Richland beacon. [volume] (Rayville, La.) 1869-1890, 1873-04-12
Human Misery.

Aud man. whose heaven-erccted face
The smiles Of love adorn,-
Mans inhunanity TO man
Makes countless thousands mourn"
To descant on the mseries of man
is, and always has been, SO favorite a
subject, that it seems long since ex-
hausted. The bypochondraic, whose
unhappy temper destroying every
slender joy that life afords) has long
since put him out of bumor with life,
and with bitterness of soul be expe-
rences that the human race are sons
of sorrow born; and the gloomy cyni-
cal philosopher, as well as the best
and most impartial men, have to &C.
knowledge the same.
But how often has it been remarked,
and alas how truly; that unhappy
mortals by their own imprudences,
bring upon themselves the most acute
miseries. RemOrse, regret and shame
are, by one single act, committed with
out reflection, showered upon them;
by one single act the best often lay
the foundation for becoming the worst
of men. This commencement of the
most unbounded depravity often is
begun, not from q disposition natural
" bad and prone to wickedness, but,
perhaps, from one impetuous passion
alone, which ruling superior to all
others, urges the unhappy person
whom it controls to fall into some
v.nial error, which in the eyes of man.
kind appears the greatest crime I'm
acquainted with the circumstances at
taching to, and having heard nothing
in extenuation Of, it, the worst con-
illusions are formed, and he who COM
mitted it finds himself Stunned by his
friends, and almost an outcast from
society.
When the world views the charac-
ter of q man as bad, he soon becomes
indifferent to it himself, and he who
was calculated to adorn society, to
become a benefactor Of mankind, and
an honor to human nature. sinks grad
nally to infamy. Perhaps we are
coloring the picture too highly; it
NAV be said that no person who pos
sesses those innae good qualities in
80 high a degree, could ever be guilty
Of any act which could thus degrade
him: but Observable will, We fear,
too fatally give proof of the assertion.
For
"who sumbles falls; who falls, none finds
TO save him.
But suppose mans friends are
disposed to view his first false step in
the fairest light, and attribute it to
impetuous passion; if he is person
of feeling, he will place it in the worst
1t destroys the confidence with which
he should approach society: he re.
fleets that his character is not with.
out blemish, and he knows not how
far the world may extend its predju
dices. The ignorant and unfeeline
will often reproach him with it, if no,
openly, with sarcastic hints, and un
manly insinustions. Thus disagree
ablv situated, be flies from society, and
solitude is by no means calculated to
tranquilize bis mind. Time. it is said
wears away every impression respect
Ing the man whose subsequent good
conduct has atoned for bis former Or
rors. but be remembers them himself
and will often find that the world re
members them also.
"There is lust in man no charm can tame.
or loudly publishing his neighbor's shame
On eagles wings immortal scandals fly,
} While virrous actions are but born to die =
, Tris thus man adds to the many
, evils he has to endure, in the com
, mon course of things. with the mos,
prudent, good and circumspect. S.
, grievous are human miseries, tina
: most who have gone the rounds O
! life and arrived at old age, will &C
knowledge that they have received s,
little pleasure on their journey, tina,
they would not wish to live over thei
, Lives, were the different scenes Of
to be exactly similar to what they ha,
before been. The conclusion to b
. drawn is apparent. Their days o
happipess hsye been 30 few, that the
, look back disguised and disappointed
That such should be our lot afford
the most giddy. needless mortal, il
those moments Of reflection which q
men have 81 times, . most melancboi
picture to dwell on. II anything
calculated to excite sublime thought
in the soul, wean it from earth an
wing its fight to Heaven. it is tn
contemplation Of the miserieS Of hu
! man life