Wyandot County Republican. [volume] (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1869-1903, 1869-02-11
PATIENCE.

when it appears to be lost to us :!
What excursions does the soul make
in Imagination after it, and how
does it turn into itself again, more
foolishly fond and detected at the
disappointment! Our grief, instead
Of having recourse to reason, which
might restrain it., searches to find a
further nourishmcnt. 1t calls upon
memory to relate the several passa-
ges and circumstances of satisfac
ton which we formerly enjoyed :;
the pleasures we purchased by those
riches that are taken from us or the
power and splendor Of our departed
honors, or the voice, the words, the
looks, the t mper, and affections, of
our friends that are deceased. 1t
needs must happen from hence that
the passion should often swell to
such a size as to burst the heart that
contains it, if time did not make
these circumstances less strong and
lively, so that reason should become
a more equal match for the passion,
or if another desire which becomes
more present did not overpower
them with a livelier representation
These are thoughts which / had
when fell into kind of vision up
on this subject, and may therefore
stand fors {. proper introduction to
relation of it.
Il found myself upon naked
shore, with company whose afflicted
countenanres witnessed their condi-
tions. Before us flowed a water,
deep, silent, and called the River OF
Tears, which, issuing from two
fountains on an upper ground, en-
compassed an island that lay before
us. The boat which piled in it was
old and shattered, having been some
times overset by the impatience and
haste Of single passengers to arrive
at the other side This immediately
was brought to us by Misfortune
who steers it, and we were all pre-
pairing to take our places, when
appeared a woman of mild and com
posed behavior, who began to deter
us from it, by representing The dan
gers which would attend our voy-
age. Hereupon some who knew
her for Patience, and some of those.
too, who until then cried the loud
est, were persuaded by her, and re-
turned back. The rest of as went
in, and she (whose good-nature
would not suffer her to forsake per
S ms in trouble J desired leave TO ac-
company us, that she might at least
administer some small comfort or
advice while we sailed We were no
sooner embarked than the boat was
pushed off, the sheet was spread
and being filed with sighs, which
are the winds of that country, we
made passage to the f"rther bank.
through several difficulties of which
the most of us seemed utterly re
gardless.
when we landed, we perceived
the island to be strangely overcast
with fogs, which no brightness could
pierce, SO that kind of gloomy kor-
ror sat always brooding over it
This had something in it very shock
ing to easy tempers. insomuch that
some Others whom Patience had by
this time gained over, left us here,
and privily conveyed themselves
round the verge Of the island, to find
a ford by which she told them they
might escape.
For my part, still went along
with those who were for piercing
into the centre of the place; and
joining ourselves to others whom we
found upon the same journey, we
marched solemnly as at q funeral,
through bordering hedges of rose
mary, and through a grove of yew
trees, which love to overshadow
tombs and flourish in churchyards
Here we heard on every side the
wailings and complaints of several
of the inhabitants, who had cast
themselves disconsolately at the feet
of trees; and as V e CHANGED to ap-
preach any of these, "e might per
ceive them wringing their hands,
beating their breasts, tearing their |
hair. or after some other manner
visibly agitated wi h vexation. Our
sorrows were heightened by the in !
huence of what we heard and saw.
and one of our number was wrought
up to such a pitch Of wi!dness, as to
talk Of hanging himself upon a
bough which shot temptingly across
the path we travelled in; but he was
restrained from it by the kind en-
deavors of our above mentioned
companion.