Ultraism

- A great dea! has been saidupon tho subject of ultraism, latoly. It ha3 become fashionabie to denounce it as an ill-favored and dangerous monster, to aim paragragba ut it from the nevrapaper pres3, to condemn it by private conversation, and cndeavor to annihilate it by pamphleta and duodécimo?. Indeed, it rnay not be too much to say that tliere are nota dozen men in the community, who wou ld not be as willing tobe stigmalized as pick-pocket3, as to be gcnerally distinguiehed by the name of ultraista. What is aa ultraist? Let ua 3ett!e that point, bafore we go furtber. The literal xneaning of an ultriat is one vyho goes beyond others. But it is applied in these tienes, and fe eely appliad too, a terra of reproach, to those persons who aro eagerly deairous topres Ibrward in any cause, lïmch ny)re rapidfy than ptibfic opiniónmay deern necessary, expedient and prop er, An ullraist is always in advance o public opinión. He pursues with wonderful energy and persoverenec, some object wliich he belcives will vastly benefit a poriion of the human race. And he may bo prompted to this by the action of his reasoning powers, by the impulses of high moral and religious principie, by an elevated sensë of right, or a strong felling of benevolence. An ultrjsust never looks back, he never Iooksaroühd,but always straight forward. He aims to establish some favorito principie, or accomplish some darling object, and all his mental onergies are concentrated for the accomplishment ofie purpose. He disrrgards obstados, nnd is berhaps too apt to despise tlio weak, the tiny'd, and wavering. Opposition oniy induces him to prc?s forvvard with increased er.ergy. Indeed, hc will hardly be checked by the most formidable barriera which caution of expediency may interpose. - His real character is scldom truly interpretsd by the great mass of mankind.- By sorac, he is for a time regarded as a fanatic, by some as a harmless vissionary or euthusiast, and by others, as a dangerp'JJJfrnber of society, whose proper pluce i%nbtic asylum .An ullraist is seliiom unsJBfcodjUntil success crowns his cfforts--andlhenlh man who was tre;;ted with ridicule aDcl contempt, strddenly stands forth as a benefactor of mankind, auc monuments are erected to his mcmory. - A man can hardly be an ultraisi, unless hc possesscs moral courage cnongh to disregard thescoift and sneers and "censures oi theworld. Were it otherwise, uhrnists vyould be far more numerous than the} are at present. We like ultraists. They should olí be treated wiih, respect. They are pioneers in Jiícraturc, science, moralify and religión ; without ultraist?, the moral world would stand still - tíicre would be no improvemcnt; no one would step bcfore his neighbor fur the purpose of explorir.g unknown región?, or clearing a path which would Icad (ogood. Let us examine their labors, listen to their argumente, and f we areconvinced that they have struckout a right path, Iet us follow them; otherwise, let us remain where we are. But let us not condemn those men who are anxious to press J 'ortcard irykgood cause. On the contrary, !et us enácuvor lo surpass each other in the eñurts to improve tho characterof the human mee.