GERMAN ORATION, Der Geschmack und das Kennezephen der Deutschen, ORATION, The Protective System COLLOQUY, Signs of the Times, J. A. B. STONE. C. W. JEWETT. C. B. DRAKE. CHARACTERS. Mr. Morse, A Literary Gentleman, (And Village Librarian,) Mr. Bush, A Country Farmer, C. D. NOBle. SCENE. -Village Library Room. ORATION, National Honor, ORATION, Associated Effort, DELIBERATIVE DISCUSSION. The Drama. ORATION, Vanity, ORATION, The Basis of Free Institutions, D. W. C. Walker. R. L. GALUSHA. O. ROCKWEll. W. H. STARR. S. H. SABINE.. POEM, Avalanche of the White Mountains, DIALOGUE.-Joachim Murat, ACT. I. ACT. II. { A. B. SMITH. J. A. B. STONE. D. O. MORTON. Sce. I. A high way upon the Sea shore near Pizzo. Scene III. An apartment in the Prison-House of Pizzo. CHARACTERS. Joachim Murat, Ex-King of Naples, D. O. MORTON. THE PHILOMATHESIAN. Vol. 1. January, 1834. ENLIGHTENED OPINION, THE NURSE OF GENIUS. No. 7. ་་་ [Continued from page 197.] The Discovery. WHEN upon the point of relinquishing the search, to my great satisfaction, one exactly to my liking fell in my way;-to appearance an elderly man, whose locks from care [as the sequel will tell,] had become gray-of pensive look, polite manners, yet of cold sensibility; of an ingenuous mind, somewhat communicative, and possessing many marks of intelligence. But what was most wished for, he was one by himself, and acknowledged with regret, the vanity of his ways, and the wrongs he had done to society. A little effort gained the confidence of the old man; and after learning his views and sentiments relative to his present mode of living, and perceiving that during the conversation his breast often heaved with a deep sigh, I remarked to him as mildly as possible, that from the tone of his voice and the shade of his locks, I conjectured that he' had been a subject of sorrow. To which he replied: "What you suppose, Sir, is but too true. Sorrow and regret, shame and confusion have for the last twenty-five years been the constant inmates of my breast. In youth, indeed pleasure was not absent from me; but it was of that sort, which now on reflection causes me the keenest pangs." Observing that the thoughts of my friend recurred to the period of youth, I expressed a desire to hear a brief account of his youthful excursions, which seemed to affect him so sensibly; and if it might not be obstrusive, to learn the cause of his strong sensations. "Sir," replied he, "with pleasure do I gratify your wish, not inaeed so much for myself as that you may learn wisdom from those, who have preceded you." "Fifty-five revolutions " said he, "have I seen yonder brilliant luminary of the sky make, and shed his most vivifying rays on our earth. As you crossed the rising ground beyond that woody plain, you saw a stately dome, around which are signs of affluence and ease. In that palace lived my revered parents ;-and in a conspicuous and elegant part of it, decked with the splendor of fancy and art, I first received the light. Whatever could improve the taste, or gratify the fancy from childhood was in my possession. In my education the grand aim of my worthy parents and of my instructor was to cultivate the imagination and all the faculties of taste, and to furnish me with all the qualifications, which render one un homme a la mode, while the more substantial excellencies, sound judgment, habits of close thought, and principles of justice and piety, were forgotten, or in a great degree neglected. My associotes, subject to the same discipline, if it may be so called, were gay and trifling in their manners, superfi cial in their thought, and fanciful in their anticipations. When together we were inordinately given to constructing what are termed Chateaux en Espagne. Each felt a sort of constraint for honor's sake-puerile indeed,-to exert all the power of his imagination in magnifying and embelishing his airy castles; and such influence did these boyish efforts have upon my mind that during a great part of the time allowed for sleep, strange and unheard of dreams occupied my brain, and even many of my waking hours were lost in these fantastic employments, so that little else was attended to. One of the topics most pleasing to our fancy was gallantry. Never shall I forget with what joy and rapture we strove to excel in our fanciful theories, and excited each others hopes, while seated beneath the spreading branches of the forest oak, or on the river's bank, or in the poplar groves, where the woody songsters warbled their tuneful notes. On rising the age of sixteen, I well rocollect that a question was proposed relative to the comparative pleasures of l'etat conju gal and de celibat. The results of our conference on this query have been the chief source of my folly and consequently of my unhappiness. Our irrational reasonings (for they may be calle irrational,) we began by assuming as a fundamental principle, that the happiness we derive from society flows from the expectations excited in the pursuit of an object; and therefore those objects of solicitude, which afford to the mind the most agreeable anticipations of pleasure, and at the same time are inexhaustible, so that if in any one instance success was not realized, the same source of pleasure might remain, must be the most capable of furnishing happiness.From these premises we reasoned, and come to the conclusion uno animo, that the species of gallantry, the sole object of which is to make conquests, is the surest means of happiness. None remained unsatisfied with the result. With all the ardour and fond hopes of youth I entered on the new-formed road. All the requisites of the excursion were without delay procured, the entire art of captivating was thoroughly mastered, and nothing was neglected, which seemed necessary to ensure success. My heart was fixed never to submit to the conjugal tie. I was resolved on finding my highest pleasure in gaining the affections and hearts of the most accomplished. The indulgence of la reverie d'amour, and cherishing a passion for a deceptive gallantry seemed the greatest good and the avenue to unalloyed happiness. My mien, look, address and whole department were fitted to allure and facinate. My skill in my new career was exercised in the street and by the fire-side, in the church and the ball-room. No place was too low, none too sacred, even while the thunders of Linai, or the tender accents of mercy sounded in my ears, my heart was intent on its schemes of gallantry. If the eye of an unwary youth was caught, all the attractions of beauty and gracefulness were displayed to captivate the fair maiden.Nor was any one permitted to escape sans blessure when once attacked. The enjoyments of the pleasures d'amour and of the attention and regard of the loved, was the extent of my wishes. To secure those I was obliged to counterfeit the affections and attachment of a lover. The success I met with was beyond my expectations. But alas! those, who were allured-to mention their number would give discredit to the narrative; and to give the name of each individual would be more than my feelings would endure. No sooner had I gained one conquest than another opportunity was presented for exercising my art; and quiting the game I had taken, I hastened to new combats. Thus one after another fell into my net, and the satisfaction derived from these gallant manoeuvers was exquisite. Thus passed my life between eighteen and thirty. At this age the beauties of my countenace, which in youth had been rendered by nature and art unsurpassable, and the expressive look, which had overcome too many a youthful beauty, began to lose their power of pleasing. No longer was that success, which had succeeded my early efforts, attendant on my schemes, I began to experience an aching void. That, which had been to me the clear source of pleasure, now failed. I made many shifts, but all in vain. I wooed and wooed; but none regarded my professions. This privation of success prevented my wonted sleep. For three days and as many nights, I slept not. On the fourth, nature no longer able to endure the burden, gave way to the influence of a heavy brain. I fell into a slumber, but no reviving sleep refreshed me. In this condition I had a dream, in which I seemed to be conducted to capacious hall, in which were to be seen the representation of the feelings of those, who had been allured by my facinations. Their names were repeated. I recognised them, but could ill sustain the sight. The first that met my observation, was the beautiful damsel, who first received assurances of my regard. I remembered her kind attentions, and the last lines I received from her after, I had given her to understand that there were inseperable obstacles to our union. Her spirit seemed still in the bitterness of disappointments, Next to her I saw a number of those, to whom I had made similar pretentions. Instead of giving way to grief like the other unhappy maiden, with fortitude they resolved never to trust any man's professions of love, without demonstration. Although offers had been made then from respectable individuals, yet they had strenuously adhered to their purpose. To mention but one more sight I saw, lest I be wearisome, there seemed to be exhibited a vast number of uncouth forms in a confused mass, which was said to be an emblem of the state of society under the disorganising influence of that species of gallantry I had practised. But nature forbids me to proceed farther. What once appeared innocent pleasure, I saw to be the foulest crime. The method of procuring happiness I had followed, seemed the essence of corruption and the surest means of abolishing society. I was filled with shame and confusion. In my consternation I awoke. From that time I have experienced the shame and pain due to a disregard to the first law of our nature. Here he broke out into a doleful lamentation, and refused to be comforted. " Who can reflect on the narrative of this unhappy man and discover not a reason that so many refuse the hymeneal band? Let such as have taken pleasure in such alluring and treacherous gallantry speak their own regret, when its pleasures were past and chagrin vexed their minds, and how many might be spared the unhappy expedient of assaying such a course of folly to know the bitterness of deceit in an affair so sacred? Should all, who pretend to disdain close union, be honest, and unfold the cause of their sentiments, |