Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1877-08-04

VI tdG HCuOldt.
1t is a triumph, and exhibition of the
power of a well regulated and develop
ed mind that it moves through the
realm of thought, observing nature in
all her different phenomena and varied
forms and from this effort draws rich
lessons of practical application, learning
the laws which regulate our universe,
discovering the elements which COM
pose the substance of The earth upon
which we stand, the forces and agen-
cies which have wrought the changes
to which our Globe has beer subjected,
leaving our own planet to wander, with
a Kepler and Uopernicus amid those
heavenly bodies which are so far away
in space,learning the laws ofthe greatsys-
tenn they compose, their places, distances,
speed and magnitude. Here the power
of knowledge.over comes the barriers OF
nature and places in the hand of man a
key with which to unlock the hidden
mysteries around him. And so with
every science by which the condition OF
man is improved and ameliorated, and
with every advance and developement,
springing from research and investiga-
tion, THAT science which brings health to
the diseased body, that which declares
the right, and applies the remedy to
wrong between man and man, that
which trains the mind in its infancy and
guides it into those channels OF thought
from which great results are one day 10
flow, that which analyzes the substance
and determines the elements OF bodies,
Organic and Inorganic-that which
bridges the river and tunnels the noun
tain, all, all of these sciences m ost elo-
quently proclaim the power OF knowl-
edge, and stand as monuments OF Its
triumph, of more value than the NIGH
tiest victories ever gained by nations
even though those victories, break the
chains of national slavery and raise
down trodden people to liberty-as is
evidenced by the increasing prosperity
and the millions OF happy homes that
make up the civilization of those lands
where they are fostered and encourag-
ed, and where nature is trained by the
hand of art.
"Tis art, sweet art, new radiance breaks;
She rends the Oak and bids il ride
TO guard the shore its beauty graced,
She plucks the pearl that studs the deep
Admiring beauty's lap to fill,
In fields of air she writes her name
And treads the chambers of the sky
Inv m
She moves in gratencss and in grace
Her power subduing space and time
Links realm to realm and race to race"
II some times seems that force rules
our world and is the arbiter Of the des-
TIMES of our race, when we witness some
of the most cherished hopes Of patriotic
people suddenly, and seemingly, ire
trievably blasted by the power OF the
sword, and many land, the home of
the brave aud true, strewn with the
ruin of the wreck and the tomb, when
we reflect upon the gigantic struggles
of man with man during the years that
have rolled away, and the noble blood
which has been shed and the treasure
spent, the laws overthrown, the forms
of Government changed, national foun-
daries obliterated, and The rights Of
person and property disregarded. But
upon these saddest pages of human his
tory, other and more attractive lessons
are learned: here we also read how the
human mind triumphs over blind,
bruteforce and directs the events OF our
world, and devises the remedy by which
force is robbed of its power aud over
the grave of despotisms, dynasty rears
a temple of peace and human liberty
out of boundless chaos, brings life, light
and beauty.
Again the perpetuity of the results
of scholarship should be subject of
great interest to US all-That the re-
suits of every other effort however great,
must perish is a truth that is evidenced
by the sad marks OF decay that lie
strewn along the path of liie-He who
visits tie old world will be impressed
with this fact as he is born along the
beautiful streams which flow through
England's historic fields, that wind their
way among the mountains and fastness-
es of Germany, that dance along the
nesting valleys of Switzerland or muir
mur among the vine clad hills of France;
it is on the banks of these rivers and
lochs that ever and anon are seen some
wreck of the pomp and pride of anti
guilty. Here the mouldering monument
there the stately ruin of some ancient
palace, bringing 10 mind the fact that
its walls once re-echoed with the sound
of music and the revelry of the dance
now, oh how stilled aud hushed. No
sound is heard save the wave that rolls
upon the shore, or the murmur of the
pilgrim who sits upon its walls. Such
is the blight which time casts upon the
material structure of our world. The
greatest power and the proudest hope
that ever walked to ecstacy the human
soul must one day sink in hopeless ruin.
Every breeze that sighs in the passing
air watts to US the gloomy tidings Of
decay, and softly whispers as it flies
passing away! passing away But
it is the triumph Of the scholar that the
result of his efforts hue, that they sur
vive the ashes of decay and the blight
OF time.
History informs us that but once in
four hundred and fifty years was the
temple of Janus closed. Surely the
Roman were warlike people; scarcely
was there a discovered spot to which
their eagles had not flown, and to which
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