Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1870-08-24
IuI Nht
Human Happiness.

This life is fevered, unsatisfying state Of
existence, and man restless creature. Be
his rank, station or circumstances what they
may, it matters not, there remains ever an OBJ
iect to attain, aud for which bis heart yearns.
SO long as that object is unpossessed he is an
unhappy being yet, when gained, how often
thrown aside as the useless toy Of child !
Splendor and affluencc may sprinkle his path
way with rose-leaves, grati6ed ambition may
fling its golden halo around his brow pleas
ure may envelope him in her elysium Of Sc
ductions; every department of nature and art
may be searched for the elements of happi-
ness, and from them all he may turn fainting,
weary and sick at soul with unsatisfed aspi-
rations
Who has not in the beautiful day-dreams
Of excited fancy, when he has cast loose the
reins Of imagination, and for brief season
permitted his thoughts and feelings unre-
strained to wander in the fairy realms Of the
ideal world ? who, a: such an hour, has not
traced out upon his minds tablet the outline
of scheme Of happiness which he may never
enjoy, and in conception summoned up para
disc of bliss of which this earth knows not
Who in fancy has not spread out to his yis-
ion greener fields than ever even in child
hoods hour he has frolcked on F.; bathed his
| lips in fresher fountains than ever gushed
from the rocks, and traced above him bluer
skies and richer sunlight than ever canopied
the earth
All could we scan the thoughts of the
hearts of the varied multitude, which, in the
bustling scenes of every day life thronG
around us, could we trace out the untolC
emotions which agitato the unseen secreeie'
of their hearts, how many wild and bite
thing should we find there, rambling, which
the beaming eye, flushed check and SUNNI
life had never revealed What unspeakabl'
lonpiups what intense solicitude what fever
ish aspirations, what melancholy RETROSPECT
tions, what fearful forebodings and remorseiu
moditations, what wild hopes and yet wilde
wishes should we there behold
Thus it is, and as the features OF the hu
man face are similar in every countenancc
so are the workings of the human heart i
every breast. Thus has it ever been, nor, i
the nature of moral, mental or spiritual eS
istence, can it ever be otherwise. There is
fame burning within US, which the many wa
T. ters of this life cannot assuage. There is
1 aspiration of the spirit for which the thing
Q of earth seem too small, a longing for immol
tality which this life can never crafty, an
the desire of an existence beyonds the limit
of the present, which, if we would we car
not away with.
And must it ever be thus Are the ag
tated bellows of disquieted feeling never
be calmed ? Are the wild aspirations of th
heart never to be hushed ? Are the feyeris
desires never to be satisfied ?
We can dwell upon the beautiful passaG
from the German of Jean Paul Richter wit
satisfaction. This brings to us peace whi'
will enable US to bear up better under Il
- trials which this life brings. 1t gives us hol
for our future the thought, "There is r
ality, which shall embody and exceed and
tisfy all that is here ideal" T. V. NJ