Excerpt from An Address Delivered Before the Citizens of Knoxville, on the 10th Day of February, 1842, the Semi-Centennial Anniversary of the Settlement of the Town<br><br>The past has indeed a charm to the old, that they only can appre ciate; and to those who mingled in the early scenes of Knoxville, and who yet linger upon the stage, the occurrences of to-day cannot but be gratifying. Standing almost Isolated from their former associates, in the midst of a new generation, even the public events of their youth, with many of which the mystic chain of association may have indissolubly bound theirhearts, seem in some sense thei especial property. To those who are yet in the summer of life, those events will have a differ ent interest - perhaps fewer attractions. When the pulse beats strong and full and the heart is thrillingly alive to the excitements of the pre sent, the past engages but an occasional emotion, unless from its deep bosom, the terrible shape of some huge misfortune or fearful crime, rears itself aloft and throws its baleful shadows forever on the path. With the young and the mature, now, like an ever-gaping Maelstrom, swallows up so many thoughts, that few are spared even from the busi est workings ofthe brain. Wealth must be boarded, as often under the, spur of emulation as the love of gain. The fierce impulses of Ambi. Tion, seldom lofty in its nature or tangible in its purpose, must be obey ed; and the calls of every hungry passion, too often complete and pre serve the tumult of the mind.<br><br>About the Publisher<br><br>Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com<br><br>This 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.