Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1857-06-17
Star gazing.

with the earth in a few days from this wri- IN
tins. unless Il Is otherwise ordores has set eyi
almost everybody to star gazing. Eyes that It's
scarcely ever were raised from the earth be- fo'
fore, have every night scanned the glittering IN
heavens to see if any new wonders are per- an
forming on the ethereal stage 1t is right en-
pleasant at all times to watch the stars,-the vi
astronomers tell US many wonderful things II
concerning them, and not knowing any bet ;,
ter, we are bound to believe what the men "
of science tell US. 1t is good to star gaze :
now and then the mind is almost sure TO :
take on the contemplative mood and many "
things may be thought of, many things too OF :
ten forgotten. The stars were not made by
mani :
Flooding homewards late at night we
singled out a bright and beautiful star ana
began to gaze upon it. It was easy to won
der, if not to believe, ~ if some beiateo
starry mortal, might not be plodding home
wards just then gazing on this our native
planet in turn. May it not be possible ?
Then in view of the incessant clatter that
goes to make up our diurnal history, 1t is a
curious subject of inquiry as to whether our
planet looks to our brother away up there as
severe and calm as his bright home appears
to US. Does distance-immensity of space
l~conceal our uproars, our elections, our earth
quakes of human Passion, our storms and
broils, and does this wicked world, with its
generation of vipers." seem a bright and
beautiful star to the night wanderer on the
plains of Saturn, Venus or Vesta?
Does anybody suppose that the stars have
no society? No great river, or lake, with
this world and thousands besides blinking in
its reflective waves like tiny gems of silver
} No New Yorks, no Londons, no China, M
, Shakespeare, no Washington, no Kansas, n'
rail roads, no filibusteriug Walkers, an
last, tho by no means least, no esprit of th
Age " to enliven the hours that might other
!. wise grow dull?
;, Do real people " live, and move, and hay
their being " in those starry worlds? Ble'
;. you, we know not It is best that we al
ignorant upon that point. If there be a n
& tional Congress in any of the stars, or all
u them, honorable NJ. C.'s, hot debates, due
wars, intrigues, double dealings, drunke
ness and grogshops, it is better not to kno
!. it. May we remain in ignorance upon tn
point and still look up to them as bright II
ages of purity. Would it enhance our e
~joyment any, to know that sick headach'
:: con%sumptions, agues, fevers, toothaches a
r the itch were common among the denlze
Of Vesta that the small pox marred I
beauty ofthesweet maidens of Venus; that.
piter was bursting asunder about Kansas a
wooly-headed, odoriferous negroes that
turn was a curious compound like our N
sachusetts, Utah and New York City
compounded together that Mars is infes
with fllibustering Walker comets, and
Mercury even was slavering in a terri
-, salvation for the yellow fever Verify
enjoyment would not be a whit the more
tense.
"The stars sang together" it has b
POLITICALLY said but does anybody supp
9th joins the celestial chorus Mol 1t is
how others that join in the glorious performar
n. At least, ours only groans, weeps, his
49, shouts, hurrahs and throws up its cap?
al 1t is best to be Ignorant upon these q
vol oae 49, : "ouiu ue .
. wretchedly dark, this sin stricken worl
ours appears to the intelligences on the h
the plains and wales of the bright worlds
gaze upon at the high noon of this beaui
'om- and lovely night in June.