Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-03-28
physically ono Of a vast assemblaga as


physically ono OF vast assemblage. as
in circus, q grand occasion. big meet
ing, n ballroom, or a hanging. Indeed,
one may be dazed and bewildered and
blinded by a bright luminaryi he may
be suffocated By bad air, chokad and
sprfetod aud crsmmsd to replstion and
numbnese, or cramped out OF shape--all
by himself. lie may be crowded and
pressed out Of life and shape without be-
ing in the crowd. The active, evil. and
benumblng powers Of tho world. the flesh
and Shs devil DO gheir work their own
way; they destroy humanity by the
wholesale or retaii-in the face Of the
multitude or IN the solitarlness OF the pri-
vate chamber.
IL Is OF ourselves that We are thus
and thus whether we shall be over
crowded or solitary. out Of sympathy
with a company, We are alone in the
midst OK II. We are out OF tune and re-
spond TO not word. It's sunny smiles
chill US; its hllarity solemnizes US. and
It's courteEles offend u.s. It's gentle APP
proaches freeze us, and its blandish
ments wrap US Up Ia cereclotbs. A man
Ia reduced 20 a minimum by an uncon-
genial gathering-to an iciCle. And, on
the other hand, miles away from men, he
may be smothered by his prejuGices,
animosities, and trampled down by his
own ideas Of wha. the world thinks Of
him. His own imagination may supply
him all the evils OF heartless, persecut-
ing world. He may keep and cultivate
private menagerle OF his own to tear
him 10 pieces. And yet, again, clothed
I'm mOdesty and unsel6shness, IN har-
mony with his surroundings. ne may go
in and out, as one invisible. He Jostles
none; he offends none; he IS in no ones
way; he IS felt only as an agreeable,
buoyant influence; not defined nor re-
marked on; nor rcmarking on. lie is as
though he were not. In what delightful
solitude he livesl Only from his lowly
tabernacle he sees with bis own eyes.
hears with his own ears, and in his
camera obscLra takes impressions OF the
outside word-and thinks and feels for
himself, and likes and dlslikes. as he
pleases. And yet, the secret OF his close
ness Is I'm being lost In the crowd. To be-
guile the time, he looks like the time.
The misanthrope and solitaire IS all the
reverse Of this. lie has crowded the
sanctuary OF his soul with the things and
people that he professes to hate; that are
his nnastersl and in his chamber he IS
overwhelmed with the disgusts of the out
side world Wrapped in the solitude Of
his own originality, he is but a close
cuddy OF commonplace, or muddy gey-
ser in the desert.
Cast on a foreign shore Aeneas went
TO Carthage-by his mothers care "septus
nebula"-wrapped in a cloud. When once
the mad rabble were hurrying our
Lord to cast Him down from the brow
Of a hill, lie merely hid Himself" and
passed through them all. The grace and
defence OF invisibility IS one to be de-
sired and cultivated. II is the way Of
safety through the world. And the clois-
ter IS a blessed privilege, and the only
nursery Of piety and real life.
But neither coister nor cowl makes The
monk: but the heart that walks alone
with God. lost I'm His presence and life,
absolutely unselfsh. Selfshness and am
btiOn make a parade-ground Of the
deepest retirement Of tho recluse; while
self-abnegation-all honest lowliness
everywheTe-has but one tent 10 dwell
in. Thou are place TO hide me In.
Thou shalt preserve me from trouble;
Thou shalt compass me about with songs
Of deliverance Thou shalt hide me In the
secret Of Thy presence from tho pride
Of man.