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eventually arrive the poignancy of defire | is loft. A fit the lover in what conlifts | his blellings ; not in the memory fleeting a gratifications of the palling hour;— Thcfe, as may he their promifed enjoyment, have not the. power lathngly to attach his feelings:—“ Hope fprings eternal in his breaft;’' he is inftatjtly employed in revolving the felicities of futurity, and depidturing the time, when, ieated like another Jacob in pa- lt;triarchal dignity) he beholds his rifing n progeny with “ every mingled grace, 1 fmiiuig joyful to his view. The con- f queror, ft ill unfatisfied with paft ex- c ploits, and panting for added conquelts, v hopes to extend his laurels o’cJthe habi- 1 table globe. The ftatefman i aimer fed in e the fea of politics, is continually looking• forward to hisluture honors, and knows no period fo tardy, as the anxious interval that precedes the accomplifhment of his plans. While the merchant, ever eager in his confidence, who“ f ieights each tide and charters every gale, is buoyed on the elalHc wings of Hope, and calculates with flattering avidity, the wilhed for period of his returning wealth.Nor flops Man here. The prefent cannot fix his volatile nature ; he is continually roving from enjoyment to enjoyment, and urging his Hopes from one gratification to another, till death o’ertakes and finds him ft ill unfatisfied.By nature tickle, unftable in his pur-fuirs, inordinate iu hisdefires, he flights ^ the cold reality ot biifs poifelted, and pines for the ideal joys ot the uncertainfuture;-. Had he nothing lef todefire,he would have nothing left to enjoy.• Hope ! how benign would be Ms in-fluance ! how foothii g its power ! didit not as often nourifh in its bofotn thethiflle as the rofe, and encourage they chimeras of imagination, equally with the expectations of reafon. The youth, with eager grafp, catches at the gaudy vifions which fancy fpreads, and often builds his hopes on the fhallow bajisof ) phantom ,* but time mocks the unftable ifoundation of error ami prejudice, and !“ 1 weeps the deTufion to the dull.The Pilgrim of Care, who guides his devious way through this “ vale of lt;tears, if unfi flawed by Hope, and un- lt;fupported by the confolation of antici- ;patea reft, would fink beneat’h he fatigue \of his burthen, and fall a victim to the ihorrors of defpondence. iBur ’tis the Chriftian chiefly, in whofe “ bread Hope jprtngs eternal;’’ Who ever retains the glow of conli- -dence, though the frowns of adverftty aflail; whofe heart will ftill acknowledge the benevolence of Providence, i though enfeebled by the trials of at fhdtiun ; and who feels i* I ho’here misfoiunecomes to blaft our will, That Heaven isjnft, and GOD a father ftill.” , It is, the apprehenfions which precede and attend, that conftitute the ter-o rors of death ;—but in the view of theftncere chriftian, death is divefted of all» - its terrors, Hope’s enlightening rays ) cheers his departing fpirit, and time i“That treads more fpft than e’er did midnight thief, ”. ferves but to draw him nearer to thebofnm of his Father. How ferene ishis foul! how placid the lingering fare-well look! (“ Sure the laft end Ofthe good man is peace ! how calm his exit ! iNight dews fall not more gently to the ground, ,) Nor weary worn out winds expire fo loft,Belli Id him fcarce yet paft his lino m of life,A life well fpent whofe early care it wasHis riper years, fta-niLi not upbraid his green ; ]l.ike tlx-fair Sun, he verges to hisclofe,Yet l.ke the Sun feems larger at his fetting.”To the refkdlive mind, what a icene is this ! how folemn—how affedting— how inftrudlive ! But where ihall vve go to behold the “ faithful Abraham, gently flutnbering on the bed ofdeath ?-Does if need the queft-ion ? Every throbbing breaft mudfigh refponfive, ’tis in Sumner. ISumner—our departed, lamented Ma-giftrare-Virtues like thine difdaiuihe feeble pomp of eulogy : The mod 't exalted panegyric,“ Would only mock, whom it was meant tohonor ;— - On every heart imureffedrThy deeds themfclves at Up thy prai/e.
Newspaper Details
Savannah Columbian Museum and Savannah Advertiser
Savannah, Georgia, US
Fri, Sep 27, 1799
Page 2
Full Page
Clipped by
Richard C.
USA 09 Aug 2023
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