Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1858-1860, 1859-04-18
For the Patriot.
IVY LEAVES -. BIT RANDALL
10 y1II.=guE BEAUTIES or An INGENIOUS MAD.


The constant agitation of the mind. the
-tornnenting fears,the endless hopes and unruiy
conciences which perpetually disorder the
bosom of the unhappy worldiings, are more,
much more than eouterbalance to all the
riches, honors, and titular -dignities which
successful, cunning and deceit can obtain
What does all these jewels of the world avail.
when by toiling after them from youth, to
hoary age, the possessor of them has not the
power to enjoy them in their legitimate man
ner; by constant toll for worldly gain, he
has worn out his sensibility, stained his honor,
and perhaps wounded his conscience so that
when be is by the weight of years. forced to
cease his arduous task of accommodating sor-
did treasures, plunged in the depths OF sorrow
and despair, no pure and calm remembranees
of the past to bghteu his heart, no pleasing
hopes of happy future beams upon his
blackened soul; nay, he rather shuns the
thought of death, for he feels that for heaven
he is not fit, and for regions far belo7.
he desires not to hasten his advent there.
True, when man has a large family de-
pending upon him. it may be generous 10 sac
rifice his own ease and happiness to a certain
extent to their advancement; this will be ad-
mitted by all to be no more than Just, nor is
it: but shall man blacken his conscience
stain his honor ruin his health forget his
God, and break His commandmcnts-shall he
try to hide his secret deeds from the power of
that Being whose searching eye penetrates the
most obscure portions of his heart. and views
truths there that he would not for all that
they have gained for him. have the world to
know? Are there any duties that man has
to perform here that demand of him such
course of action this? Emphatically not.
The idea is preposterous.
But it is obvious to all observers that these
artful men these slaves TO self-interest and
ambition-these crayers of shining lucre-are
unmarried men They possess not in their
natures that passion in its virtuous and I'M
adlltcrated state. No; love, the sweet sOoth-
err of the saddened soul, could not dwell amid
such foul fumes, hence their selfish caution
would not allow them to Take step that
could never be revoked They have been to
themselves the only object of their love. and
the balance of mankind need not envy them,
for they infiict upon themselves a just
punishment, for they are always craving, and
never satisfied; and constantly reaching after
blessings which they can never grasp; and
being forbid to take the fruit whose color
looks so tempting to the eye and so delicious
to the imagination.
Let us turn now and view an open and
ingenious disposition, how lovely, and how
happy all things pass along, lite seems to
spread blessings ever before the pOssessor of
this best of virtues an open aud ingenious
mind is not merely b autiiul and conducive
to private happiness, but il is also productive
of multitude of virtues essential To the
welfare OF society. What, would society be
without confidence. He who does not possess
a.. 8.
ing all others by himself, he has no confidence
in the world, hence he is suspicious of it. and
the result is his lite is life of unhappines
and blasted hopes.
An honest, unsuspcous heart, spreads a
serenity over life as soft, and calm, as the
passing clouds that gently float through the
crimson tinted sky. reflects through their
misty vapors the fading rays of the setting
sun, and as it gaZes in silent admiration upon
them, the soul cannot but grow pregnant
with reflections of the past; hopes that were
born in childish innocence bloom again, hopes
that filled the heart in vigorous manhood,
seem to have new life infused into them,
hopes that lettering age beckoned on from |
year to year with fainting hearts. now grow
in beauty to the dimmed eye, and vast armies
of hopes, joys, and happiness, are assembled
there to crown the pOssessor of pure and
ingenious heart.
Give me. o. we unseen powers, a heart
whose pureness shall tighten the sable dark
ness of the soul, where griefs of weary life
shall blossom; there let its light fall graceful
ly, and loveningly, around the heart, e'en as
the folds OF the unspOtted robes ofvirgins. gent
ly droop in angelic majesty around their celes-
tial forms; so diffuse, O! gentle spirits of
realms beyond, blessings calld from regions
unexplored, by the plodders of fading
world
NASHVILLE, April 10, 1859.