Cincinnati daily press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1860-1862, 1861-02-18
Tie world and HumauItv

That what we call "the world is an old
though ever enduring, ever energetic villain,
there cen be little question.
The world is synonym for materialism,
meanness and malignfty, and experience
proves the synonym complete.
A great deal of good is in the world, it is
often said but who ever found it2 1t exists
by faith and in fancy only.
The world is as merciless as Medusa, as
cruel as Caligula. No misfortune can move,
no revenge appease it. It glories in the woe
and agony Of humanity, and despoils even
the grave of the victims it has slain.
The world, of course is not the external
one, which is well and fit, but the internal,
represented by that mysterious mixture of
lmeanness and malice--human nature .
Alas for those who have dependence upon
that
They trust in the tempest, and build upon
the sand.
as A tiger is not more treacherous, hyena
not more fierce steel not more obdurate, or
fire more unrelenting. 1 f-a
Human nature is most inhuman nature,
embodying most of the weaknesses and de-
fects, not to say vices, of thinking mortality,
and very few of its virtues.
Human nature is selfish to the last degree,
contemplate, when tried by any high stand
ard hateful, if viewed through the atmos-
phere of rectitude.
To say so is deemed cynical, we are aware:
to express any truth is cynical, because un-
pleasant to hear and painful to believe.
Cynicism depends less on what one utters
than to whom he utters it but to declare
what men will and must recognize, yet strive
to ignore, is deemed little less than atheism.
Force men to see how vile they are, and
thou art monster, and they the injured
saints.
AS human nature is, always was, and
doubtless ever will be, misanthrophy is q
virtue for it proves the existence of an
ideal, of state superior to that of those
condemned, of some thing to struggle to-
ward, a belief in the amelioration Of the
| race.
It is idle to talk of the natural goodness
| of heart, the proclivity to justice, the inher-
| ent generosity, the magnanimous impulses
of men and women. They have no being
| with the many, and he who expects to find
them is doomed to bitter sorrow.
Place no reliance in human nature, and
thou wilt not be disappointed. Expect to
find it suspicious, selfish, sordid, slavish, and
thy expectation shall be fulfilled.
Men are unworthy of a feeling or q
thoughts man may be deserving of honor,
reverence, love.
Faith should be in individuals alone, those
tried and understood.
This mind will not wrong; that heart will
not betray that soul will not doubt thee.
But the hundred, the thousand. the ten
thousand minds, hearts, souls that people
the sphere, will violate the oath they have
taken wound the breast offered for their
protection; expose the considered crime
committed for their love. .-
/ The confidence of a community is not
worth the having; the friendship of circle
is as valueless as woman's kiss; for both
pass as the smoke-wreath into invisible air,
when the least wind of disfavor stirs.
4 % G., H. k-I H.
sured, that mortals are 80 poor and cheap
and cheating .so
No one, unless the All-Author.
They are as He designed, doubtless, and
they could not be otherwise.
Men are mean and women false because
they were so created, and the world aut
society encourage every trick, fraud, false
hood, and manner of uncharitableness.
The world is resolutely and violently op
posed to fine qualities, and does its utmos
to crush them out. 1t laughs at honor, and
styles it starving sentiment; ridicules sensi
bility, and mocks at sympathy. Heroism il
named sbsurdity, and chivalry nonsense
Aspiration is silly dreaming, and noble pur,
pose morbid conscientiousness. The worlG
prostitutes It's new victim, and drugs it with
false opinion until it loses recollection of it
better self -Fse -.9, -..- W..
So society forces each young life to it
Procurstean bed, and declares the deformeC
and broken moral shape the beauty tina
. wins in life. Society is of necessity heart
less and so seeks to make all who enter it
Circean aisle.
What marvel then if life begin with ideals
and end with idols; if the hands that plantet
yernal seeds destroy the fragrant shoots i
Summer; if the fair pictures of boyhood
SO lovingly limned, appear insipid or fan
tastic TO the maturing man
Deny it as we may, there is no place in
life or the world for goodness, justice, homo
or magnanimity; and he who practices an,
one or all, pays the penalty is sacrificed 70
his virtue is Misunderstood, deSpised, de
tested. .I
Society is inexorable as Rhadamanthui
II never forgives those that dare to disobe
its dictates: its revenge is deep as Tartarus
its cruel watchfulness like that of Cerberus
Do as we dO-says society-abase and for
swear thyself and thou shalt succeed. G.
as thy soul directs, and the thick cloud Q
prejudice will be about thee; the certaint,
of failure follow thee
Be just, and become miserable; be world,
: and grow heartless
Such is life such the lesson Would i
were, though il will not be, otherwise
There are other natures tkan the many
the millions, thank Heaven but they
not represent humanity do not belong I
il, are not measured by its rule
The few, the rare, the precious, the semi
celestial natures, are exceptions, the Prone
theuses of the modern world-the earne.
disciples of thought and feeling; the striVeI
to do good, the suffers bound to the rock O
Ignorance, and exposed to the Vulture beal
of prejudice. "a
Their benefaction is accomplished soone
or later. Though they perish, their exam
plea live: they reflect themselVe on the fu
ture, and imbue time with the odor of thei
lives. 1888
Albeit the dungeon, the rack and the stak
are not visible now in outward form, the
exist in opinion, in cant, in bias still. LIE
them exist. Their decay is progression
their extinction certain. ''NF
Let us not despair of human nature, Will
the better nature endures and aspires. 1t
good to suffer for noble principle; it is glo
rious to stand for truth, and struggle 70
charity. r .aa 7fL e.
] All history is but new combination G
circumstances and another mixture of el
ements. Right is ever gaining, thoug
slowly, upon might, and the thorns in th
side OF the prosecuted are destined for i'm
, mortal crowns. yUNIUS.
: CAUTION TO THE CoTToA CoEEEDERAcY.-'
there should be Cotton State Government
! the Louisville (Ky.l Journal thinks that