Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1858-03-10
ORIGINAL PAPERS
For the Spirit Of the Age.
Facts worthy Of Contemplation.
lcoNr1NuED FRoM OUR LAsr.l

CONTINUED FROM OUR LAsT.)
Does not the contemplatiye mind heave
with the most generous emotions, when
Aurora unlocks, with her rosy fingers, the
dusky portals Of the Eastl All nature, re-
freshed by the grateful restorer, sleep
puts on her new charms Unwritten mu-
sic, proceeding from innumerable sources,
falls melodiousy on the attentive ear
The faint rustling Of the verdant leaf, the
low murmuring of the winding stream the
shrill bleating Of the patient herd, the low
buzzing Of the fitting insect the merry
prattle Of the mimic bird, and the plaintive
cooings Of the constant dove, all, blending
in harmonious measures, proclaim their
Makers praise. Who has not observed
the placid vivacity which beams in the
youthful eye at early morn or, who does
not recall with fond delight the innocent
sports in which he participated, in days
gone by, at this hour. The day God adj
vancing from his oriental mansion, paints
all nature with thousand different hues,
and cheers all animate beings with his ge-
nial warmth. Ask him for what purpose
he, periodically, hides his face from us D.
He replies TO give season Of rest, and
lend light to those who were in darkness
while YOU enjoyed the day. Whittier, oh
mighty wanderer, do you dwel9 Millions
and millions Of miles from you. Why do
YOU remain stationary, while all the planets
Of your system are performing around you
their annual revolutions with incredible We
locityl Their velocity is nothing COM
pared with mine around the planet Alcione.
What scenes have you beheld, in your
ceaseless fight through unlimited space,
for countless agesl Volume upon volume
would not contain them. Ever since this
-sublunary planet emerged from chaos,
have irradiated it by day and lent Luna
her light to beautify it by night Innum
erable cities | have seen rise, fall and de
cav. | saw proud Babylon, renowned
Carthage and typical Jerusalem erected
allumined themi their pride, and wept tove
their sad overthrow. l have seen fruitful
fields desolated by famine and pestience
powerful nations writhe under the horrors c
cruel war, land rivers stream with human gore
Asia the early seat of science and Literature
| have seen sunk low in ignorance and po
luton; and America, the den of wild bea'
and home, of cruel savages, converted int
the bright oasis of scientific light and Bib
truth. | once saw small remnant of tn
human family collected within narro
ark, and that ark guided safely, by th
hand of Providence, through furious d.
Iurc which swept all other living creatur,
from the earth. witnessed all the fair seen,
and Interesting occurrences Of the gardel
Paradise, before and after Adam awoke
behold, with ecstatic Joy, his gentle Ev
And alas alas, | saw the rash hand pc
petrate the heinous deed "which broug
death in our world and all our woe."
behcld the horrid transactions of the da
ages the miracles wrought by Christ al
his apostles, and the TRANSPORTATION and 8
cension of the holy Lamb. But gentle re
der, your fellow-man perpetrated on Mou
Calvary deed so black; so heinous;
fendish that ], stern as | am, could n
look upon it. A deed which caused t
earth to shake hemountains to quake /; t
rocks to rend, and the internal regions
tremble from their very foundation. Loo
inp far beyond my own system see cou
less systems of kindred character, ca
member Of which completes its revoluti
in its appointed time and place, and exh
its phenomena for the contemplation
those who inhabit the systems which
visible TO them. For what purpose, G
venerable monarch, do you shine9
beams paint every flower that decks
boundless garden Of nature; every leaft
makes up the luxuriant foliage of the de
forest every jewel that adorns kin
crowns, and every eye that sparkles W
Youthful vivacity. Cut off the genial
Auence of my rays, and no flower wo
raise its head to meet the admiring e
no vegetable to supply the wants Of the
NAL world no light to expel the dark c
otic gloom of night, nor would Spring
Summer return to cheer all nature aft,
Iong. dreary Winter All the beautie
nature which augment SO much our ha
ness. would be shrouded in perpetual mi
THE ocean with all its tributaries would
CONCEALED to the bottom. No cry
stream would send forth its limpid wa
20 assuage the raging thirst of the We
traveller. or attune its murmuring note
sootbe the iaded ear How then W,
the majestic ship and huge iron horse
verse the mighty deep; or, what
would Weld them rich productions to
from land to land. Thus gentle res
YOU perceive that if !, small link in
economy Of the universe, were annihil'
it would result in tho disorganization o
whole solar system Your globe woul
endered uninhabitable or suDposin0