DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.18825#0347
234 CHARACTER OF THE FIGURE. [lEC. IX,
thy Creator, in the days of thy youth, ere the evil
days come, or the years approach, wherein thou
shalt complain, I have no pleasure.1' When the
mental abilities shall have been gradually decaying ;
when the reasoning, the conceptive, the reflective,
the excursive powers shall forego their faculties;
when, what was once bright as the meridian sun,
splendid as the beams of noon, shall be diminished
to a few rays of ambiguous twilight, or to the feeble,
the frigid lustre of the ever-changing planet; that
feeble lustre abating to the obscure glimmerings of
distant stars, intercepted by clouds, thick clouds,
clouds like those which accompany rain.-
In that day the keepers of the house (the arms)
shall tremble, the strong men (the legs) sink beneath
their burden, the grinders (the teeth) fail, unable to
discharge their office. The once brilliant inspector
is dark and useless : where is its vivid lightning, its
penetrating influence ? the sparkling eye is extinct !
The pleasant voice is mute, whose gentle accents
formerly delighted an attentive family, or cheerful
friends ; which diffused sprightly wit, or darted
mirthful sallies; which promoted the loud carol, and
assisted the joyous song : the daughters of music are
enfeebled, the lips refuse their utterance, the tongue
declines its duty ; the carol, and the song, give place
to fear ; fear of accident from above, fear of danger
from below. The once auburn locks are now white
as the blossom of an almond ; the once vigorous
body is now emaciated, yet, the emaciated body is
a burden to its supports: and desire fails. What !
no desires! no wishes! no requests ! None. Be-
cause
thy Creator, in the days of thy youth, ere the evil
days come, or the years approach, wherein thou
shalt complain, I have no pleasure.1' When the
mental abilities shall have been gradually decaying ;
when the reasoning, the conceptive, the reflective,
the excursive powers shall forego their faculties;
when, what was once bright as the meridian sun,
splendid as the beams of noon, shall be diminished
to a few rays of ambiguous twilight, or to the feeble,
the frigid lustre of the ever-changing planet; that
feeble lustre abating to the obscure glimmerings of
distant stars, intercepted by clouds, thick clouds,
clouds like those which accompany rain.-
In that day the keepers of the house (the arms)
shall tremble, the strong men (the legs) sink beneath
their burden, the grinders (the teeth) fail, unable to
discharge their office. The once brilliant inspector
is dark and useless : where is its vivid lightning, its
penetrating influence ? the sparkling eye is extinct !
The pleasant voice is mute, whose gentle accents
formerly delighted an attentive family, or cheerful
friends ; which diffused sprightly wit, or darted
mirthful sallies; which promoted the loud carol, and
assisted the joyous song : the daughters of music are
enfeebled, the lips refuse their utterance, the tongue
declines its duty ; the carol, and the song, give place
to fear ; fear of accident from above, fear of danger
from below. The once auburn locks are now white
as the blossom of an almond ; the once vigorous
body is now emaciated, yet, the emaciated body is
a burden to its supports: and desire fails. What !
no desires! no wishes! no requests ! None. Be-
cause