Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1859-02-12
THE GAZETTE.
SATURDAY MORNING. FEBRUARY u, Is;
lCoMMUNICATED.

l'fSfoN DEM by j.. b. JohNSoN.
There are many hours in life, when Il feel
ing of sadness comes creeping mysteriousIy
over the soul like the low dreary signing Of
q Winters wind amid the lcahcss branches
of a solitary oak. and weighs with imperccp-
tible augmentation upon the mind. until the
spirits are enshrouded in gloom. When thus
melancholy, the Past the Present and the
Euture. are strangely COMPOUNDED, and every
object becomes source of misery, and every
thought poignant. By-gone pleasure and
pain come rushing like forest blast upon
the saddened soul, and with inyinciblc pow
err, force the oppressed heart to yield the con-
hict in agony and despair.
This is often the case with the Sensitive
the lIigh-minded, and the Honorable: for
they are the persons who can duly appre-
ciate those little acts of kindness, which
smoothe the asperitics of troubled life, and
shed radiance where all was dark, to bid
the responding mind look far in the future,
where Peace with balmy fingers is twining
wreath of her rarest flowers to bind the care
worn brow. Yes, they are the beings who
seek the SWAY of solitude when their souls
are heaving under the burden of RESPONSE
hility, and who brood sorelv over the varied
taunts of mgratitude, until they are almost
driven to conclude that even to live is vanity.
But Il few moments of rational consideration
will convince such, that even amid SO much
of liie'S drOsS, there is some pure and price
less metal. whose worth and brilliancy ami
mate the sickened eye Of the seeker, and be-
come more than a recompense for the labor
and anxiety devoted to the pursuit.
Even i'll calumny, there is secret common
daton. and in petty contempt an unexpres-
sed respect; for who can, when his lips are
moistened by the putrid stream of SANDER.
avoid reciting a virtue in the character which
he is trying to deiame, that ut once counter
acts the venom of the words, and converts
that which the skulking slanderer intends to
he yirulcnt sore into harmless wound
We say, there is an unexpressed respect IN
petty contempt, for none but the most insig-
niticant of animals have dislike for each
other, and none of mankind, save those
whose perfdious hearts have been stepped in
the vile pool Of invidiousness, evince cause
less dsdain; and truly good man, one
whose opinion is worth having, has contempt
only for crime and meanness, and is never
actuated by those little feelings which are
tostered in the eyilproducing bed of selfish
ness. Therefore. it is better to have the
ieers Of the Slanderer than his praise, tor he
is rs tickle and Us varied in his language as
the mocking-bird is in its notes, and like
that bird repeats different songs, without dis
elimination: and it is better to have the
frowns of the selfish than their smiles; for
like the Eynis Fdtuns, they would delude Us
from the true path Of interest. and then
chuckle in triumph at our simplicity.
The tinscled Butterfly, in its gaudy flight
from flower to flower. may forget its origin,
and look down from its pageant seat in the
rosebud. with scorn upon the frugal Ant, as
she collects industriously from the little
things of earth a supply for future want,
and sneer at her pains; but anon the season
changes, and the resistless frost nips the rich
petals of the rose, and leaves the thoughtless
insect to rcpine over the ruined enchantnent,
and to perish for the want of uncarned
sweetness, while the careful Ant basks III
the store-hoise of plenty, and feasts Oh the
luxury of past labor, undisturbed by the
commotion without The wording, as he
moves along in his dissipated course, pre-
sumes himself the most important of his
kind: and Butterfy-like, looks down from
his place of imaginary superiority in magni-
fcent contempt upon the mere practical OF a
community. Elated by his miscoucelvedi
grandeur, he rushes on prodigiousy, until
prodigality begets unpitied want and desra..
dation. Mortified by his decidHation, and
Stunned by his earlier associates, he IL but
little adapted to the lonesome hours OF ad-
yers;tv. and at last we find him grovelllnS
in Observation-Disclosures with mankind, and o
nuisance to the world; while the former OBJ
iects of his derision have arisen step by step
to usefulness and power.
These are familiar characters OF every day
life. and every one who values men accord
ing to their merit, can designate among his
acouaintances pitiful specimens OF the form
er, and commendable examples OF the latter
class. Hence, those whose understandings
have been we'll directed. are best calculated
to esteem that which eonduces most TO hap
niness. and to eschew those things which en-
gender only gladdened feeling whose excl
tation is followed by Il corresponding degree
of relaxation and pain. Those who lavish
their time in Incidence and luxury. and pur-
sue pleasure in it's most probloinatc abode,
must necessarily fall into many errors, and
rush precpitate!v onward until folly, with It's
manifold evils, brings down upon their un-
prepared heads painful retribution: tor
those who traverse the tortuous way OF hie'
fondly coveting those phantoms which ap-
pear to brighten it's dingy maze. must new,
tably fall victims to Needless folly, ana
groan under the lash Of disappointment ana
regret. Worried and embarrassed, they de-
n,,unce the world as vain-rant ptlousiy
about the partially of Fortune, and finally
dwindle into misanthropes Of the most moor
ririble nature. Being imbittered in feeling
vitiated in taste, and sullied in mind. the I'M
fortunate dupes regard every human cfoa-
ture with cold suspicion, and pass their un,
happy lives in sullenness. forlon and
miserable, life itself becomes an incubus, and
the morose artifcers of their own dark fate
are ultimately driven to the contemplation OF
the fearful act of suicide in order to rid
themselves of the demons whose existence
does not extend beyond the limits OF their
own morbid masinations.
Then, young men, never Despohu' -ho'
Justly and learn to separate the real from the
ideal. Let honor and honesty bo your pass
words, the Bible your guide, and usefulness
YOUR object, and YOU will not only lie happy