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Miscellany: The Man Out Of The Moon

Miscellany: The Man Out Of The Moon image
Parent Issue
Day
4
Month
November
Year
1844
Copyright
Public Domain
OCR Text

The muri in the moon Catne down at noon. Perhnp3 these Iines occurred to some of the individuáis who witnessed the disnppearance of the man f rom the moon one balmy snmmer evening. There must have been nt least one astronomer,"poet, Itinatic, and pair of lov - ers; and liow many more may not ensily be ascertuined. But 1he moonshine stiil come down so gently,L the space vacated by that au cient. man was filled wiih such calm brightness, that Iittle was sak) and no commotion ciuised by his withdrnwal froin tliat place where he hnd been on admired fixture. Had lie dropped down among any of the evening watchers doubtle5s tiiero wonld have been a great excitement - especially among cliiidren nnd ntirses, with whom this mm had been nn object of g rea ter interest thnn nny other c'ass. And, ae every body was once a boy and girl; there might have been a revival of affect ion which would have manifeited liselt' in waving of handkerchiefsj loud huzzis, and clapping of hands; perhaps in ringing of bellt--, nnd firing of cannon; and who knows what fine dinners might have been given hirr-, and concerts, also, in which a few particulor nursery rliymcs might have been set to music by Vieux Temps. or Ole Buil, and the atrungerulmost pnralyzed by the excess of joyous sen.ibility. But those, who kneW tlmt he was gone, could not of course teil whether he had star tea upon a journey to the sun, or to Venu?, or to ílerecliel, or to some other place nmong the stars; nnd per'haps few óf "thëm drpamed that he had come on a pilgriinage of lové to the moon's great salellite, Eauth. But, upon the same principie íhat "iit'le boats shouid keep ftear shore,'" tlie nexprienced traveller had wisely resolved that his first voyage shouid terminale nt ihe nearest landing place.- i Whether thosa vvc e moonslruck who firstsaw Mm'Flying betwcen the co!d moon and the oarth, VVliere a fair ]aly throned by ihe west," held state lipón a üttle island - whether thej tvere mooristrück or not,matlers üttle; butccrtainlr no skylarfc everfiutcered nto nest more unregarded, no engle ever descended into its eyrie more unlroubled, no snow-flake ever feil into ita deep riingte more tinnotieed, and no teaflet ever nestled under its shadowing rock more qoietly, thnn the man Irom the moon carne down, when he olightcd under the broad shadow of a noble elm, in a ducal park. The deer tornrd upon him their íarge Ustrous eyes,and darted nway to their Ieafy covcrtsHhe rooks slowly wheeled around above his head, and aikd apon the breezes of tlreir Ieafy homeö; and the watch-dog met hirn1 at the portal with a fuwn of nffection. At the poner"s lodge had gathered some of the jn ven le and with the utmost couitesy they received unqnestioned ihe rfimarkable stranger,and invited hirn to their princely home, How beatrtiful s EartlV'saitTthe Mah', as a few Jnys aftervvards he rambled to the spo: where he first pressed ite foü, "and how hnppy are her children. Before I cume' here I tbought that peace Was more commön' than bliss, that quiet was more frequent than joy; but hitherto I have investigated1 at a d-isadvantageous distance, and I here find that my ignorance is proverbial. Nevertheless, I hve the will and capacity to learn, and the duke himeelf ehall not know more of his neighbors than Í will ascertnin." He bounded over the sweet-briar hedge, and wended his way to a little hamlet, wlilch nestled bctween the grove and upland at a short distance. He entered the nearest cot, and the first sound which reached his ears was a cry for bread."Lread- brkad!" repeated he, "I saw it given to the dogs iliis moming. Bread! there m enotiffh at the cnstliv Go to tho duchess, mychild, slie will give you enough of bread." The child ceased her cry, btit looked at him wondering-ly, and and an elderly sister shook her head,.yet said ïwthing. Thcn the man heard: raoan from a low pallet, and looking intothedarfcrecessjhesaw stretched upon [ the emaciated form of a woman. She calJed the girl toher side. "ís there not a litlle moro wine n the phial?" ehe aslced. 'Not one drop,' was the reply. Tlo woman moaned more faintly.'Wine! wine!' repcated the Man; 'we dronk last night at the castle until our heads acfied and some of the company Were carried awaj drovvned by it. Wint and he repeated, as he turned upon his heel, and flew towards the castle. He entered the drawing room, nnd a servátil passed him with a silver saJver, upon which were refreshments for the ladies, and the sideboard were covered with vaiiotis wines. He grasped n boltle, and, the salver from the waiter, he turncd to go. But the astonished ilomestic made such an outery, ond vociferated. "Thief ! Robber!" so lusiily that he was soon overtaken. The duke came to learn the cause of the tumult.'He Was etealintr your silver," repented tlie servant, after oll your kindnessto him." The duke looked at his mysterieus guest vith a pene'.rating eye. 'I ea vv a child nlmost within astone's throw of you mansion,' replied the Man, wlio cricd or biead.. ï saw also a worr.an fainting for cordial, nud. here I kncw that thcre va? nough of bread and wine. I ran thai they night ihe sooner be reüeved from tbeir misry." The dnke blushed as he heard the simple reply of the Man, and ilmost doubted for theiiiuiuerit wnetner he lumself were n man.- Bread and wine were nstanrly despatched by tlie scrvant, nnd the dulce took the etranger into his closet. What he told him there is what my readers nlready know-that Want and Misery stuud even ynihjn the sunshine of Plenty and Proeperity; that Sickness, Pain and Deaih are in the düily patbs of the rich and powerful; that all these things are looked iipon as neceseary evils, and not allowed for n moment to imennpt the usual cotirse of business and amusement. But he could not make t appearto the Man out of the Moon as it dicl lo birriielf. Tho rr.ore common it is. the more dreadiul it scemed to this wanderer from another sphere. The more dirficult it appeared to find the remedy, the more earnestly he thought it slionld be eonght. It seemed to him that the great fault was in the govei nment, and at its heod wns a lady as young , as kind, as compassionate as the duke's eldest daughler. He left the castle, and hastened to the capital. He Wngefcá not hy the way, but sihts obtruded themselves upon his notice which gave him much puin. He soughtthe palace; he asked audience of the qneen. He hod brought no references, no introdnciioni', and could not be admitted to theyoungsovereign; but bis earnesfness gained him an interview with one of her counsellorp. He hnd so much to say, and knew so liüie how to say it, his ideas were all in such confusión, that ií was some time before the minisier could gathcr aught from himf "To the point,'; said he at lenght. Teil me, stranger, whatyou want." "I wan, right," said the Man. '1 cnme k , 5tranger to your land, und, at firs, all j 3d to me vcry beautifu!. Bat I soon found , ninger, destitution, ond death. I inquired he cause, pnd asked for tho remedy. I wns , old there was none; but I found that if relief :ould be oblnined this was the place to look c br it. I left for tiiis city. ï hurried on my vay; but nuless I shut my eyes. I could not uit eee Wfnitg. 1 have secn huge heaps of :ran converted nto liquid poison, and f ing men drunk of it that they mighl drown vnll sense of wont arïd misery. I have seen broad fields lie wnste as pleasure ground.while squalid crowda were faint for food. I gav n mighty ship filled with brave men; and their garments gliUered with beauty, and gushing strnins of snusic sMrred their noble hearle. 1 thouglit it a gloriotis sight, but I eorncd thai they were sent 10 kili orbe killed of their fellow men. I saw a high and narros strncture spring opward to the sfijf; nnd they brough; out a man and put him to dealh between the heavensanrd the ea.th. Crosvdsof inen ?azed ipward at the sight, ónd think ye not that God looked down? I #ént nto an old mossgrown cburch, and there I saw the rrrarrwho pntyed at the gallowsj and all the people soid vvith him, 'Be ye also mtereifcri, even os your Futher 'm heaven is mercirul.'' 'For if yèfor give not men théíí trsspafses, höw wül yóur Father, vvhich is iir heave, forgive your tres passes.' But the more rriy spirit was pairred within me the more Ihurried to: this place And when I was come I sáw mighty palaces tor the aecommodation of n few, and I saw also men herding togelher nfi!;hand wretch ednessj and those who had not where to hy tlioir héads. I have eeen warehouses fiüfd wilh cloths for raimen t,' and stout men'pnssedoy mem witü ecarce a rag to cover tliemyet touched t!iey I hnve seen bakeries fuli of bread, awl'storehonses filled witli other food: and savage-loófcing raen proved tliat they were nut yet fiends, for they did not strike dcad tliose whoè withheld fronr them tliese provisions. Even here 1 have eeen dogs and lior&es receive ilie attentiun denied to man. You ask me wlwt I wantr I wan; lo know if you have knovvn aught of this; and, if so, why stand yon here idleí" "Who are you?"' rejoinéd the astonishea couitier. "The Man out of the Moon." "Aha, aha- a lunatic! I thought affmuch. Now let me see if we have not a nice place for you which you have not yet ospied;" and calling the servanls, lié ordered iherri'totake the man to the hospital. Buthe slipped from their grasp, and was soon out of the way. He 8trayed the seaside, for there wos there less of the misery he could not relieve. Hè found'a man sitting upon a eolitary rock, and gazing far out upon the wetera. There was that in his eye which told the Lunarian that therö he rhight meet with sympathy. So they öat together, wlnle Lhe eea-winds moaned around them, andtalksd of wrong and opprfcssion,"But why do the peoplebear all this?" ask ed the Man. Why do they not rise in ihei. strength, and domand clothing, food and shelter? Why do they not stretch out their hands nnd take it, when almost within thcir grdsp' Why at Jeast do they not die as men, rat hei than live üke beasis?" "Tbey are enchanted," was the reply of the phüosopher. Then the Man thouht how imposible it would be for hun to discncbant them. and he sighed; nnd whon the phüosopher had gone he nnrobed himseif, and spread his wingc, and flew across the channel til] hecame to another Jnnd. We will not follow bim, as he efrayod through variotis cities, towns, nnd villaeP, alon the Mediterrnnoan. But he heard of it everywhcrc-he hnd heord of it before be crofsed the chnnnel- of a hnppy land, far across many wide wntors- a new world,ivhere yranny, oppression, and corrnption, had not ound time to genérate their train of evite He yearned for this betfer land; and one nïcrlit, wh'éri the sky was dark with sombre clouris. and no one could witness his flight, he left the old for the newer continpnt.i ie alighted at the plantation of n wealthy írentletnan. With manly conrtesy he was received.anri entertained with n chivalrous generosity which osked no qnestinns of thc e.transrer, anrl knew nofhing but that he needed rest. He was trnly wery, .and spent same quiet days in the fsraüy of his host, for whom he formed quite nn attnchmrnt. But one day nshe was wnllvinsr n the grnunds, he henrd the voice of piercinsr Inmentation. He boked nronn'l, and saw a neffro womnn, with her yonnsr cliüd presspd to her bosom, and snbbinfr os thonjrh her lieort would break. He inquired fhe canse of her sorrow, nnd heard that her hushnnd had jnsi been Inkon nwny to be snld lo nnotlVér imstcr. Her children had bepn takn from her lonor before, all bot thc balie npnn herbrcnst. Tlie Man could not midersland this al. first, bnt nfter Ion? qnestioningr J)e learned some of the evils of slavery. He returned to hia host. He wns sittinjf wilh his wife aMirs side, and his chüd upon his knee. Yi caresed ' tliem both with mnch nffeclion.' T)e Alan looked at him sternly. 1 How dare you Jove yonr child?" saici hf. "How i'are yonr adore yonr wife? when you haveseparated mother nnd child, hiiühnnri and wife, and consigned them all to misery." "Who are yon?" replied the host, that you speak thus in mine own house, whrre as yet unqneslioned you have been honored and cherished as a stranger and a guest." "I am the man out of the Moon." Then the host laughed heartily. Ah. moonstruck I see," paid he, carelessly; nnd touchnL his head he nodded to his wife. Afrer thisthey would neiiher of them heed whot (ie said, but treated him, good humorediy, as a Tianiao.Tn the neighborhond however he met not witii this consideraron, for he would not hold his ppoce wliilo believed a great wrong was calling for redress. They cnlled him an Abolitionist, and proposod nssisting him in m depariure frorn a place which did not seem to euit him vrry wcll. They would prmice fenthers, if not wings; nnd attach them to him with tar, as the bost artificia] mcthod. They would not furnish him wilh a horse, but thoy foond a roil, and this with the aid of thei'r own locomotive power, would assist him greatly. The Rían feit as thbngh ne vould ráther continue free of al] cUCh obligation?, and on the very night when all things were preparing for his exit, he spread his wings opon the darkness, and flew away. He had heard the negroes speak of n l.ind to the ivorth, where there were no elaves. wherc oppression, cruelly, and sélfishnessdid not èxist; and he thought that must be the beUerlarrdofwhich. he had so oüen heurd. Hecame to its far fartred city; that where moral?, intelligente, and prosperity are more nearly connected than in any other. He was pleased at first. but soon became'dissolisfied, beuausé it feil far short of his deas of social perfection. Here were also Wealth and Pov?rty- here weré Mivery, Selfishness, and Pride. lie saV a wealthy lady roll nlong in ler caTiaffe, while a féeble woman could ïardly totter across the strrets. "The'car'oge would have held more than two," said ie to hims-elt'. He followed the fallering footteps until ie carne to a cellar. The woman ipprooched a bed, npon which two childrenwere gnsjjfog for brentli. "Can noihing be done fui them?" asfred the Man. '1 ImV-e jtist calletl a phyeicmn,"' replied tho mntlier. Tn a few nünments he carne in. He looked tenderly nt his little patients.- "They are dying of want." snid he. '-Thev waiit every ihing Ihey should now have; but first of aM, is'the want of fresh air." The man stnrted from the house and ron to a ftreet, in which wns the residenceof an eminent philan liropist. His questionings had alrendy led hun to aknowledge of tho good. He carne to the house. The masten waö not at home - he had gono to his colintry-seat, and his mansion was Vacant,' with thé exception of one servant wht was left fö'open'lhé windows each day; and see the coo] air breathed lliro' the deserted rooms. And, as hé looked at the lofty well-veiuilated and vacant aparlments, he thougfht of the children wïio were dying in a neighboring cellar for want of air. The rrtarr was weaned, disappoirited, and vexed. If thia is tl)e happiest spot on Earth," said he, "then iet me go baclf io the Moon." It was a lovely stariight night. The moon, like a silver crescent, hnng afar in the blue ethef, and there was one bright 6üJitary cloudin the clear eky. The Man spread fafe vvings and, bidding farewell to Earth, he turned his face upward to a better home. As he poseed the bri-ht cloud he ihougrit he saw, faintiy dcüneated as fhough in brig-ht shadow, the oufünes of a human form. He a-proachec nearer, and the cloud seemecl like a light couch, tipon vvhich an etherealized reclined.- Lofty intellect and childJike miJdness were blonded in his pale spiritual conntenance. but there was a glance of eorrow in his doep oves wbich lold thaf, ifan angel, he had not forgotten 1he trials of earth. The Man saiil to him, "I have just loft Earth ior Moon, but ] would glndly leave it for any other world. You seemed to have returned to it from Heaven." "It was my home," repiied the ppirit "There I first received exislenee: tliere 1 first drew the breath of life. It was my first home; and, thnugh I know it is ful] of sin and sorrow, yet ar times I leave Heaven that I may view it once ngain." "And did yon knov,while therp, thal it was filled wit!) Gmlt, Ignorance, or Pain? or did yon n%tetít the grent interests of Humanity Tor selfish pleasire?" í í T .1 : . 1 jI" _ m■ u.u tui uve iyr myseír alone. J endenvored tolivcfnr my kmd, and lo ñnñ my happiness ín trying ío proinotc the well being of othere. I see now that I might have dono moro, but T saw it not tlien. God had givon me n f.jcble frnme, and I migJit not go forth activoly among my brethren. But I sent my voice among tl)cm. I spoke aloud in behalf of the wronged nnd down-trodden. I spike not of one evil, but of thnt vvliich s the source of all evil. I spoke to the young, knowing that tliey would soon be the middle-aged to act, and then the ogcd to die. I sent.-mv voice nmong thé ïgnornnt, and invited them to come 10 the tree of knowledge. And rny bliss is now in ihe a.ssurance I hnyë received, that my words will not all be forgotten ." "But, ifyon were doing good,'L said the Mnn, sternly, "vvhy did you go thence?" "I was ca lied," replied the spirit, gcntly. "And s there any one who may take your place?' "I hope and believe there are many noble spirits, who are as earnest, as able, as faithfu! and moie active, who are l.iboring fbr their brothermen. But there is also onother a;ent. Would you witnefs it?' and, drawhig aside a drapery of clond, he disclosed a shming volnme. TJie night breoze gently wafted i(s leaves, and, in letters of brighiness, were written npon them such words as these. "God hit') mnde of one blood all the nations ortheeaith.'' "Thon shalt love thy neialibor as thyself." "The laborer is worthy of his hire." "All things whatsoever-v-e would ihat men shdüW do to you, do you even so to them.'1 "Wiih what nieosureye mete, it shallbe measured to yon aLain." The Man glanced at liiem, and then said, "Jsthisbook there?" (Tt ja tbere." replied the spirit, land íhere it will r'eináín uni.il its words are embroidered upon the hems of their gnrments, engraved upon Ihe beJIs of their horses, nnd bound as frontlots bel ween their eycs. Ye, even until ihey aro impressed upon the hearts of al! men. Tho spirit veiled ihe book nain in aerial drapery, and disappeared Jiimself in the bught cloud.'1 The Man lurned nvay,vith a spirit Jess sad; and ere mornincr dawned, lie looked clown ag-ain from his "oíd accustomed place," with his usual placid fimile; end none would now know frnni his benign oxpression, tliat we, poor err nor mortal?, liad ever grieved nnd

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Subjects
Signal of Liberty
Old News