The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1877-01-13
SILENT INFLUENCE.
spoken at Wcybri1gc, at the celebration Of tho
Christmas tree, Dec. 90, 1879. hy Erwin W

Spoken at Wcybri1gc, at the celebration Of tho
Christmas tree, Dec. 90, 1875, hy Erwin w
Stewart.
There exists in the allsurroundino at
mosphere an electric force, which at
tracts, or repcls, inclincs or rcsists lis
opposite forces. When at rest, il is
mild and gentle as the rosy twilight.
When in action it is followed by noise,
flame and commotion, but itself is al
ways silent. You behold the zirzap
lightnings flash, gliding the van of the
storm you hear the thunders peal, when
in majestic grandeur, its sullen roar and
terrific crash invade the skies: but the
flash and the roar only show that the
electric force has already passed. That
force may wrench assunder the noun
tain cliif, or cleave the lofty pine, while
the elements blaze, and the clouds re-
sound with dreadful clamor, but itself
Is silent force.
The magnet has Il vigil's power. It
never rests, never sleeps. 1t tenacity is
constant, persistent, and its presence Is
courtly as the dignity of an alderman
1t steadily holds the needle to the pole
and guides the traveller through the
trackless desert, and the mariner uner-
ringly across the pillows of the hcavjno
brine. 1t points with faithful discrini-
nation to the mineral deposits in the
unfathomcd bosom of the earth, but al
ways silently and surely as the hang
mans rope holds the fclon TO the GAL
lows.
The charm which the scrvent is said
to possess, dccoys alike the needless
squirrel and the fluttering, screaming
bird into its Shiny folds: but the fascin.
alton is itself a power as silent as the
hand of DEATH
C!amor, confusion and parade may at
tend in all the affairs of life's great dra-
ma, but silent influence is the efficient
power, and its history is the chronicle
of life. Silent influence! 1t scars with
the rising sun; ii glistcns in the even
ing star. 1t glows in the tints of the
vcrnal blossom. and bushes in the hucs
of the sky; il writhes in the foeman's
irown,and withcrs in the towards crest :
it rankles In the scowl of naughty scorn.
and wrinkles in the approving smile; it
testers in the corrosion of wounded hon
or, and is cxhalcd in the odor of the
balmy summers breath; il snarls in the
disappointed politicians grief, and i,
the panacea of the physicians doubt: ii
growls in the arrested defaulter's vcxa-
ton, and is the pleasant sunshine of n
happy fircside; il is the razor of an in
dignant BARRIERS wrath and the inspira-
ton of an officer seekers hope: il is the
thunderbOlt of the offended teachers
nod ''when lightnings flash where he
cast his ego, and the grateful reward of
well earned merit. 1t is more terrible
than thunder. more gentle than law. 1t
Is more magnanimous than praise. more
biting than scorn; il is the explosive
fulmen of remorsc, it is contcntmcnts
benediction.
Is there not some silent influence.
some strong controlling power in this
quarter of the room, al this time, that
seems to attracts all eyes andcnoro>, all
thoughts?
AS the lightning clcayes the rock and
the mountain pine, as the magnet guides
the compass ON the hcaving ocean, n,
the great attractive forces hold all
worlds in their respective spheres. as
the serpent, fascination holds alike the
nimblc squirrel, and the bird that soars
maje-iicall! over field and mountain top.
so it seems to me there is somewhere.
perhaps in thi> Christmas tree, some
Argus with Il hundred eyes peerinp ON
TO meet this sea Of eyes that CLEAN on
me; some Medusa with an hundred
heads upraiscd To bcckon all these won
dcring heads and wishill hearts. and
holds them H. the ,ling holds the stone
nom all directions Ia a single point.
oh, the sweet magic of a Christina,
tree. What power TO excite interest,
what wealth of expectation, what
charm to soothc an excited curiosity
II is indeed sometimes attended with
buzzing, humming sound that will not
abide restraint and swclls into confusion.
but like all the rest, the tree itself is
silent force.
Thus, from the cradle to the grave, i'm
veal, or in Woe, in subject or in prince,
it l. a power acknowledged by every
one, but its origin is not surely known.
The sacred preacher a-cribes it to Di-
vine Providence. The lawyer to legis-
lativc cnactmcnt-. The officer-hoidcr
to the fortunes Of the ballot-box. But
the gallant coNcomb thinks he can plain
ly trace all its wonders. all its marvels
to the sweet destinations of smiling
woman's eve.