62 MORE RANDOM THOUGHTS. 



Art. V. — More Random Thoughts. By J. W. Douglas. 



The fact that the world which we call ours, turns on its 

 axis daily without being perceived by us, is accounted for by 

 knowing that we also turn with it. In like manner must it be, 

 that the onward march of every thing connected with mind is 

 so little noted, because we, in some measure, are also borne 

 along in the mental revolution that is going on around us. 

 Yet let us reflect but for a moment, and we shall see that pro- 

 gression is a law which is universally obeyed by all creation, 

 and that nothing is stationary. 



The elegant butterfly, that like a thing of air floats in the 

 sunbeam, was once contained in an egg scarcely visible. Every 

 flower that fills a place in the garland that Nature weaves 

 around the earth — every shrub and tree that graces the moun- 

 tain side or lowly plain — has arisen from a minute seed. The 

 noble river that proudly bears on its broad bosom the majestic 

 ships, was, but a few miles back, a stream scarcely able to float 

 the tiny straws that the breeze had committed to it. Even the 

 sun, the centre of our system, the soul of its body, in his daily 

 appearance, comes not on us at once in his full glare, but 

 rises gradually to the meridian ; and though at times obscured 

 by clouds, and at length by his decline giving birth to night, 

 yet, 'tis only to rise again more glorious than before. Yet, more 

 than in all these, the great principle of advancement is seen 

 in the mind of man, — that emanation from the Deity, which, 

 though differing from all things, is yet related to all, finding in 

 every thing, more or less, an object for its attention. Indi- 

 vidually, man advances by degrees ; his mind and body expand- 

 ing in proportion as each is exercised and trained, until he 

 reach his full physical and mental stature. Collectively, he 

 has advanced comparatively but a short distance in the infinity 

 of intellectual space ; for it is but lately, that, by the invention 

 of the press, he has been able to record, for the benefit of his 

 posterity, the discoveries of his mind or the emanations of his 

 genius. But this point in his history having been gained, he 

 is in a condition to keep his race continually going on ; and 

 though his stay here may be as brief as ever, yet his children 

 may now be as wise as if their lives were a continuation of his ; 

 and so on for ever. 



