The herald and mail. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1873-188?, 1875-10-29
A Reverie of the Pacific.

IL h6V6fl6 OF Jne racine,
The following revere on viewing the
fHcific Ocean is taken from Miss Wepp
ners charming book Of travel, "Tht
Northern Star and Southern Cross" and
IS scarcely equaled in literature fol
elegance ofdiction and impressiveness ot
| thought. As one reads it, the vast mvs
tic realm opens before him, and the
majesty ard peace of eternity symbolzed
by the Pacific Ocean, spread out in broad
and lmitless eXpanse before his inner
vision, subduing and soothing his spirit by
the overpcwerihg excellencies and match
less beauties the Infinite has provided:
Our path the Pacific was a very soil
tary one; for twenty-four days We
sighted neither steamer nor sailing YES
sci. We passed the Sandwich Islands al
distance of 500 miles to the south. On
our third day we lost Chinaman, who
in opium delirium, had Jumped over.
board. He was long searched for, but
not picked up it is supposed that he
was crushed by the paddic-whce1s. On
fine days 'Afat' used to make one com
Portable on deck in an easy armchair.
and indulged in my persistent reveries.
The mystery of life is apt to strike one
L dCl1C
Ocean, and should any one be desirous
of getting at the real depth and certitude
Oft the accepted Philosophic data of the
present day, | can recommend him no
better school than twenty-four DAYS
across this ocean. He will feel very
small and be inclined to come to the con
clusion that he knows verv little about
anything, and least of al about himself.
The shining armament, rocking itself
in the bosom of the deep, the glorious
orb of the day tanning the impetuous
Neptune with his ardent rays, the thou
sand golden beams with which the atmos-
phere is strianed; the dazzling white and
foaming ocean unknown and awe-inspir-
ing in its unfathOmable depths
Thinker, let thy mind wander to the
heavens, to the innumerable worlds,
which gem-like, occupy the infnity of
space look at the roaring seas and what
spheres Of thought are opened out to
thee Search and fathom as thou may
est, plunge thy mind in the deepest
depths of intinity and then come back
and tell me what thou hast found; tell
HE what thou art and who | ami
Solve the riddle of thy existence; !;
explain to me the mysteries of the heav-
ems, the worlds and the seas Tell me
what life is, and death, and eternity.
Thou returnest from thy dreamy
realms of thought, thou mighty thinker,
ard tellest me nothing! Poor, helpless
philosopher, where is thy genius? Thou
knOwest so much, and yet so little-less
than nothing, a thousand nothings
Try again, thou great and selfsuffi-
cient reasOner; rack thy brain once more.
Take the mystery of thy life along with
thee? Death viii come to thy aid he
solves the riddle-oniy he.
As for me, | forbear to wander into
the dark, impenetrable realms of specu-
lative thought, and to expose myself to
useless torture. | seek to spy out nothing
to fathOm nothing. | Will be philos-
Opher in my own way; | will be happy
Such a glorious heaven above, the whole
creation full of wonders Let what is
now mystery be mystery; they all will
be revealed to me in Gods own time
Then | shall know who | am, and why
now / am here; and | shall find what the
greatest thinkers of the earth have ever
been in search of, but have never found,
and never viii Satisfied with this
beautiful world, and with my aith in
L
am the happiest of mortals, am happy
everywhere.
. they heave and toss again, the wild
-billows Of the ocean, until sea and clouds
and sky lovingly embrace each other
And the sun, while tanning Neptune, has
lulled him to sleep. He shines deeper
and still deeper into the awful abyss, as
if he would disclose to my eyes its hidden
treasures! l follow the golden orb, and
amongst innumerablP wonders and ter
Tors We search a mournful and a sacred
spot. Here slumber the millions of souls
that the sea in its fury has swallowed in
its bosom.
Shine on, fair sun, and smile for once
upon the dead. Send a ray of light into
the mansions of the departed.
Sleep peacefully yet little while in
your ocean beds, my dear brothers and
sisters, until the creator awakes YOU"