Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1857-01-14
For the Spirit of the Age.
The Past Year.

Lie xaSC lear.
Where is the world" cries Young at eiqhtu.
where
The world in which a man was bornDn-
Alas!
where is the world of one year past! Twas
there
l look for tits gone, a Globe of glassl
Orack,d' shlVer'd, VANISHED, scarcely gazed
on, ere
A silentchange dissolvesthe glittering mass"
Another year has gone by-another pc
Rod in the pilgrims progress to the abode
where time shall be no more. has glided
past. Another wave in the ching tide of
existence has rolled back into the ocean Of
the past, and borne thousands upon its re-
slstless current into the impenetrable and
Unreasonable abyss of eternity.
The car of time has been rolling on to-
wards the great Depot Of it's destination.
and it has nov arrived, andi swiftly pass
ing that Station in it's ceaseless course when
1t properly behooves US to reflect upon the
past, and contemplate the future. . The
fully whispered in the wandering breeze,
and is heard as it were in the elevated ac-
cents OF the winters rushing winds. A
voice of admonition seems to arise from
the shade Of the past-from the hidden re-
cesses OF memory's secret chambers. and
thrills with peculiar pensiveness upon the
sensitive fbres of the soul.
The requiem of the past falls, with meas
ured and solemn cadence, upon the ear
the departed year like it's predecessors. has
rolled along the inclined track oftime, and
borne down In its progress the hopes and
fears of thousands to the dark abodes Of
oblivion.
1t came-it opened new prospects to the
view and infused new hopes into the hearts
OF many; it brought with its changes the
varied beauties and charms, the Joys ard
pleasures of the seasons; it has gone, and
with 1t have flown the fattering prospects
and delusive hopes that mortals fondly
cherished, and many swelling bosoms once
buoyant with hope, like the cherries as
pect OF nature, are now d~esolate and alike
seem to dwell with sorrowful regrets upon
the past and mourn the ruthless rayaoes of
time.
we are now as it were just upon the
threshold of a new year-a new era of life
and new antlcipations will present their
faclnatlng smiles to the ever restless and
fertile imagination Of man. The vernal
beauty Of spring will return and the land
scape will again wave in the luxuriant To-
llage and glory of summer. The season of
MOWERS Will once more unfold its rich dra-
perry to the admiring gaze, and tender bios
SONS put forth, as if by magic at natures
bidding. But blasted prospects and plieht-I
ed hopes and hearts made desolate by dis
appointments and sorrow! Alas! the return
ing season can bring no resusitating smile
can shed no vivifying rag to restore the
one or soothe the other. There are those
who have get beside the dying couch and
heard the stihed means of death. who have
followed IN the slow and solemn procession
and gazed upon the consecrated tomb. who
have seen the grave close over their dear
est one, whose sweetest associations and
tondest antlclpatlons have been blasted for
ever. Many places once made bright and
joyous by the presence of dear and lovely
form of human breuty, are now sad and desc.
late those cherished forms have been ia
ken from the view and many swelling
streams of "affection left to roll back io
Alpine torrents upon the heart"
Alas how many deep fonts of hidden
have been broken up, how mapv
deep closed wounds bleed unknown and n
despair! But as sunshine and shower
and Winter, are necessary to
the resurrection and perfection of the sweet
of summer, and the rich fruit of
autumn, so are smiles and tears. low and
grief, necessary to agitate and keep in mo-
ton, the fountain of feeling and ipyioo-
rate the soul, for the high and pu,ifvino
labor of doing good. Let us hope that the
pleasures and pains which have been scat
tered along the pathway of our PILGRIMAGE
during the past year, may enable us to en.
dure alike the joys and ills of the present.
that moderation may increase our labors of
love, and enable US by an eve of faith ~
behold along the vista of the future 4 han,
py entrance into the abode where CON-.
lay shall be as a thousand years and a hon
'and years as one day" where there sban