the text was fulfilled in the his
tory of that great but unhappy man. He
! looked upon tue wine when it was red,
'when il gave his color in the cup He
used his wonderful genius to throw fascina-
ton around the intoxicating bowl. Hear
but strains Of one Of his Bacllanalian songs,
written ere he had seeu or fell augl:L but The
pleasures of wine.
Fill the goblet again for l never before
Felt the glow which now gladdens my heart to its
core.
Let us drink-who would not since through lifes
varied round,
Tn The goblet alone no deception is found
In the days of my youth, when the hearts in its
spring
And dreams that affection can never take wing
had friends, who has not? but what tongue will
avow
That friends, rosy wine, are so faithful as thou
But ere you quote those words, Young
, Man, as true-ere you believe them, turn
over the leaves Of The volume to the last
page. Read The poem, dated at Msso-
longhi, three months before his untimey
= death. We select again two verses.
e sMy days are in the yellow leaf
The flowers and fruits of love are gone,
. The worm the canker, and the grief
= Are mine alone.'
: . The Gre that on my bosom preys,
Is lone some volcanic isle,
: No torch is kinded at its blaze
o A funeral pile
y Was there no deception in the goblet 2
Were there no friends TO that unhappy man
p SO true as the ROSY sSssSr ! Did he not feel
of feel with bitterness which few could real
e ize, because fear could feel so intensely
le that the fruit which outwardy looket. SO fair
d was inwardly ashes and dust, and, that how
III ever tempting the wine cup might be al tn
Us 6rst-however seductively it might give it
er ruby colour through the goblet then, at th
u last it biteth like serpent, aud stingelh Iik
10 an adder
Now here is peril to which all are e,
ct posed. To some it is an imminent peril
ch 10 others, il may be, peril not so near q
= SO threatening. But to all, especially TO a
10 young men, there is always danger from thi
e quarter. This danger can be certainly avoic
iai ed only bv obedience 10 the exhoralion ,
os- the text. If you would escape, wholly an
ON surely, look not upon the wine when it
es, red | do not say that one draught wi
lr. work your ruin, or that one glass will Sc
ut your fate. We preach no extravaganc
upon this subject. We simply say lh'
'ut there is no absolute safety for you this si'
ale the most entire abstinence-no deliveran,
'ep certainly 10 be counted on, but in inpli
ar, obedience to the command Of God, viii
Id, euj"ins US, to looknot upon the wine VIII
OF it is red.'
Or if your standing, my youthful hear
aps is so secure, that YOU may venture somewh
ing and yet not fall-if your hand is so stror
and your eye so steady. and your heart
and brave, that YOU may let your bark drift ca
lessly down the rapids sure that you can,