Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1859-08-09
Newspapers.
BY JANIS RUSSELL LOWELL.


BY JANIS RussELL LOWELL.
Wonderful 10 him who has eyes TO soc II rightly
ia tho newspaper. To me- for example, sitting
on the critical front bench Of the pit, in my study
hero in Salenh tho advent OF my weekly journal
IA that Of strolling theatre, or rather Of pup
pet show, on whose stage narrow ~ u Ia. the
tragedy. comedy, and farce Of lite are played In
Mechanically in brown paper wrapper!
Hther TO my obscure corner, by wind, or steam,
on horseback, on dromedary back, In the pouch Of
the Indian runner, or clicking over the magnetic
wires, troop all tho famous performers from the
four quarters of the globc. Looked Mt from
point, Of criticism tiny puppets they seem all as
tho editor sets his booth upon my desk and oflci-
ates rs Snowman. Now ] can truly see how little
and trausitory il life. Tho Garth appears almost
M drop Of vinegar, ,on which tho solar microscope
Of tho imagination mus, bo brought 10 bear In or
der to mike out any thing distinctly.
The animalculc there, In tho pen jacket is Lou
is Philippe just landed on the coast of England.
Tint other in the grny rurtout and cooked hat, is
Napoleon Bonaparte Smith, assuring France that
she need apprehend no interference from him in
tho present alarming junctures. At that spot.
where you seem to SEQ u speck of something In mo
tion. is an immense mass meeting. Look sharp
er and YOU will aae u man brandishing hla man.
dibles in an excite manner. This is the great So
andso. defending his position amid lumultuoua
and irrepressiblc cheers. That inhntcssinnl ere.
aturc, upon wnom some score OF others. ua minute
rs he, are gazing in oren'pokhed admiration. i.a
famous philosopher, expoa ling to u select audi.
ence their capacity for Tho hfntc. That scarce
disccrnable puf1et Of smoke and dust is II revolu-
zion. That spcck thero ism reformer just arrang-
ing lever with which he is to move the world
And 10 there crcops forward tho shadow ofLskel.
cton that blows one breuth between its grinning
teeth. and al our distinguished actors are whisk-
cd off the slippery stngc into the dark beyond.
tl,E .h. k.~ taa ~. IL
tons Now and thon We catch glimpse Of o
grim old man. who lays down scytho and hour
glass in the corner whilo he shifts tho sconses.--
There, too, in the dim back ground. wired shape
is ever dclving. Something's he leans upon his
mattock, and gazcs, as Vb~oh whirls by. bearing
the newly married on their wedding jnnnt or
glances caroessl ia babe brought homo from chris
tening. Suddenly (for tho scenegrows larger
and larger as we look bony hand snatches back
performer In the midst of his part, and him
whom Yesterday two in6nites lpast and iuture)
would not suffice handful Of dust il enough 10
coyer and silence forever. Nay. we the same
leshless fingers opening to clutch the Snowman
himself and guess. not without u shuddsr, that
they arc lyin~ in wait for spectators also
Such thoughts will occur TO mo sometimes as |
am tearing off tho wrapper Of my newspnper.--
Then suddenly that otherwise too eiten vacant
sheet becomes invested for me with strange kind
Of awe. Look Deaths and marriages, notices Of
inventions, discoveries and books. lists Of promo
tonso killed wounded, md missing, news nf fires,
accidents. of sudden wealth. and as sudden povcr-
ty. hold In my hand the end of myriad invisi-
ble electric conductors, along which trembed the
joys, sorrows. wrongs. triumphs. hopes, and des-
pairs of as many men md women every where
So that upon that mood Of mind which seems to
isolate mo from mankind rs spectator of their
puppet prankR another supervene, in which feel
that |, too, unknown and unheard of, nm yet Of
some import to my fellows. For, through my
newspaper here, do not families take pains to send
me- nm entire stranger, news of death among
them Are not here two who would have me
know of their marriagef And, strangest of all,
is not this singular person anxious to have me
know thnt he has received fresh supply Of Dimi-
ty b. oisgins2 But to none of US docs the present
(cycn for moment discerncd as sueh) continue
miraculous. We glance carelessly at the sun rise,
and get used to Orion and the Pleiadcs. The won
der wears off, and Tomorrow this sheet, in which
a vision was letdown TO mo from heaven, shall be
a wrappage to bar ofsoap or the platter tor beg.
gar's broken yictuals