Camden gazette. (Camden, S.C.) 1816-1818, August 22, 1818, Image 2
* rom Uic CouunbiA Teic^copfe
AN ORATION .
orr r:i? pleasukeS of I.magixatio.v,
By Hens* G. Nixox,
Delivered in the College Cnapel, on
Tnursday evening, ?5iU June, at *<ui
ExhIBitlon of the J uhior ClaSS.
(published BY KtqUEST.)
The numerous sources from which
the mind" "of man d raws pleas a re,
cl ^arly evince the benevolence of his
creator, and show him a creature
designed *fol happiness. Endued
with facdlties^uict; to the perception
of enjoyment^ aiul invested \\ ith or
ganp admirably adj as ted" for the cou
veyauce of external impressions, *thfr
active principle of luau is equally
delighted by the contemplation of its
own ideas, and thejheauty and gran
deur presented by objects of sense.
Bui, as if the pleasures of reasoning
and of a variegated world were not
guiScieiil, ? an if reality could not
possess charm, nor entity afford |
comforts enough to the favorite of
Heaven, bountiful Nature has bes
towed onhiin her choicestboon,iH su
peradding the faculty of anall-creu
tive imagination.
Though a very email space _
crtbe the anliorc, ?tt(l avw y few
jects limU {he sight of man, wafted
off the azure .ftiqioas of fancy, he
id s tire most distant borrt ers ofcrea
ioty and feigns himself a spectator
of all that is sublime in nature or ad
mirable in arL There ?* ho scene
of delight, no' transaction of moment,
from the contemplation 'of which the
imagination does not derive pleasure,
-and diffuse over the intellectual pow
ers its balmy influences to solace, to
cheer, and to iuvigorate. It matters
not whether its objects be am ..ate or
^lanuautfc^ ijfiether iiction or fact;
whether We deliberately trace the
narrative truth of history, or instinc- j
tively blaze witlipoetiy through the
boundless fields of vision. It matters
jpot whwtftr we move in a gilded
3?N9i wft% the fabled Venus of Ida
^tian bowers, or reqline with the
homeless Scythian amidst the froxerT
glooifta of Siberia ; whet her we feast
with the Gtxls in the spring tide of
inhale the fragrant
Of aeat
ftpyjfB ,of the ? A1
angry Lavange^
caiust
^gmatio
variety
mind
spre uYi deli;
ties."
iHB
But we ahould
wild touches of na
be
burn wj
and aubumitiesor
scenery, suffer your minds to b<4 <Xy
lected to tfie beautiful landscape,
\vjtare thftjomnine tyiues around the"
lofty elia* and decorates his project
ing bougna with a lively tint of yel
low bue ; whore the purling stream
murmurs along it? well known way. and
the honey-suckle, with sweeUsented
shrub, bend in silence from their
verdant bed to midlife their dewy
tears in unison upon % its unruffled
bosom,? while the cuckoo, clad in
gaudy plumage, from her mossy
couch, sings in inimitable strains,
Behold the Jieauties (f ?YiUure.
Let fancy bear you to the dessrt
forest, eveu there you may behold
nature; arrayed in full glory, aud
presenting objects which would warm
the blood of indifference, and inspire
the tuiod with all tho charms of
Which it is susceptible ; there you
may behold the huge prow n beasts,
reposing under the myrtle shade,
awd their smooth pliant skins decor
ating the sylvan scene, ? while from
some dark and horrid den, the lion
iti his treineutlous ro?*r would say,
Me h old the HP; rks nJ ' 11 r(y ?
Pa-ft from thence to I he mighty
deep, where the 66 dark bhie wave"
? iu horrid peaks above ujc sir
life?
p^ire willows wc|
dropfrin the glufa.
There oftde ?
tWo^U fhe Iwail
white tresn^m
while trembling*)
to its soothing ma
face, and movftg with threatening
aspect against the mariner's artc^
which sin k.9 with trembling mast
heads in a wateyy grave, ? while
fwm the neighboring short , the af
flicted mermaul leapa from her oozy
bed^ml em&t JQk me &ublim&? but .
tremendous opeixitions of Nature
And will you, to crownjthe scene,
when Nigftt, " sable goddess." with
her ebon shade, shrouds the eartfi
in darkness, cast your eyes upward
toward the concave sphere; there
you mr\y heboid the spangled hea- ?]
vens, glittering with golden hottor^
and the s'rfver moon roHittg in their
midst, while some devolving star,
which had for a lonir time faintly 1
o ?
glimmered, as if in tlte verg*? at' de
parting splendor, will perform* its
last office, by painting in legible (
characters, on the? .distant' horizon, ]
We are the Works ojWature. ' j
-TW- have I displayed to vitvr
some of the characteristic variegations
of nature, and permit me now to dir
ect your attention to those pleasures
of Imagination which air excited-hy
a survey of the refinements of art.
How then, I ask, floes the gro-*
tesque adamant drop its rudeness at;
thn 'sr?fflptnr\ toiTT.h, wnd hrighfpn
into the lineaments of a friend ? Why
do wo -delight-to - converse with the
marine eated statue, and embrace
its death cold form to enjoy the sweets
of social union? View the polished
ipmuraeirt heave at the sound and
[ stiirlle, but to tell the pleasures of
Imog nation.
How do we gaze tire, glowing can-'
vass into life, burn with the portrait's
blush, and look iis wishful features
to a smile ? View Beauty's bosom
heave at the spttnd -mtft see it startle ?
? *butto teHj th&pleastUcj cf lm igi
nation* - '^^v
Jpw do we ttape thfe^pinder e
H through the shady ^grove? rc<tf
in his lonely hamlet of the iK 11 7
tastc thej>ure stream that issues from ,
the fount, and hear his vocal choirs ?
View all the scene rv wkve at the
sotmdj and startle ?bul to tell ti
plqgturC3 imagiitation.
and fall with
music o'er the wtfU-timedNbar, oritn
?pr in the windthfrt filiates niclody
who. the 4o*p-st?k notes of
m, Hear 1 th e^gHpQfteJ'ahfo
rerwfbcratc ifie
coh
,, _ mm,
iw man gjubed in native
and peace, we/ should re-*;
s pastoral strains of other
f Thaiijiuffer your imagination
over
h the
??,
?Jl0t
mmi 1 ^
teiilng shored
"Tiiere once <Ti<l Philomela tune
the vale with her mellifluous notes ;
while Vesper danced anfddst the
western Wave** ami Cynthia wheel
ed from the deep solitude of eastern
glooms to wane her course through
glowing heavens*
Thefe once did nature teach the
Inppy swain the power of lbve ; there
once did Daphnirf tune the soft- toned
flute, while l'hillis hound his golden
cu?l$ with buys, and smiling through
her tfcars breathed love sine ? e.
There once (lid Hylas to the lis
tening waste burst fVom hi* slender
reed the black-eyed Delia's praise ;
while Doris9 naitee with Eton's pipe
" hid Kcho answer from her silent
cave>"
But should the pulsations of intel
lect, or the love of transition, prompt
the soul to strike her fibre-strung
harp, to the wild notes of enthusiasm,
with what delight may #he. iviinglo
with the e[i c l? ?i r. u. > <a iiumtr,
a J aire the invention of metamorphos
ing Ovid, lighten at the descriptive
powers of Tliltou, aird dwell with
rapture on those new-born ? Plea
sures of Hopfe," which gradate for
ity fron* the poetic goat of
K " ?A*
Suei^^C^io less iuan art, lends
to reiiuo and accelerate the pleasures
of imagmatTonT- Withwhat extacy do
w e soar with astronomy through the
boundless' fields of ether? skim the
reruleauft concave, trace the commet
in its <}IiptiCal course, gfctfe; with
-worlds around the ^roat axle of,
h their motions, i> r shoot far Info space,"
' and eontewphUe^-Uit**1^ " golden
lamps" which h^ng pendant iu the
heavens, and blaze to the glory of the
living God.
litre I might pause? but there*
still remain ttiose fiewmr $ of Ima
gination, w hic^.: \giid the
niututght ot adversity, and add to
prosiierity an enchantment of tie
ligro^' J^et those who doubt its
in$nen$fe iu adversity a^kthe disCogv
soiate African, who wanders deject .
ted over our-whitemhg liehU, w hose J
homely fare is measured alike wutti
his daily toil's whoso only music is
the masters iasfc, whose ? oidjf-cqnF
fort is the hard wopd-bed-? sgmd lie
will speak aknguago^of the soul,
compared w ith wtiicu \vor
selves wo.il J br beggar^ li
tiou.? ii will 1?U now* the
Wrie ..r fauA^e^fes ibe
Tomitai,. vrfT of the ocean. ?ul
ocean; and
eujoyed thtSfcweet comforts of his na
tive laud; Iwkv oft bo lias r&SflmHl
on the mossy 'banks of, Nigpr, and
beheld the Uttle objects of his love
sporbte iu the tepid stream.
L&fithOse who doubt if$ fiiflnctiee^
rise but a little from this aj^te of de^
iL-railation to ?ie objects of despotism,
who treiiiblwfc th?j glance, and bend
oos^qpiousiat the nod, of an imperi
ous tytant, Wid they wi I tell how oft
they liave enj^ed Uie cro*v^ wavw
a sceptre <fVer va*>t ddtaiinioft s,
and dashed the ionium
^ heart ! ? ? ? |iie?v ?4
the^w^iiee^ltwled to repute h$,
ul Uieil.' v ?$***' bi-e .?h
* iniies of the grove3 ?tf$a$:
upon tiie down pf^lfeo
I" v jflPfi
ir ho doubt its influence
r. fepei jta, the youUi wjio
bias enjoyed die tweets of contempia*
fir* retirements, ons^ h^wifems?
Ttbe enamelled patji irtf a colle^iat^
life, and he will tell how oft at the
* mely hdurof midnight, when n uugfot ;
as <6 to heard but -the signinfc*>?<
the tflpeze, ot the bark of the distant
?wafcfedog? wfyen his sickly taper
burned dimly in the socket, now and
then stealing a gleam over the dusty
volume, he has deserted the solitary
hall af study, and waved the plumes
of . victory amid the din of rampant
Jhjfe- -y? -3T~ .Jji
Thus we ft ud Imagination enliven^
Nifg every object in uatulre*' mingUng
? pleasure w^h every sphere of life,
and cheering every vicissitude of for
tune.? HaH then, generous source ef<
delight* !
" * ?w Not contctotr
With ev'r y food of life ttfiiouriah man,
iiy kiiKl illusions of the waftd'rifeft sense,
Thou mak'st all nature beauty to his eye,
And music to hU ear."? ? ? -
Extract from a Letter
( Comunicated for the JVat. Intelligrneer.)
? Amongst the hitrigues, & strata
gems, which of late spread desola
tion, it is gratifying to tiehoKl the mo
deration oft he United States, which,
like a piece ofblfiesky amidst black
ening clouds, is the harbinger of se
ron it y. 1 allude totlie voluntary re
linqiiiHlinient of Pensacola, captured
by General Jackson, because the
Spanish governor had aided and
abetted our savage enemies* Avar
ice persuaded the President to retain
possession, by enumerating advanta
ges; amhitio i urged him, by dis
playing the popularity of territorial
aggrandisement ; revenge cried aloud
for etaiiation, and pointed to the
scalps of his countrymen ; yet, whjUt
the trump of victory was still viloa- ,
ting 011 his ear, he listened U> Uie
wtiHpers ut juiiitc auU
Anil restored the forfeit. ?[^!n is
feeble ; her officers may liave bee a
coerced i>r may liave disobryed her
injunctions, and thus he extenuated
her faults ; it mi^ht alsu a{>peai un*
geoevous to aggravate tier difficulties
| and he would not permit/iniscou*tiue
i lion to excite a suspicion of his pi;i i
ty. \V it ill ?l liuhl^- e-X4\mf?U cf itn
[T>eantnct5 is here given to shame the
| powerful from encroachments, or c*?
j rouse feelings . of moderation in flio
breasts of the mighty. , ? Philanthro
pic throughout tha world will h^
mod CoA wiii gaafllify the
ideert. r >>
- ^0? heavenly j^race we. may depend,
When wp shaU kneel before. th4 throiv*
Vo us that mercy extend,
y.'iiich uutoolhers we have shewn."
i f^and -The third
sales^ft^ie United Stales bind com
mwaj uuui.? i&K;
^ ?f country now offered
St TiS T* "'' ,lie P*up
^L'" Uf P^g^g> but sue! i h ttla
.indity lo procure, on advantawous
terms cotton land in this mill an<l
Z^iCVm^> t,mt ,be ?k* have
tiS2lS^a?&$* !*'<*? touch high .
1 "
tr^^%WisK
of iMS^ ".*& m ^We*ales
IL^ ' ?S^)e cou m try giKfrirtii
siiafssssr;
(lifting tile late sales. The a u 'a^f
S^te,a^PintfKovember a* wlu?a
fifrwatd to with -peculiar itiMtM, fu
he couatry then to be disposed of
m not |urpAs5fed in t?ruijtV l?v m.!
f^W^^bama J etritwv. * V
? ^Alabama Hcpub. jfa i0. *
* ? ' ? - , ?, . i >???;..
The following , description of thS" Mu.
- V'-non of 0?rcn /.V,tX/A ' Co,,rt
^ ?'iv '?<?> of a Jbiifite vTnt
?4.. . Mnftht l's3f, by Paul lirL, 'V ''"
CU, iou, to r?pe; J2 :,' 4 1 ? 15
-?, which make them in^-SSL. ;? ,^"ty
' -?3lTC8, but n-o 't eu-jfreltffv 2? diaw
' ths?m*m?ei-? nn& c'^fc& of th^T*
with U.tt?e ^the pi^nt tim?. * 1
Vir>l . D mo, /Vf.fff
sssUt8**- Ci ;??
Jl^aagfenya ^
atuwtlert, by an order Mr. Roscr 1
brrliunM^ii/*010 ^
h25? o V\ Pp l,r**'4to chamber,
JErtf^JSMF* nn<l t,,e lio'">
.. . -kngltsu fashion, atrztcei
wrth ha;), Ihjoii^li winch the qlfCen
P**?" i? bet ?uy W chapd : at tho
Se?tlema? dreUd in
veivet w,u. a goM chain, wbosj
? 00 "** W>?'Vfro jcce to the queen
aay israajrfBiaiiiictL.. n..t *g ?
^Wtoj^ieT ; ?it was iiunfcy
Iheret^usuaily the greatest Jl?
dance 01 nobility. In galBC
tiffin* "ft4*? of &?*****,
he Bishop ot I*>od?.,? . num
ber of councilors of stale, officers of
the. crown, and gentfcmfn who wn.'i
ed ou the queen s coming out? ,whirh
she 1 did t??h ber, own, apartment,
wb? it was liiue to so to iira^ers, at
tended in Lie tolloirw^ manner 5 Srj,t
went geutlcinety Iteroik , Jiarls,
Kyglifs of (lie Garter, ail higliiv
dressed, and , bare-headed f u, xt
eame the C ianceller bearing the seals
in a red silk |>w*e between two { vno
of which earned tbo royal sec, tic,
the. other the 9 ? yrd of state, in a
red scabbard studded with col. Ion
flenrs de lis, ?he point ulK
next came the quern, in the sixty
nub year of her as^e, we are (old, ve
ry majestic ; her lace oblong, fair,
but wrinkled : her eyes <?mail very
I' ?' k auil pleasant ; her i.ose a lit.
tie booked ; Iter lip* narrow, and
ber teetli hiack (a delVct the JEif.
,hsh seeuj sulyVc.'ed to, from the?r
?H<iK?eat use oi'sogar ; she had ir> |? r
tuo Pearls, wiih very ri./i