The Buchanan County guardian. (Independence, Buchanan County, Iowa) 1858-1864, 1859-03-03
Natural Objects.

Ey What sum Of admiration is suffi
Gent for this grand world, enclosing in
itself an endless series of forms and COM
binations Existence still springing up
and still perpetuated How wonderfully
are the stars upheld. Great bulks we
must acknowled go them, apparently
above us; and they fall not, though prop
ped only by opposing forces in nature.
Who shall say why they keep their
spheres ? Who shall say what they are
whether constant, or at periods produced
by agents which we do not know, in
worlds teeming with things and processes
of which we here find no examples !?
They govern not themselves. but are
obedient to their own constituents there,
too, existences are causes, and all we con-
template in them is yet compelled, effect
ell by existence.
The sun is present, and imparts to us
both light and heat +; it is formed by its
own causes: these, OF its grosser forms,
by others, an endless chain. In turn, it
sends to us some causes, which it we'll
can spare-to US it sheds existence, which
mingles with our substances and creates
new forms.
The sea possesses by natural right
the deep dominions over which it rolls.
This vast property it claims by force of
causes which with it abide !; seeks the
lowest parts, and terrifes its confines all
around by bold ipcursions on the soil
which man calls his it foams and dash
es against great rocks, bulwark formed
to check its aggrandizing spirit, and
make its waters still recoil upon itself.
Fruitless ambition thy powers have but
their scope, and further, earth is TOO
mighty for thee, as it and all its fine pro-
auctions, in thy dominions, are but a
weakness, serving for thy pastime.
Myriads Of waves roar and froth, or,
gliding smoothly, glitter in the sun upon
thy melting bosom. Not one of these
that moves, but moves as It's impelled !;
it is, passive, an effect; in turn impel-
ing, then cause all more infinitely
propertied each particle which we sup
pose. but cannot see, of the same quality
with the whole~-huid and salt one while
upbcaring, then yielding at ore time
pleasant and salutary for those of diff
ferent element, at another, threatening,
overwhelming, and destructive; now,
transporting rich freight in safety to the
shores, dispening wealth and luxury,
then swallowing this merchandise with
out remorse. and bringing ruin
Thy movements observe method even
in their roughness one while thy waves
oserstep their present limits, the pebbles
on the strand are seen no more, thy pres
epce hides them, and they chafe and fret,
obscurely warning with each other, where
no witness is to tell the fate and history
which must belong to each. They, by
their causes, are. where we observe them,
still passive; they are removed. or brok
en-. or rest, or remain whole /; or are
collected, some fused, some ground on
roads or else are washed along. now
backwards, then EDWARDS again, travers-
ing the uneven bottom of the deep from
shore to shore. Again the waves retire,
the sand is wet, the sun compels from it a
contribution, and it is dry these changes
regular, fux and refux, marking peri
oJs, and obedient to some other power !!
What other power F? The moon. they
say but this is perhaps fable; coinci-
dence is not causation--still by some
power governed in this regular work +;
again connecting the great sea with I'M
known things. an endless series of rela-
lions.