The day book. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 1857-1867, 1866-08-30
Destructiyeness.


of strange animalcules in (which were in in
cessant activity. Thousands upon thousands
of creatures shaped some like terrapns,
some like hedgehogs, some like this ami
NAL, some like that, were tumbling over each
other in every direction for the few minutes
of their existence, until one by one they COM
plsted their little space of life and went the
way of all mortal beings
Yet SO long as they lived they were as in
tent upon fulfilling their destiny as man can
be; and who knows what commissions occurred
in that little drop before it dried up, and all
the mighty energies of its inhabitants were
forever destroyed?
Among the countless beings of such variety
of shapes, with hard Greek names, was
terrible monster whose body was somewhat
of the shape Of spy-glass, and capable OF
contraction and extension like one of those
instruments. His head was furnished with
tremendous claws like those of huge crab.
Ever and anon he would dart out his long
body, open his claws, and clutching some
luckless little hedgehog, he would draw him
self back into his case, and, while digesting his
prey, lie torpid for long period in the ex-
istence of auimalcules, viz: half minute,
when he would again apply himself to his
work OF destruction.
The events we have narrated, of this drop
Of water, were but an epitoine OF what occurs
in all nature The larger animals devour
those smaller than themselves, and then again
those that are smaller still; these last feed up
on ms cts, these again upon animaicules; as
far as the microscope has carried its research
Is, we see the same law of destructiveness
prevailing; and by induction We come to the
conclusion that it, must extend dd infni-
tam. .H
So fully recognized is this law, that in the
investigation ofany newly discovered class OF
beings, brought to light by science, the series
is not considered complete until the DE-
sTRoYER is discovered.
For example, most of the animals OF the
vast continent of Australia are mdrsupias.
The races of Kangaroos are of this nature, and
are of all sizes, from few inches high, up to
the lordly animal whose leaps are so long that
he seems to fly over the plain
A French sarant made collection Of the
various species of these strange animals, and
remarked that the series was not complete
that the marsupian LION had not been found.
After while, the correctness Of his induc-
oh iiU.
ing animal was discovered, skeleton was
found and proved to be that Of the DESTROYER,
and thus the natural series was completed
Man is no exception to this general law,
and we see that this has been illustrated in
the history of all ages The "great men" Of
antiquity were the dsstroyers of their times,
from the terrible CYRUS to the mighty Gene
rails Of Greece, Carthage, and Rome The
Middle Ages abound in destroyers, from
CHARLEMAGNE to MAHoMET ii. Since that
time, destroyer after destroyer has arisen mp
to the time of the great NAPOLEON. a
Such was the exhaustion from the wars
growing out of the French Revolution that,
up to within few years, the stream of blood
continued comparatively small. The world
had begun to hope that the human race was
beginning to become more under the influence
of the pure doctrines of the Holy NAzARENE;
but alas, the events of the last six years have
shown that the hopes of true phlanthr pists
were without foundation.
II ID true that the exterminators OF the hui
man race are not now the tyrants OF the earth
as formerly The priesthood of Nemesis has
extended itself so that whole nations now
worship at her shrine, instead of few EN-
perors and Kings-in other words, in this
nineteenth century. multitudes become voian-
tary aestroysrs Of the human race. aH
We see in all this that, under one shape or
other, destructiyeness is the law OF all ami
mated nature, from the animalcules IN the
drop of water, through every graduation up to
lordly man, and mist continue to bear sway
until that great change takes places in our
nature, which is predicted in the Bible, when
the lamb shall lie down with the King OF
Beasts r.r
But particular classes Of destroyers dlsap-
pear The marsupial lion Of CuyiER, for ex-
ample, was found as skeleton. And the po-
htical destroyers of the day--the STEyENsEs
aud BANKsEs, and BUFFERS, and SUMMERS
seem Just now to stand fair chance OF dis
appearing. The hunt is up; let lis trust thai
the people of the North will leave only thei'
skeletons to be studied by the curious in po-
itical anatomy Some of them, however
will prove asses, when their skins are stripped
off.