The Canton mail. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 18??-1882, 1875-10-30
4 Revere of the Pacific.

The following revere ON viewing In >
Pacific Ocean Is taken from Miss Wcpp-
ncr'S charming book of travel, The
Northern Star and Southern Cross" and
Is scarcely equa!cd in literature for
elegance OF diction and impres,ivcncss of
thought. As one reads IL, The vast mys-
tic realm opens before him, and the
majesty and peace of eternity synibolizcd
by the Pacific Ocean, spread out in hr"aJ
and limitlcss cNpansc hafjlre his inner
vision, ~Jbduinc ana soothing isspirit hv
the ovcrpowCrir@ cxccllcncics and match
les, beauties the Infinite has provided
"Cur path the Pacific was 3 very soil
tary one; for twenty-tour days we
sighted neither steamer nor sailing YES
Sti. We passed the Sandwich Islands at
distance of 800 miles to the south. On
our third day we lost Chinaman, who.
in opium 3e,irium, had jumped over
board. He WAS long searched for, but
not picked up; it is supposed that he
WAS crushed by the paddle-Nhccls. On
fine days 'Alat Used to make one com
Portable on deck iii an easy armchair,
and ! INDUCED in my persistent reveries.
The mystery of life is apt to strike one
very hrcibly On the solitary Pacific
OceaG, and should any one be DESTROYS
ofthe accented 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 I've Inclined to come TO the con-
ciusicn that he knows very 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 strained; the dazzling white and
flaming ocean unknown and awe-inspir-
ing in its uniathomable depths.
Thinker, let thy mind wander to the
heavens, to the innumerable worlds,
which gem-like, occupy the infinity 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 infnity and then come back
and tell me what thou hast found; tell
nie what thou aft and who am
'' 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 tethrnest from thy dreamy
realms of thought, thou mighty thinker.
and tellest me nothing. Poor, helpless
philosopher, where is thy genius? Thou
knowest so much, and yet so little-less
than nothing, Il thousand nothings.
q Try again, thou great and seifsuffi-
cient reasoner; rack thy brain once more.
Take the mystery of thy life along with
thee? Death will come to thy aid; he
solves the riddle-onIy lie.
:" As for me, forba.r 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. l will be philos-
opher in my own way; l will be happy.
Such a glorious heaven above, the whole
creation full of wonders Let what is
now mystery be mystery they all will
he revealed to me in Gods own time.
Then | shall know who ] am, aud 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 will. Satisfied with this
beautiful world, and with my ait in
God, and the love for duty in my heart,
] am the happiest of mortals, am happy
everywhere.
:. they heave and toss again, the wild
pillows 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. 1 follow the golden orb, and
amongst innumerable wonders and ter
rors we search mournful and a sacred
spot. Here slumber the millions of souls
that the sea in its fury has swallowed in
its bosom.
I" Shine on, fair sun, and smile for once
upon the dead. Send ray of light into
the mansions of the departed.
''Slcep peacefully yet Il little while in
your ocean beds, my dear brothers and
sisters, until the creator awakes you"