Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-10-01

Il would rather r. the FIRST than the
last # my family WAS fayorite expires
sion with an Old lady. who prided herself
on her distinguished ancestry. she was.
certainly. not the first member Of her race
who eHn0bled themselves, but bore Wen
the hon0rs 10 which she was entitled By
birth and which she had sustained By her
own high merits.
There nav tse a regard for our ancss-
tors which n0urisleS weak and SHY
pride. while, On the other hand. there i a
respect which eIeYates the character ana
improves the heart Next 70 the duty We
owe 70 our Maker know OF none more
sacred u a refined and enlightened mind
than that due TIE great departed who
trained Us by their ways and precept I'D
the path we should 70. How comforting
70 parent 10 think Of leaving his cnll-
dTen the rich heritage q g0odlY exam
PIE. What an incentive 70 De noble ana
great, VI hat child would not prefer tlat
Inheritance 70 a mine Of gold without II
II being born TO a good and great name
does not inspire is iuheritors with 4 de-
sire 70 emulate those who made u. the
benefits are Of small value Il should De
a guardian ever at our side 70 keep Us
honest and upright IN all our actions. and
with what care should we use that man
tie which fell upon Us - llgAIIy ana Win
50 little cost.
Shakespeare says III midsummer :
Nights Dream ..OuestiOn your desires.
know Of your youth, examine well your
blood
But again be says in Henry the
FOURTH: You see-b0w men u merit are
sought AFTER
our birth j. not cur own act. and il IS
only when our virtue equal those 81 our
ancestors that We have Tight u lean
upon their fame. for Nc inherit nothing
truly but what our actions make us
worthy o.
Shakespeare was Of respectable but
somewhat humble parentage. while Byron
was born n0bleman. But LORD byron
shDwed-even in his earliest years-tbat
nature had added n the advantages u
high descent the richest gifts d genius
and 81 fancy. His own tale Is partly told
in two lines Or Lara:
Left by his sire. too young such Ioss u know,
Lord u himself. that heritage % woe.
This sire's memory must have been any
thing but a comfort u his Lordship, for
Lord Byron himself said. that whenever
{ he incurred his mothers displeasure, she
would exclaim. "YOu are a Byron all
F over: you are as bad al your father"
Many ascribe the almost never failing
+ confidence II the Jewish race - tAeir
family pride. OcoasiOned Wy tAeIF long line
+ Of descent. Win what sadness We read
f Of the ever weeping thTOng. gathered in
Jerusalem. around the site Of the ancient
temple. the i0y and glory II their fathers.
II il an accepted fact that when man
+ Of obscure lineage achieves greatness,
+ some old antiQuary ransacks his brain, Or
perhaps his library. and aScrI5e5 ~ him
some distinguished ancestor Or ancestors.
/ This infection was thrust upon the great
Napoleon. who needed no such neraldFy.
! To a person who made merit u deduc-
I ing his descent fIom some ancient line Of
Gothic princes, Napoleon replied that he
dated Mo patent Of nobility from the bat
tie VI Monte SOtte. But the greatest
blot on NapoleOns e5cutcheOn was his
/ putting aside the lovely and accomplished
Josephine in favor u the daughter VI ar
Emperor. Though parYeuu in COMPARE
son ~ this descendant Of the Casars. Jo-
sephine was an ornament 10 the court Of
+ Napoleon, and seemed, naturally. better
/ adapted 10 her high position than she who
+ had been reared IN the company Of kings
and princes.
+ il man suddenly acquires large for
/ tune he can always resurrect coat 81
arms, belonging - some Of his prOgenitOrs,
( WnereWith U emilia ION the panels Of his
carriage door True greatness scOrns
such acts Of littleness, and il must be a
narrow mind that would foster such
weakness
In our own Southern land with what
j pride and qualification native Of
the Old Dominion, the home Of Washing
/ ton and Jefferson. viii speak Of his dear
7 old state, and it il often plavfully said
I that an old Nirginian regards his capital
as the centre Of civilization. But, after
all, how little we value the circumstances
Of our BIRTH when We think Of the hap
pinesa 81 being placed in this most beauti-
+ iul world, created in the likeness Of God
( himself and surrounded Dy his glorious
/ handiWo.k the skill OF whose tiniest
structure Outyies the grandest monument
( ever erected By man. .COnsider the lilies
OF the field how they grow: they toll not,
neither do they spin; and yet / say unto
you, that even solomon in all his glory
was not arrayed like one Of these"
Let him. that in the summer day d youth,
Keeps pure the holy font Of youthful feeling.
Aud him, that % tie ghlidll u hl1 years.
Lies down in lis last sleep, and shuts in peace
His weary eyes on lfe's short wayfaring;
Praise Him that rules the destiny Of man.