Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1858-02-17
oRRGINAL PAPERS
For the Spirit Of the Age
DESTRUCTION OF TIME.

f" What does not fade9 The tower that long
had stood
The crush of thunder and the warning winds,
Shook by the slow but sure destroyer Time,
Now hangs in doubtful ruins ere its base,
And linty pyramids and walls of brass
Descend ARMSTRONG
Man is a being that is delightedat at objects !
which are greatly anirnating in their ma
ture. He observes the progress of science
and art with great delight, and his soul IS |
filed with emotions Of JOY as he beholds
his native land fast ascending the sleeps Of
fame and honor. All indeed may rejoice
when gazing upon the various improve
mcnts of the present day, which has been
truly termed the golden age; but there is
a gloom of sadness overshadows our coun-
tenance, Notwithstanding seems toprom-
/. ise bright and glorious future. One
thought invades the human mind, which
speaks with loud clarion notes, that things
are fast changing, and that soon the places
now renowned in our country's glory, will
only be known upon the pages Of her past
history.
Gaze down the dark vista Of the past and
behold the ravages Of Time.
@The Babylonian spires are sunk,
Achaia, Rome and Egypt moulder down.
Tine shakes the stable tyranny Of thrones,
And tottering empires rush by their own
weight
No longer do the towering steeples
Of Rome, the proudest Of empires, point
towards the heavens in splendor and beau
ty. The magnificent temples of Tyre, the
greatest emporium Of antiquity prior to
Carthage is now heap Of ruins. Baby
lon, that most magnificent city and vast
metropolis Of ancient times, is now only
known by the huge mounds of brick and
rubbish that mark its location. 1t has
decayed at the touch Of the mighty finger
Of Time. Cities have fallen in his onward
march, whose temples and palaces were
characterized for beauty, grandeur and
magnifeence beyond all parallel in the an
nal of history.
Those wrecks of once grand and -four
ishinq cities show no doubt the future des
tiny Of some Of the great and powerful
cities that are now fourishing in beauty
and grandeur. No doubt the great Brit
ish Metropolis, now in its power and glory
viii in time share the fate; and nothing b
left to mark its site but the rolling wave
Of the Thames. The Commercial Empo
rum Of America may share fate simila
to that Of Carthage; and nothing renail
to denote its location but the gliding wa
tefs Of the Hudson as they roll on in splen
dor towards the Atlantic to mingle with it
briney waves. Washington, the City {
magnificent distances, named in honor {
the Sage Of Mount Vernon, may deca
and nothing be left but rude mounds {
stones and ruined columns; but the wave
Of the beautiful Potomac, on whose bank
it stands, win continue its rapid course.
Generations yet unborn will spring fort
and read of the rise, progress and downia
Of kingdoms and empires, cities and pail
ces which were characterised for the
greatness and power. Time has wrougl
mighty changes; and many more will f
the pages Of the future history Of Il
world changes that arc concealed fro
the visions Of men may soon burst fort
upon the world, laying waste mighty n
tions and empires The future only cs
tell the mighty changes that will transpi
the many empires that will rise, fouri
and become renowned for while, and tn
fall, only to be renowned in history. Sn
changes the world has undergone, such t
world will certainly have to undergo un
Jehovah with his mighty fiat, will lecr
time to be no more.
THEOPHILUS.
Mt. Pleasant, N. G.