Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1859-09-02

NEWSPAPERS. By JANIS RUSSELL LOWELL.
Wonderful to him who has eyes to see it
rightly is the newspaper. Tome. for exam
pie, sitting on the critical front bench Of the
pit, in my study here in Salem, the advent
Of my weekly Journal. is that of strolling
theatre, or rather OF a puppet show, on
whose stage narrow AS it is, the tragedy
comedy, and farce Of life are played in lit
tle.-Behold the whole huge earth sent 70
me hebdomadally in a brown paper wrap
per.
Iither to my obscure corner, by wind, or
steam, on horseback, on dromedary back. in
the pouch of the Indian runner. OF clicking
over the magnetic wires. troop all the famous
performers from the four quarters of the
globe. Looked a. from point Of criticism
tiny puppets they seem all, as the editor sets
his booth upon my desk, and offciates as
Snowman. Now can truly see how little
and transitory is life The earth appears al
most as a drop Of vinegar, on which the So
lar microscope of the Imagination must be
brought to bear in order to make out any
thing distinctly.
The animalcule there, in the pea-iacket.
Is Louis Philippe, Just landed on the coast
of England. That other, in the grey sur
tout and cooked hat, il Napoleon Bonaplrte
Smith, assuring France that she need not
apprehend Interference from him IN the
present alarming juncture, At that spot,
where YOU seem to see a specko Of something in
motion, rs an immense mass meeting. Look
sharper and YOU viii see "a man brandishing
his mandibes in an excited manner. This
is the great Soands0, defending his position
amid tumultuous and irrepressible cheers.
That inGnitessimal creature, upon whom
some score OF others. as minute as he, are
gazing in open mouthed admiration IS a ia
nous philosopher, expounding to a select
audience their capacity for the infinite. The
scarce discernible puifet of smoke and dust
is a revolution. That speck there is refor
mer Just arranging a lever with which he IS
to move the world And 10 there creeps
forward the shadow ola skeleton that blows
one breath between its grinning teeth and
all our distinguished actors are whisked off
the slippery stage into the dark beyond.
Yes the little show box has its solemn sug-
ge,tions Now and then we catch a glimpse
ola grim old man, who lays down scythe
and hour glass in the corner while he shifts
the scenes. There, too, IN the dim back
ground. wired shape is dallying. Some
times be leans upon his mattock, and gazes,
as a coach whirls by, bearing the newly
married on their wedding iaunt, or glanees
carelessly at a babe brought home IRON
christening. Suddenly (lor the scene grows
larger and larger as we lOok) bony hand
snatches back a performer in the midst OF
his part, and whom yesterday two minutes
(past and future) would not suffice, hand
full of dust is enough to cover and silence
forever. Nay, we see the same feshless ting
ers opening TO clutch the Snowman himself,
and guess, not without shudder, that they
are lying in wait for spectators also.
Think of it for two dollars a year buy
a season ticket to this great Globe Theatre,
whose curtain is rung down, by Death.
Such thoughts will occur to me sometimes
as | am tearing off the wrapper of my news
paper.-Then suddenly that otherwise too
often vacant sheet becomes invested for me
with a strange kind of awe. Look Deaths
and marriages, notices of inventions, discov-
cries, and books, lists of promotions, of kill
ed, wounded, and missing. news OF fires, ac-
cidents, Of sudden wealth, and as sudden
poverty. hold in my hand the end Of my
Rad invisible electric conductors, along
which tremble the joys, sOrrows, wrongs,
triumphs, hopes, and depairs of as many
men aid women every where. SO that upon
that mood of mind which seems to isolate
me from mankind as spectator OF their
puppet pranks, another supervenes, in which
/ feel that L, too, unknown and unheard of,
am yet of some import to my fellows. For,
through my newspaper here, do not families
take pains to send me, an entire stranger,
news of death among thsm? Are not here
two who would have me know of their mar
riage? And. strangest of all. is not this
singular person anxious to have me know
that he has received fresh supply of Dimi-
ty Broisgins? But to none OF us does the
present (even for moment discerned as
such) continue miraculous. We glance care
lessly at the sunrise, and get used TO Orion
and the Pleades. The wonder wears off,
and tomorrow this sheet, in which vision
was let down 10 me from heaven, shall be a
wrappage to a bar OF soap or the platter for
a beggar's broken victuals.