Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1859-06-09
LEISURE SKETCHES.
BY ]. WOOD DAVIDSON.
NUMBER vi.
THE MISSISSIPPI

cans should say, the River, for it is for US and for
the world the River-was at Memphis. The Riv-
er is to US what the Euphrates was to Babel Of
old-the Nile to the Pharaohs-.the Jordan to the
Jehovah-led Rulers in Israel-the Tiber to the
iron-souled Romantic Rhine to the German
the Seine to the Gaul-the Thames to John Bull
and Il save the greatest for the last go as to finish
with climax) the Charles to the Bostonian =
The Mississippi say, is to US what these streams
were, or are respectively to the several peoples
in their own days and generations. But ourRiver
is more; it is what these were in being the great
stream for US, but also the greatest in the world
greatest in its power. Alarger volume Of water
passes down the Amazon perhaps; but it does
not bear with it the wealth Of every habitable
latitude.
MY 6isL siyht vr tie River was ~ NrempIls,
Tennessee. 1t was glorious experience had
seen smaller rivers. Thought had some fair
conception of the complex idea ''river." had
glided over the waters of the Susquehanna in its
maturest breadth-it was well. I had seen the
Tennessee dance down from the Cumberland
mountains and glide laughing through the plains
to the Ohio-it was an aesthetic privilege that the
soul never forgets. had enjoyed an excursion
up the famous Hudson, about which volumes have
been written, but which in spite of all its won
derously over.be-written beauties and sublimities
is second in picturesque attractions to some of our
southern rivers-me judice. These and whatever
other rivers I had seen incidentally as wanderer
had prepared me for the presence Of the Father
of Waters-the River of Rivers-the RIVER. 1t
was late in the afternoon one day when I stood in
Gayoso street and gazed upon the ocean-river that
moves by. 1t does not glide, flow, roll, or sweep
along nay, more than all these, and felt there
that none of these common river-terms were ap-
propriate The idea stood apart This majestic
action was movement, simply. At first blush, it
feels like the ocean; andit may be some moments
before the eye can gather the distant touches of
bank on the other side and the mind connect them
with the solid earth beneath ones feet. Then the
idea sweeps through the soul with an earnestness
next to solemnity-almost fear-the idea Of the
River. No noisy exclamation rises to the lips, no
smile at the beauty there, no nervous restessness
to see beyond-no levity-comes with the first
recognition Of that god-like presence. The feel
ing is grave, earnest, and solemn. The body is
forgotten; and the soul communes apart with the
grand thoughts that draw near and deliver mes
sages from the Infinite. That feeling is eminent
ly, nay intensely, poetic So much so that no
true poet ever dared-I mean dared-to write his
soul.experience on the spot. AS we'll dare to
gossip of God; or speak the full spirit Of graft
tude or tellin words the infinite and passionate
hope Of human love; or anything else that can
never be uttered.
The mind comes in to interfere with the souls
enjoyment ere long. The immense vessels that
ply those waters soon arrest the attention and
one begins to muse on the moral power, the polit-
ical importance, and the immense commercial in
Auence the stream is destined to WELD. The wa
ters of over million square miles flow through
that channel. The wealth Of half the United
States would naturally pass that way. The pro-
duce of near twenty degrees of latitude-almost
all the climates of the earth-pass to market up
on its waters. All these reflections come in their
due order and one turns away with mingled feel
ings of heaven and of earth swelling through his
bosom.
The day was fast drawing to close. 1 staid
till the sun went down. A sunset upon the Miss
issippi! Even so. I enjoyed that too But we
must not live always amid such elevating medita-
tions. The tea bell of the Gayoso House was
ringing. I had travelled oil day; and was on
hunpered. went in unto the table among the
many guests and did eat.
CoruNRrA s. c.