Woodville Republican., 1867-05-18

and described the exact spirit Of the laiier
government Of the United States.
The painting Of the Middle Ages end
the statuary and architecture Of the An
clients Ills us with wonder apd admiration
aud leave as no superior exrellelce g ne
hoped for. Demosthencs, Kschinee and
icero still stand as models IN or.tcFs
Archimidss and Euclid are stu the
wonders in mathematical science. -,
kind studies and tries IN vain 70 inist
the sublime strains Of Homer, Piadar
4 Virgil. The tragic pathos Of SophcclF
the grave. historic pages of Thneydie, 4
iivy and Tacitus hSve never been Hsa
celle,i lhealtcient spirit raEpers p 4 uo
up teal devils Socrstes. Rlaeo. Afis|'g2
Seneca, and gpicteanss the s.asc gaTc 5e
most exalted examples of-the lofty ilad
acute powers Of the intellect. The polw-
ers Of the human reason and imagination
/ have long since been discovered and sz'
erted to the utmost.
| We have, then, not progressed in the
! fine arts, in government, or In intellectual
power. But we have done this-we have
applied art and the intellectual powers 70
useful purposes.
ArchilniGes could apologize for bis
madness as being merely innocent results
of the dolce far aieatc OF a philosopher
/ Seneca could strive to clear Democritus
from the disgracefnl stain of having made
the first arch the ancients could apply
the power Of steam to add ter.ors to their
mysteries. But the present age has taken
steam and bound it 10 iron, and takenshe
lever and screw OF Archimides, aad the
arch OF Demncritus, and set them all to
work Art and mind build factories rail-
roads, steamboats, aud foundries. ANITA
poor family now can travel better and
have better coats, shoes, buttons and pins
better house to live in, better chairs thd
beds, and better food, than the plsfc~o
pliers, or even their own grandfathers
had
The Philosopher despisel Astronomy,
except as it served to elevate the mind in
contemplation. But the present age has
set the sun to work, and made the stars
glittsring mile I mes. Philos, pi r, Kings
and Priests thought that knowledge and
Philosophy were not fit for the vulgar herd ;
now, our printing presses strive TO elevate
every man to knowledge and true philoso-
ply The vigorous minds ofthe old sages
could contemplate life in al its phases quite
as well as we--but very different is our
Philosophy from theirs
| Life is like great feast Of the costlscst
and coarsest fare spread beneath canopy
OF blue, spapgled with stars, and ilunltia-
ted with the most brilliant lights. Aud ph
what dense and motley crowd surrof frdi
| ii! Who can descglbe pll the confused ~
above the uproar you hear the shaOisr37 Y /
the coffin makers hammer. Anda@-v
living stream comes pressing in atbr ION
laughing, weeping, praying, slt 4
cursing, hoping and fearing, TO the II
/ another stream. a silent stream, Of besg B
and biers, attended by mutes, nloveslh1 Tb
backway to the graveyard, until thdeT 4
burdened earth groans with its dead.N ~
So il is, and so it will be. They will
come in, and drink and starve, and feast
and quarrel and dance. The filled will hob
mob with each other and despise the hun
cry the hungry will hate each other, and
the filled too, and both will be carried out
and their places will be taken by others,
until, suddenly, In the midst of their revel-
ry the lights will be extinguished and they
will look "ghast to see the blue canopy
shriyeling with heat, and the massive col
umns OF their edifce falling, and the floor
cracking beneath them, and feasters aud
feast will be swept away in fire smoke, and
darkness.
What matter whether we be wise or fool
ish rich or poor, good or bad, loved or
hated? What matter any condition of
life Z? That deliriuml A little laughter, a
few tears. little Joy, a great deal of
trouble, all for the most part imaginary,
and we vanish awayl The same events
happen to all and we all lie in the grave
together. Opera house and. hove!, ball
room, and sick room, rostrum and iireside,
we must leave them all, and they will
us no more forever.
Let us eat drink, and be merry, for to-
morrow we die--says Epicnrus. Let us
wiring our hands aud weep-says Hcracli
tus since all of these outward things are
so vain say Plato, Zeno and Epictetus, let
man improve his mind by contemplation,
for his mind is his noblest part But says
Che Philosophy Of this present age: while
men live they should have comfortable
clothing, good food, and true knowledge
They should be freed as much as possible
fom all the evils incident to poverty and
ignorance. For life, though It appe4r
vain show, is solemn, active, inlpgrsart
reality. This reality does not consist 10
| the heeting events which compose life, but
| in the effect those events have upon the
| rational soul, which isimmortal, and there
is vast and an eternal difference between
folly and wisdom, virtue and vice. Let
any man look into his heart and let mcm-
ory perform ilpr Office. Let him take some
wrong he has committed first which
starts up. Yon vince, but hold il steadi-
| iy before you look well at the STAIN
Now argue to yourself. II happened .
long time ago | was young aud inexpe-
rienced the damage has been rcpaifed
my neighbor has been satisfied it did ny.
tle injury, aud tho world goes on as well
as before. Aye, make excuses ! Argue
awayi "Out damned spotl" Bot tis
yours, yours forever and ever You can
not ret rid Of ii. Fly. and It clings to
You sleep and forget. but wake, and you
see il. 90 crazed. but when your senses
return, In this world or the next. it q
with you. So. to,, a good action, though
but your duty. and imperfectly performed,
perhaps. gives you delight, and the pleas.
ure Is your own forever. II, then, the ef-
feet Of one, perhaps. trivial, act be SO I'M
portant. much more important j. the effect
Of all the acts Of life taken together. inc
whole duty which man owes 70 himself
and to society Is Iovo. which embraces ey-
cry vir.ue, rnanifssts itseIs by benesolence,
and Il the very sonl OF iust.ce And u "