The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1857-06-19
A DISCONTINUED LIFE.
"For human bodies are sic fools,
With all their colleges and schools,
That when no real ills perpleS them,


They make enou' themselves to vex them"
A great portion Of the ills of life are fcti.
tious. Indeed, it seems to be one of the
miseries Of lie that we should bc always m
iicipating Ills. Not content with the evils of
to-day, we make ourselves wretched, thinking
what will befal US tomorrow.
Go where you will, you still find II true
that men will torment themselves with imapi.
nary evils. Search the lowly cot, which poets
have pictured the abode of pence and content
ment, where they imagine that ambition, lust,
and power never enter; or visit the palace in
which wealth offers the tapestried carpet to
sink down in, the quiet attendance, the sculp-
tured marble, and the beautiful picture, you
will find that the envy, jealousy, and debased
nature Of the poor, and the continual anxiety,
fears, and detestable ambition of the rich, will
more than oyerbalance the imagined quiet of
the one, and the dazzling pomp and splendor
of the other.
Go to the abode Of him who apparently has
nothing to perpex him, who, like another
Cowper, lives secluded, surrounded by friends
blest with competence, possessing some
share of literary fame, where peace Tree from
strife and contentment unmixed with envy
would, if anywhere, forever reigr. The dis
eased nerves fill up the cavity which real
misfortune has not been able to enter. The
lowering cloud, the impending storm, the
roaring wind fill him with us deep melan-
cholv as the loss of greatest earthly good
How often are people made miserable by an.
ticipating some impending evil 1t is about
TO thunder or we shall be sick, or we are
going to fail, destroy the present sunshine
and drive away peace. Ones children will
turn out vagabouds, and their innocent gayety
is cause of sorrow, their fun and music is
harsh discord, their cheerful hopes gloomy
forebodings. The m0le-hill becomes noun.
tain; the defects of character in the boy hide
his good qualities; his merits are lost sight of,
and he who was sent to the family as beam
of light becomes a blazing torch.
So there are those who have every nppli-
ance for content who imagine themselves
neglected. Mrs. B. never calls here; Mr.. @.
did not notice me in the street; Lucy has en-
tirely forgotten that such a being us ], am
among the living. Sitting down and recount.
ing the sights, misconstruing the thoughtless
expressions, one soon has enough to make the
present hour miserable. What is it that one 5
family iu NIL that cnuId ho ,pi,h.d 20 ~ 80,
gard is paid to me by others, if am cipher
away from home and my neighbors will moi
care for me? Oh, how wretched life to bt
thus without sympathy! "Well, ma'am wei
get drum md fife and call your acquaint
ances together, md give you a surprise par
ty." Will this cure! No, the house was no
fit to be seen, Mr.. c. looked so grum, anc
Mrs. p. so sarcastic, and everything so unex
pected and jumbled, that the surprise CAV,
more modification than the first discomfort
whose source after all is jealousy.
View the youth who expects that the def
ciencies of to-day will be supplied tomorrow
into whose breast lurking cafe has never en-
tered, with all the blossms of spring arounc
him. Why is he unhappy! All, lie is ii
subjection-he can not do what he wishes.-
This restraint poisons all enjoyments. Tall
not to him of health, gayety, and mirth.-
} Freedom he Graves. Liberty to be n soldier
a sailor, anything that will release him from
the thraldom of parental restraint. The fu
ture to his eye appears as bright as the mid
day sun, without cloud upon the horizon
because that future contains the age of TWEEN
ty-one, when he shall be his own master.
Age, too, that quiet evening, is filled with
ghosts and goblins of departed joys, dissev
cred ties, regretted opportunities. The form
that have gone fit by, the shadows Of onc'
seen pleasures strike upon memory's retina
and the grim spirits of the past rise up in thu
twilight to sadden and nfflict the presen
hour. If there are no cares, there are M
friends, no strength. The stately forest hat
gone, decayed stump alone is left, stripped
of its branches and rotting above ground.
Such to some minds is the picture of lif'
the past and future presenting an untar
nished aspect, while the present seems cloth
ed in clouds md darkness. Thus we are eve
pressing onward, learning from experience anc
receiving lessons from daily occurrences.
Life doubtless has evils. But how many
are purely imaginary! How many are The
fruits Of our own distempered appetites ant
lusts! Let one walk out on bright spring
morning. the air filled with fragrance, the eye
enchanted with beauty, the ear saluted will
the Cheerful! songs of the birds, and if he cal
murmur and repine, why, then, shut him up
and, like the father of Marshalsea, let him b'
wretched because the jailer, Chivery, treats
him cold
Lille BoD-Please, Mr.. Snowman, vici
is the monkey and vich is the helephant!
Observation-Disclosures you pleases, my III.
tie man.; you pays your money, and you takes