Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-01-15

And mis- MS vase whence the pure "a'ciS
rise, ,
Returns to mingIe with us meaner things.
IT'S even as II an angel shook his wings.
Divinest fragrance fills the circuit wide,
And tells us whence his waters are sup
Piled"
--Cowoer
"Septus Nebua"
-Aeneid
Each individual man OF us. like the
world we inhabit. has an atmosphere OF
his own And II is almost as difficult 10
clear ourselves of our peculiar and per-
sonal environment as II is to get out Of
our skins. But the change OF either Is. /
to a very considerable extent. not an i'm |
possibility. The texture, fneness and !
color Of the skin may be changed by a |
change of diet. And the environing at
mosphere may be changed in a similar
manner by diet and treatment This study
Of atmospheres is interesting
The fact of our atmospheres Is one OF
the points OF difference between the hui
man being and the turtle, the oyster ana
the clam. But our atmospheres as posi-
lively distinguish and mark each of us as
the shell marks the variety OF the hsh'
| our atmospheres are the exhalence or
peculiar wrappings that expand from
within. outwards, and enwrap us. Thelr
nature manifests the inner beings. Ana
| we don't know how far, generally, their
| influence IS exerted, or how great is their
power.
| A stupid and ignorant person Is not ike
a shellfsh. that imparts no warmth ana
| radiates no influence. He has his ex-
| halence and exerts his influence. But 1t is
| like that Of an offensive and asphyxiat-
! ing gas. And no man can be long
| in his company without feeling the Ill
| effects of the association ana nelshDoI
| hood. Atmosphere mingle, ano WINE
the worse may be little helped, the pest
Is going to be seriously damaged by the
giving and taking. Ugly affections and
habits of head and heart are caught as
men take diseases one OF another. Drunk
enness and madness communicate the"-
selves: Therefore, let men take heeu OF
their company.
From the lowest grade OF manhood UP
to the highest there are styles ana chaI-
| acters of atmospheres of Infinite variety
Just as with the human countenance'
/ which is more or less the advertisement
of the complexion and character of the
heart and mind and of its atmosphere
> And men rise i'm honor, general agree
, ability. and possibilities Of happiness as
, the atmospheres that envelop them are
! enlightened. fresh, clear, pure, lnVlgo-
, rating There are men and women WhO5e
! very existence and personal presence Is
elevatlng. enlvening, refreshing reJolc,
ing TO themselves as we'll as others. Ah0
T, there are those whose approach chllls OIL
away down below how INFINITE
= the variety, We use the expression
" "wrapped up" or, buried in things
T. One is wrapped up and buried In his bus
" mess. He can't think or feel or tail
= about ANYTHING else outside Of 1t. IL
" Is becloud4d and submerged, baptized il
the clouC Z certain ideas, and ives am
moves and has his being In them AM
/, | each particular business has cloud o
it's own. more or less bright or lnVigo
rating as 1t is hOnOred By honorable mo
tives, or benumbing and degrading as
e is dlsgraced by mere selfshness an
greed.
Professions and arts may enwrap theil
deyotees as entirely as the commences
=, trade. The sweat Of all industry would
!, dry and die. but for the end it aims at
q And any calling is degraded by mere sci
n dshness And In very fact the glory ap1
beauty OF the environing cloud, that eaci
! one OF us walks in and under comes
the honor and unselfshness OF the near
\ that eXhales It, There are those Whos'
= clouds are like the brightest or sp'las
,, tide There are those whose clouds or
dark and cold and threatening. Alas
!, for the bearers Of them!
- There are men whose clouds are only
the fumes OF sensuality, lit only Will
Il flames OF passion or CLEANS OF renorse
> only TO think Of a mans walking a5ou
with his head in thunderstorm; Jls
u the very reverse Of Goldsmith's Yillag
IL nastor around whose head was eterna
e sunshine The fearful account OF Orest's
: pursued by the furies like gadhies'
after this style
= Rut there are those who go about t.pe
p fed by q man in a summer Afternoon
A with n swarm Of gnats buZZng about r.
head. vain and idle fances, annoying 10
things. disturbing inanties. These var
* I'm quality and quantity And their con
? versation IS little better than the NUN {
1.-The busy throng that swarms about them
l. The fruits Of their lips are the char
J. which the wind blows away from me FAC
l. OF the earth. idle, senseless words.
- There is the atmosphere OF the greg
IS gerry. the brothel and the barber s-sEoI
" that gathers around the head and hear
- and wraps up its victim. There Is ma
10 OF the social or political club and smok
IS ing-room: the atmosphere OF the marke
~ and commercial exchange, or the Gomez
q, house and green-room; the literary -irc'
In the common gossip and SANDER mOnge
/ and the mere heartless wording In
: these cases people come together, loo
n al each other in common light, breal
10 a common air. utter common Thoughts
'v use a common language. and make N a
r,osphere that they breathe into TIE
u lungs. saturates all their being, an
"a wholly envelopes them. They can't thfo
r of as influence or divest themselves
- its control. And others take knowleds
OF them I'm what company they haV
Their spirits shine through them; the
~ clouds enwrap them; the exhalance
D. their souls. like the ointment Of the rSi
hand bewrayeth itself.
Well. Ills plainly OF ourselves that "
III are thus and thus. We indulge low taste
ne allow the dominion Of low passions, fe'
IL in common pastures and keep comno
le company, and in the course If Natui
~. | our atmosphere proclaim us what "
i" are; and we are content 10 take thias
~, and ourselves as we are, vanity and Ve'
= alton Of spirit
- Time was when our whole race was vi
10 der a great. black cloud. II was said
- men that they were hardly bested al
no hungry; that being 80, they fretted then
ma selves and cursed their King and the
r. Cod and looked upwards; they look'
unto the earth and beheld trouble m
nd darkness, dimness OF anguish, ana th'
IN were driven TO darkness. On this conc
ton the Light OF divine manhood aros
The people that sat in darkness saw