An Oration Delivered at Chapel Hill on Wednesday, June 24, 1829, Being the Day Before the Commencement of the College

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Excerpt from An Oration Delivered at Chapel Hill on Wednesday, June 24, 1829, Being the Day Before the Commencement of the College: According to the Annual Appointment of the Two Literary Societies Belonging to the UniversityThe subject to which your attention is respectfullv soli cited, is one which i know must be acceptable to every Ame~ rican ear: the raosrnc'rs or one common country. If there is any tonic which, more than others, is: selected as the theme of those who aim, either by the voice or the pen, to captivate the hearing and the hearts of this nation, it is the splendid anticipations of its future destiny. On these We all love to dwell, and while we lose ourselves in fond prophecies of our country's fortunes, we find a soothing oblivion, or at least alleviation, of any chagrlns which her present/ imperfectiors Wed. So far the effect. Is happy. But it may he doubted whether the American citizen, by indulging too sanguine hopes of the future, is not led to depreciate the value of his present blessings, and thus to deprive himself of that fullness of contentment and gratitude, which is called for by the already auspicious re sults of our government, under the smiies of Providence. This dissatisfaction with the present. And this longing after some good in reserve, is to live for posterity - is to make ourselves anxious. That they may be exempt from anxiety. But should we taste with indifference the sweet fruits which a hounteous heaven is now dropping into our lap. Or thrust them aside with disgust because they are not as large or as luscious as we imagine might be yielded by the same tree' when brought to a higher state of cultivation? And are we sure that the future'is to surpass the present? Are we sure that our country is not now in its meridian of hap pinces and glory. And thatno subsequent age will be as prosperous as this? Let usytake a view. Of our present, con 'dition, and indulge in some speculations on what we have to fear and What to hope, from the revolution ofyears.About the PublisherForgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.comThis book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully, any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.