Nevada national., 1860-07-21
THE NEVADA NATIONAL.
From the Hssp-riAn for July
PR OF ~ CIEs.
BIT CAxToN.
BIT cAxrOx.

ssComing events east their shadows before -
There is faculty 10 the human mind which
enables it to predict the future, sometimes
with matbemht teal certainty, always with
probability. This gift. denied only by the
unreaecting, is what peculiarly distinguish
es the human from the brute creation. The
last arrive at coming events. by the force of
instinct; the former by the strength OF the
mental faculties. Hence it follows, as gen
eral rule, 10 human affairs, that the most gif-
ted with cool, reflective reasoning powers.
are the most successful in the race of life;
whilst the half idiotic impulsive, think
ing only OF the present moment, neg
leet to provide for the future, because inca
pabe Of foreseeing it, and become, finally,
burthen TO the State.
There is some rossou 10 suppose that every
faculty OF the mind is ininite-but owing TO
the circumstances id which il finds itsolf. it
is unable fully to display its powers. Ger
tain 1t is, that peculiar gifts in individuals,
rise so high ia the scale of the finite, as to
battle comprehension, and approach most in
timately the line separating finiteness from
infnity. There are certain states OF the
mind aud body. which are denomnated &c
stacy. inspiration. &c, that whenever attain
ed, seem to transform the mortal to immor-
tai, and the human to divine. In some men
this faculty is the memory in some the
imagination in some the relation OF num-
bers in others the relation of sounds.
The memory OF Miihridstes. the Poutic
king, who knew personally, by name, every
individual 10 bis vast army, has always been
regarded as one OF the standing wonders Of
the world. Nor was tue memory of the late
Cardinal Nero fanti--"that walking poly
glot,r as he was termed by Lord Byron
who understood more than sixty different
languages, any less wonderful. As incom-
prebsible as either. is the memory of Paul
Morpby, who carries in his minds eye the
eventful battles Of nine chess boards with
their almost iufnite complications, al one
and the same time.
In the walks of the imagination, II is on
ly necessary to refer to "Tbe blind old man
OF seio's rocky isie;' to MiitUni cenversing
freely with demons, gods and angels; to
Shakespeare, making every era OF the world
his own, and peoping the dead. old empires
CT the past, with real authentic characters.
In mathematics, view old Euler, compn-
ting cycles so vast, that the ordinary mind
shrinks back appalled,. from the fearful abys-
ses il is forced to tread. See Krpler, under
going his patient labor OF eighteen years. but
eliminating. step by step, the three great
laws OF the Universe. Behold Leverrier
eclipsing the fame Of the brightest, by uubu-
rying world. by the force OF his powers Of
computation; and finally cast your eyes up
OF that pale boy, Zerah Colbnrn. who at ne
age of nine years, astonished the saVaHs of
the world by readily and instantaneously
solving mentally. the most difficult arith-
metcal problem that could be stated.
The finite mind OF an ordinary mortal. rea
Oily traces effects back to theit Immediate.
aud sometimes to their remote causes, and as
readily deduces future effects from causes al
ready ia operation. The sublimated mind
possesses the same faculty. in an eminent de-
gree, and very often astounds US by giving
utterance to predictions, which develope |
themselves int realities, as the slow years
revolss away.
It must be distinctly borne In mind in !
reading this essay. that no reference is made |
to the "gift Of Prophecy, spoken Of in Holy
Writ nor is there any, not even the slight
est analogy between 9 remote fact elnina-
ted by reason, and future event disclosed
by miracle. The first is legitimate result
of the laws OF mind, the last violation of
them by God himself, in order to accomplish
more important purposes than could be pro-
duced by their regular .peration.
The present purpose is 10 deal only with
the legitimate results of the reasoning facul
ties, and these can only be exercised BY con-
tact with the knotcn and the actual. But
within this range the human mind has often
put forth the most solemn prophecies, and
vindicsted its pswcrs by the subsequent
events Of history, SUme OF the boldest of
these utterauces II Is now proposed to con
sider. One Of The earliest, and hest known,
occurs in Senecs's Poem Of Jhedea, which
has been translated as follows -
distant years
Shall bring the fated season when ocean,
Natures prime barrier. shall no more obstrpet
The daring search Of enterprisinx man.
Thee 80 vile, shall Al BE- open,
The mariner explore new worlds
Nor Shetland be the utmost shore"
This prophecy was written about the ytar
65. of our era. and was fullilled on the db-
cevery Of America by Columbus.
Prophecy among the Romans was Of Ct
dinary occurrence. 1t has even been rel