Litchfield enquirer., 1856-08-21
LTTCHFIELD, THURSDAY, AUGUST a1, 1856.
Youth and Old Age.

1 -a..s.r- Youth and Old Age. -r 1 There is an old age of the heart which is possessed by many who have no suspicion that they have anything old about them and there IS youth which never grows old, love who is ever boy, Psyche who is ever girl" Thus, and very truthfully, writes somebody It would be meet reward for life well spent, if in old age, one could feel that the springs of youth were still fresh and pure within his heart. Two things are necessary to this youth of heart, i which make it rare of attainment. One is the calm government of the passions; the other is spirit of love and beuevolence. It is life of selfishness which makes old age unlovey If all that is fierce, hard, unjust, imperious, envi- i ous and covetous within us, is allowed unabated influence, the fountain of warm emotion and generous impulse, which make the faith, earn estness and simplicity of charming youth, is soon chcked up by dry dust and sand The man who is passionate, suspicious, subtle, greedy of gain, jealous or irritable, need not expect to drink of the fabled fountain after which the Spaniards sought. The sunlight of content ment plays over it's waters, the shadow of the olive tree of peace rises around it, the birds of innocence drink at its brim and warble in the branches above, and the heaven of love bends over it. It is not for that the mass of men are ! striving. They prefer to druk the salt waters of greed, which fever and wither their powers, and bring on premature decay.
 Men have mo time, nowadays, to rest by the fountain of youth. They hurry-hurry- hurry by it's cool and inviting, but too humble valley, for the glttering mirage which promises them a splendid land in the future, where they can ! fuaH fha yvtpa of 1uypry nd ;plr
 They waste the morning of life that they may live 1 to excess through its afternoon. They are for tunate if they do not find their powers to en- joy selfish pleasures greatly exhausted before they end their race if, indeed, the mirage does not deude them entirely
 Women are in manner protected from the settlements and inducements of this thirst for gain, and when they have cold and wthered hearts, it is sad indeed. A beautiful female, with the rose on her cheek, and the light of girl. hood in her eye yet with duplicity or selfish ness in her soul, is a pitiable sight, for she is already old. We have seen them, with the skill and coolness of practiced fnancers, calcu- lating upon the chances for wealthy husbands, and going to the altar with bosoms of outward beauty, which should have been full of tender and glowing feeling, filled with thoughts of worldly triumph-enduring the presence of the lords to which they pledged their own, because they brought them gifts of furniture jewels, aud sken trappings. These arc the tragedies of life. Not that the actors themselves so re- garded them but the angels, leaning from heaven to smile upon the earthly nnptials of the young and fair, drew back in grief and alarm And the angels all pallid and wan, Uprising. unveiling, affirm
 that there is no more melancholy drama ever played than when youth and beauty barter its gifts for gold
 A canker which preys rapidly, and brings on old age of the heart, IS envy-a disease to which the feminine nature is somewhat prone envy of the rauk, the loveliness, the portion, the grace or the sunny temper of others, and vain repining because all is not theirs of luxury that might be.
 The truly womany character has too much sweetness, generosity and nobility ever to fall victim to this disease. Such character stands in small need of pleasures which others coyct, for in its own cheerfulness, it's love of doing kind deeds, and speaking pleasant words, it's innocent delight in the good and beautiful, its interest in the happaness of those by whom it is surrounded, it finds that exercise of its spirit ual qualities which keeps it from enuui or dis. content.
 Another thing which endangers youth ol heart is an excess of pride and selt-ove This kind of haughtiness is like frost that comes in June, and kills the delcate bloom and withers the precious perfumes of summer. A garden blackencd by a chilly blight is not more drcary than abreast in which the coldness ol pride forever dwes
 Thus there may be real old age of spirit, while the years are few that mark their out. ward signs upon it's temple.
 Not less may there be real youth when age has marked the temple with seams of decay That immortal principle of love, which keep the heart open to receive impressions of joy and 1 sympathy which make it as susceptible to de. light from flower, and bird, and artless child at sixty as sixteen which upfts it in aspirations after the fature and dviner life,-this principle | it is which is the water of the true Fountain of Youth.
 The Mighty Cedars of California.
 Rev. Dr. Bushnell, of Hartford, writes from | Gol t,, ha