ately announced and symbolized--how meta-pagne, the ham was always prime, the meats the morphosed! It looked, for all the world, like an very best the market could afford—the cooking old lady trying to pass herself off for a young unrivalled—and the wine the best London parone, by putting on a fine dress; and I could ticular imported direct from Madeira in exchange hardly tell whether it was itself or another. My for old Virginia corn. It is true it was often thoughts were all confused, and my recollections whispered about the table that “mine host" was scattered about; but I have rallied them again, a very nice calculator, and filled the mouths of as well as I could to Head Quarters, and will now put them down here on paper, to preserve them, as far as possible, against any further chance or change that may happen hereafter. his guests so exactly, that it was shrewdly suspected he must have counted their noses; but still they always had enough, and of the best to eat, and could not reasonably complain that they had not more to waste. Then the Colonel was so kind and obliging in his way, that it was impossible not to feel the greatest respect for his personal presence; and a deep sense of his superior merit. ment of the bar-keeper from behind, "your coat, old boy, is entirely too short.” "It may be too short now," replied the other huffishly, “but I think it will be long enough before I get another." It is, I suppose, some forty-five years since this famous ordinary had attained its highest and fairest fame. There was at that period, a great deal of competition among the members of the Boniface frateruity, in our rising city. The House near the old market, which had been for- Next in rank and importance to the Colonel, merly kept by Col. Bowler, famous for his sandy- was the Major-domo, or bar-keeper, by the name colored wig and revolutionary cocked hat, was of Lovell, who besides possessing some of his perhaps un peu passè, but still not without repu- employer's peculiarities, was something of a wag, tation; and the Eagle, then one of the most con- and frequently displayed his ready wit at the exspicuous buildings on Main Street, was the re- pense of others. Lovell was remarkable for a sort of many visiters of all classes; country long acquiline nose, and wore an exceedingly merchants and planters, lovers of sport, and rich short and shabby coat,—probably more from povyoung gentlemen in pursuit of pleasure and gai- erty than choice. A member of the Legislature ety. But the old Swan was even a tip above from N, by the name of R, one of the that. It was the resort of a more select, and regular lodgers, and a constant customer at the yet considerable, circle of customers whom busi- bar, was much in the habit of teasing Lovell, and ness or recreation attracted to the metropolis. I remember, that on one occasion, I witnessed a Here were to be seen, at the regular seasons, the small passage of wit between them, which causvenerable judges of the Court of Appeals;-ed some little laugh at the time, and, boy as I lawyers of eminence from various parts of the was, amused me greatly. "Lovell," said R— State; and leading members of both Houses of with a droll look, and tugging at the scanty garthe General Assembly. The company indeed was the pride of the establishment. The house itself was but a plain building, of ordinary and almost rustic appearance. The furniture too, was as plain as possible. There were no gaslighted chandeliers to blind your eyes, nor costly mirrors to reproach your extravagance by their reflections; but every thing was old-fashioned and unpretending. But if the standard of ostentation was low, that of comfort was at the highest point. Then, the keeper of the house was the very pink of landlords. Colonel John Moss, who was also the proprietor, was in fact, in many respects. the head of his class. He was, to be sure, a little starched and stately, and looked as if he was always on duty; but then he was not above his business, nor above himself. The whole house reflected his character. Every thing But what were these small "wit-crackers” of was clean and neat-exactly so. The floors, in the porch, to the lights of law, and luminaries of summer, were always bright and polished by learning, within that attic dome? Here, no doubt. hard rubbing, and, in winter, covered with come- was "the feast of reason and the flow of soul." ly rag-carpets. If the chambers were rather Here was "the sprightly dialogue, the tart reply, small and inconvenient, the beds and bedding the logic, and the wisdom, and the wit" Oh were always clean and well-aired; and if the how I longed to hear them all; and to share in table never glittered with plate, nor groaned un- those noctes canaque deum, as I verily thought der French dishes, nor sparkled with costly cham- them at the time! But alas I was yet too young Perhaps it will," rejoined R—, “but in the mean time, to make amends for the shortness of your coat, you are supplied, I see, with a very long bill;"—accompanying his words with a gesture that seemed to threaten the tapster's nose with a tweak. But said he, "my bill may be a long one, but not so long as yours will be at the end of the session, unless you slacken your visits to the bar-room." Here R— whose rubicund face seemed to give point to the bar-keeper's wit, was evidently confused, and shuffling off some idle remark or other, was glad to make good his retreat through the door. to be admitted into those "penetralia Vestæ "[ening and qualifying the language of the resoluand could only, as yet, imagine the treat which I tions, whereupon a stranger, whom I immedihoped to be one day admitted to enjoy. In the ately recognised as the handsome and dark-eyed mean time, I had now and then some furtive lodger of the Swan, rose from his seat, mounted glimpses of the great classics of the establish- the platform erected for the speakers, and poured ment, which pleased me not a little. Once, in out a strain of bold and fervid eloquence that particular, I recollect, I was the bearer of a paper electrified the whole assembly at once. He proor document of some kind or other, to the vene- tested vehemently against all efforts to dilute and rable judge Pendleton, a short time before his qualify the resolutions, and dwelt upon the mandeath. I found him sitting alone in his chamber, ifold wrongs which had been inflicted upon us by reading some record, I suppose, of the Court of England, with overwhelming effect. His speech Appeals, and his emaciated form, with his pale produced, of course, a powerful and palpable face and white cap, made a deep and indelible impression upon the meeting; and I saw, for the impression upon my mind. He was probably first time, how "the stormy wave of the multiengaged, at the very time I saw him, in prepar- tude" (as Curran has it,) could be both raised ing his opinion on the great question of the con- and quelled by the orator's exciting and yet substitutionality of the act of assembly confiscating duing blasts. The resolutions were adopted at the Glebe lands. That opinion, I have always once, by acclamation; and the hall rang aloud understood, was adverse to what was afterwards with the praises of the speaker, whose name was the decision of the court in the case; and was now on every tongue. And who was he? Who to have been delivered on the very day on which was he indeed but Benjamin Watkins Leigh ;he died. How mysterious this intervention of then a young lawyer residing in the town of PeDivine Providence appeared to many at the time; tersburg-but soon to be the pride of our own and yet who does not now see that it was all for the best." city, and of our whole state. But alas! he too is gone, and I often feel, when I think of him, (in the spirit of Shenstone's celebrated inscription) how much less it is to hear the speeches of others, than to remember his. SONNET. BY E. JESSUP EAMES. H. But again, I remember that sometime in the summer of the year 1807, shortly after the memorable attack of the Leopard upon the Chesapeake-when our whole city rang with patriotic indignation against the British-and a meeting of our citizens had been summoned to convene in the Capitol that evening, I went over, in the afternoon, to see a young friend, a student of medicine, who boarded at the Swan; when I found his room partly occupied by a stranger whom I had never seen before. He was apparently about the age of six or seven and twenty, elegant in his manners, and uncommonly handsome. He conversed familiarly with us who, compared with him, were but boys, and I observed that his dark eyes flashed with meteor brilliancy as he spoke of the recent outrage of the British, and the contemplated meeting at the Capitol. I remember that he fascinated me at once by his eye and his tongue, and that, like Desdemona, I did," with greedy ear, devour up his discourse." I determined accordingly, and my young medical friend with me, that we would be at the Capitol that evening, for we felt assur-Ah! well I deem her from the upper sphere! ed that he also would be there. Glimpses of glory then are round me cast, dingly, at an early hour, and I recollect climbing Immortal eyes shine on me from afarup into one of the niches in the Hall, to take a Through their clear light, clear as Eve's brightest stars full view of the scene before me. After a while, Her spirit shines! Oh, loveliest, if thou hast We went accor I. In the hush'd stillness of the starry night, this! the object of the meeting was announced, and One memory of Human Love, in thy far home of bliss, the Committee appointed for the purpose had Be still, my hope and comforter, through all the woes of reported resolutions of a very warlike tone, when two gentlemen, J. G. G, of Richmond, and C. F. M―, of Loudon, both men of note and talent, proposed an amendment somewhat soft August, 1849. THE SELDENS OF SHERWOOD. CHAPTER VI. "I shall be much obliged to you to assist me in becoming acquainted with all who are willing to know me; but I think arguments on the truth of religion are seldom beneficial to the cause." Juliana was right in thinking that every member of the family at Travers Lodge, would be somewhat at a loss, as to how their guest was to be entertained, and that a dread was felt, if not avowed, of a long day in perspective, without "This seems a strange assertion, perhaps,” any resource but conversation. There recurred said Charles, replying rather to the looks than also the puzzling question as to what manner of the words of Mr. Travers, "as it might seem to conversation would be appropriate for a minis- imply that the subject would not bear investigater. It was determined in the family council not tion; this, however, is so far from being my opinto mention to George, that Charles Selden was ion, that I believe the more thoroughly Revelaexpected to dinner, as he would then return home tion is examined, the more firmly will its truth as usual, after his morning ride, and, finding the be established; but then the inquiry must be conminister there, be thus compelled into civility and ducted with sincerity and candor on both sides, good humor. to produce a good effect on the minds of those engaged in it. We do not often argue for the sake of discovering truth, but for victory; and we do not like those who have defeated us in argument at all the better for it, nor are we apt to yield to convictions that are forced upon us." "Indeed!" said Mr. Travers, with a look of surprise and disappointment, though he was too polite to enter upon the discussion of such a subject with a clergyman. Charles, at his first entrance into the parlor at Travers Lodge, perceived at a glance that an air of the most uncomfortable and respectful constraint was diffused over the group. Each of the ladies advanced a few paces from their seats to meet him, then resumed them mechanically, and taking up their work again, fixed their eyes on it with the most intense gravity. Mr. Travers courageously prepared to support the whole weight of the conversation, and began with a preliminary hem-"We were very fortunate in having so fine a day for church yesterday." Charles assented. "It would have been a disappointment to many,” observed Mrs. Travers. somewhat nervously, "if the day had been rainy; it has been so long since the people have had an opportunity of going to church." "I observed some persons there yesterday," said Mr. Travers, "who are professed infidels Dr. Howard, for instance, who has embraced all the new-fangled notions of the French school. I wonder what benefit he proposes to derive from going to church." "We have a natural love for assembling ourselves together, and many are attracted to a public meeting for any purpose whatever," replied Charles; "besides, there is a pleasure in feeling one's self superior to the prejudices by which common minds are fettered, and the fallacies which they utter makes the consciousness of the strength of one's own reasoning powers more gratifying." : "This is certainly true in most cases," said Mr. Travers. "I have often observed the truth of your remark in political contention, and I doubt not it will hold good in polemics. But is a man to be left in his errors?" By no means, other methods of convincing him are likely to prove more efficacious." A step was heard just then in the passage, and Mr. Travers arose hastily, saying, he thought it probable his friend, Mr. Nelson, who had promised to dine with them, had arrived: he, however, thought it much more probable that it was his son George, and wished himself to apprise him that Charles was in the parlor, that bis entrance might be made with due decorum and gravity, and to give him a few preliminary hints as to his deportment. Charles looked towards Mrs. Travers and her daughters, who sat in immovable silence. Mrs. Travers and Anna Maria, both meditating on and suitable to say-Juliana secretly enjoying something which would be sufficiently sensible their embarrassment. Turning towards an open window, shaded by the luxuriant branches of a sweet-briar bush in full bloom. he remarked— "How delightfully fragrant the bloom of the sweet-briar is, and then its little buds are so beautiful, like miniature moss roses. I prefer it greatly "I have observed," said Mr. Travers, "that all these infidels have a considerable share of to our garden roses." vanity; but Howard is really a man of talent and "Are you fond of flowers?" asked Anna information, and not so conceited as people of that class usually are. I should like to hear you in serious argument with him on the truth of religion. You must make his acquaintance." Maria, delighted to find any thing to say, though the subject in discussion was so much less momentous than any she had expected to enter upon "Extremely so. My mother and sisters have such a passion for flowers, it would have been im- with sincerity in favor of Hervey's Meditations; possible for me not to learn something about their but as he did not like to disparage any book of cultivation; and then, one cannot cultivate them moral or religious tendency, which might be usewithout learning to love them. I am glad to ful or pleasing to some minds, he hastened to find a few rose bushes and bunches of pinks in change the subject. the garden at the Rectory-they look like old friends." How many are the conversational aids, enjoyed by the present favored generation, of which Juliana looked up from her netting with a our ancestors were ignorant! No books of prints glance that said as plainly as if she had spoken, were scattered on the tables of our grandmoth"Why you talk exactly like other people." ers' sitting-rooms, no new periodicals furnished Charles could scarcely forbear a smile at the ex- them with ever-varying themes for social conpression of her countenance. verse, rarely did a new work make its appear Mrs. Travers, glad to find an opportunity of ance, nor had the velocity of the flying horse of obliging him, offered all the various kinds of Ariosto been then exceeded by the marvellous shrubbery which her garden afforded, when the rapidity of steam, bearing with fiery wings tiproper season arrived for setting it out, and dings from one end of the civilized world to the Charles thankfully accepted the offer, saying other. Female education, using the word eduthat he hoped, however, to impose the trouble of cation in its common, limited sense, that is, an acplanting out his flower garden on one who could arrange it with more taste and skill than he possessed. What did this mean? thought both Anna Maria and Juliana. Anna Maria colored a little, Juliana with difficulty repressed a fit of giggling, when their speculations were suddenly ended by Charles adding with an air of simplicity "My Aunt Mason has kindly consented to take the cares of my establishment on herself, and of course the flower-garden will be her province." Anna Maria felt relieved, and Juliana was obliged to have recourse to the window, under the pretext of plucking a bouquet of sweet-briar buds, but in reality to conceal the laughter which was convulsing her, at this simple explanation of a speech, which she had understood so differently, and the effect which she knew it had produced on her sister. Anna Maria had prepared a speech some minutes previously, and fearing the subject would slip away before the speech could overtake it, hastened to say in a sentimental tone, "What a sweet book is Hervey's Meditations, Mr. Selden. Do you not remember the passage about the lily?" “Anna Maria can repeat it word for word," observed her mother. "I believe you never miss reading it on Sundays, my dear." quaintance with knowledge derived from books, was but little attended to, and if there were some exceptions to this amongst families, whose views were rather in advance of the age in which they lived, the few ladies who were competent to discuss questions of science or literature, never ventured to do so but in their own domestic circles. This destitution of external aids, while it imparted the interest of raciness and originality to the conversation of those who were distinguished by strength of mind, or sprightliness of imagination, had however the general effect of depressing the tone of colloquial intercourse, and confining its range within the narrowest limits. In such a state of things, gossipping became almost a necessary evil. There was a modest simplicity, a natural ease in Charles Selden's manner, which could not fail to have some effect in dispelling the constraint under which the ladies had hitherto suffered, and Mrs. Travers was led almost unconsciously into something like easy chat with him. After observing his remarkable resemblance to his mother, Mrs. Travers, in answer to Charles' inquiries, as to whether she had ever seen Mrs. Selden before her marriage, went on to describe, with more animation than he had supposed her capable of evincing, a ball at which they had been together, the admiration Mrs. Selden's beauty had excited, Anna Maria blushed a little, and it was quite the many beaux and belles who had figured on this impossible for Charles not to smile a little too, occasion, and various incidents of the evening. but the expression of his countenance was so Suddenly recalled to a recollection of Charles kind and open, that no one could have imagined Selden's position, by a reproving glance from the smile to proceed from ill-nature, or from a Anna Maria, Mrs. Travers was somewhat disdesire to ridicule either Anna Maria or her mother. turbed at the thought, that the subjects on which "I recollect the passage," he replied. Her- she had been descanting were by no means edivey's writings have enjoyed a considerable share fying or appropriate: she colored slightly, and of popularity, and certainly evince religious sen- remarked gravely, that Mr. Selden must excuse timent. Many have derived pleasure and im- her for talking of such vanities and trifling things provement from his pages." unworthy of his attention. 64 This was quite as much as Charles could say Charles' kind smile assured her that she had must no more look to this dear home as a refuge. Other thoughts and feelings, however, soon came to his aid; he had only to regard those around him as immortal beings; if he hoped to be the means of awakening within them a consciousness of their spiritual nature, a desire for eternal happiness, he must endeavor to gain their not lowered herself at all in his estimation, and he replied "I can well imagine the interest and pleasure connected with remembrances of youthful days, so indelibly associated with our first and strongest affections, the brightness and freshness of novelty, with which every object is invested, when the world lays smiling before us." "Smiling, alas, deceitfully," observed Anna affections. This hope imparted fresh courage Maria, in a soft, sentimental tone. "Yes, deceitfully, if we trust to its smiles for our happiness, but a very good world if we remember always to view it in connection with a higher and better state of things." and cheerfulness. When the day was fairly over. and his farewell greetings were made, it was with a sensation of light-heartedness, amounting to positive exhiliration, that he turned his horse's head towards his own domicil. CHAPTER VII. Changeful and faint was her fair cheek's hue, Mrs. Hemans. Anna Maria smiled dubiously, as she was somewhat at a loss how to reply to this speech; she was, however, spared the trouble of doing so, by Mr. Travers' entrance with his son George and Mr. Nelson. There was nothing remarkable in George Travers' appearance. He would generally have been called a fine looking young man, as his stature was above the ordinary height, and his features rather regular than otherwise, but there was an expression in his countenance of indolence and self-indulgence, which showed that his moral and intellectual nature had never been developed or disciplined. As soon as he had been introduced to Charles, he threw himself carelessly on a seat near Juliana, and began listlessly to play with her netting, his whole air seeming to denote that he did not consider it his affair at all to assist in entertaining the company. Mrs. in the very turn of this young lady's head and Travers regarded him with a look of maternal gratification, and really thought it was a mark of goodness of heart, and of a desire to please his parents, that he should constrain himself to make one of the company, when he might have absented himself on various pleas. George eyed the young minister superciliously for some minutes, and then commenced a whispering conversation with Juliana, whose giggling was only suppressed by a marked glance of disapprobation from Mr. Travers. When the family assembled at breakfast, on the following morning, at Travers Lodge, there was another individual added to their number, so different in manner and appearance from any one present, that it was evident she was a being of entirely a different order. There was something neck which denoted elevation, independence, perhaps pride of character, and the lofty brow and classic outline, the lips somewhat firmly closing, the pale, pure cheek—the dark grey eye, shaded with long dark lashes, indicated still more clearly the distinctive traits of Edith Fitzgerald's character. A flash now and then of her eye, and the smile that played on her lip-as she was listening to the history of yesterday from her cousins-showed that sportiveness was mingled with the seriousness of her disposition. "Oh, Edith, I wished for you heartily to help us out yesterday," said Juliana; “we were so much at a loss to entertain the minister.” Anna Maria cast a grave and indignant glance at her sister, as she said, "I experienced no sort of difficulty in conversing with Mr. Selden." Oh, Anna Maria," said Juliana, “I appeal to George, if" Some hours lay in dreary perspective, ere the day should close, but Charles endeavored with so much good sense and sprightliness, to impart something like cheerfulness and ease to the tone of the conversation, that he certainly succeeded, in a great measure, in making them pass off agreeably to the rest of the company. For himself, time moved on leaden wings, as he felt that he was constantly expected to sustain the promi- "But," said Edith, hastening to interrupt Janent share in conversation, and yet every remark liana, "you have not told me any thing about that dropped from his lips was weighed and can- Mr. Selden yet, what sort of a person he is— vassed. He thought of the happy family circle my curiosity is somewhat excited, I confess." at Sherwood, where all regarded it not only as a "I never could imagine," said George, in a duty, but a pleasure, to endeavor to contribute tone of pique, "what there could be interesting to the happiness of those around them, without about a parson. I know of nothing he is good thinking of how they should appear themselves. for but to give us a sermon once a week, christen and his heart sank when he remembered that he children, marry couples, and bury the dead." |