Fowle's New Hampshire Gazette And General Advertiser

On TIME.

How speedily will the consummation of all things commence ! For yet a very little while and the commissioned arch-angel lifts up his hand to heaven and swears by the Almighty name, That time shall be no longer. Then abused opportunities will never return ; and new opportunities will never more be offered. Then should negligent mortals wish, ever so passionately, for a few hours--a few minutes only--to be thrown back from the opening eternity; thousands of worlds would not be able to procure the grant.

How amazingly great and awful is the representation of that tremendous day, as mentioned in the beginning of the tenth chapter of Revelations (says one) abstracted from its spiritual meaning, and considered only as a stately piece of machinery, well deserves our attention ; and I will venture to say, has not its superior, perhaps not its equal, in any of the most celebrated masters of Greece and Rome. All that is gloomy or beautiful in the atmosphere, all that is striking or magnificent in every element, is taken in to heighten the idea. Yet nothing is disproportionate ; but an uniform air of ineffable majesty, greatens, exalts, ennobles the whole. Observe the aspect of this august personage ! all the brightness of the sun shines in his countenance, and all the rage of the fire burns in his feet. See his apparel! the clouds compose his robe, and the drapery of the sky floats upon his shoulders. The rainbow forms his diadem, and that which 'compasseth the heaven with a glorious circle,' is the ornament of his head. Behold his attitude ! one foot stands on the ocean, and the other rests on the land. The wide extended earth, and the world of waters, serve as pedestals for these mighty columns. Consider the action : his hand is lifted up to the height of the stars. He speaks, and the regions of the firmament echo with the mighty accents, as the midnight deserts resound with the lion's roar. The artillery of the skies is discharged at the signal: a peal of seven fold thunder spreads the alarm; and prepares the world to receive his orders. To finish all and give the highest grandeur, as well as the utmost solemnity to the representation, hear the decree that issues from his mouth. He swears by him that liveth for ever. In whatever manner so majestic a person had expressed himself, he could not fail of commanding universal attention : but when he confirms his speech by a most sacred and inviolable oath, we are not only wrapt in silent suspense but overwhelmed with the profoundest awe. He swears that time shall be no longer. Was ever voice so full of terror ; so big with wonder ! It proclaims not the fall of empires, but the final period of things. It strikes off the wheels of nature's machinery, bids ages and generations cease to roll, and, with one potent word, consigns a whole world over to dissolution.