The white bones of the slain In the lonely valley of the dead." We endured it not and scattered the mound. For this monument was forever to be a witness of the great And hear at the dance of the spring-time flowers More sisters he wished to give to Cannae, But for the envious overruling counsel of the princes In Hermann's burning soul had long dwelt At midnight, at the sacrifice of Thorr' and the war-song, The conqueror of the storm relates: In the ocean of the far North is an island-mountain,8 Thus announced Hermann through his battle, Over the protecting ice-mountains-to go To die there, or in the proud capitol To ask Tiberius and the shades of his fathers To do this he wished to bear the leader's sword SKETCHES OF SOUTHERN LIFE. NO. IV. How often do we feel, when placed in scenes for the first time that are peculiarly delightful to us, as if haunted by some dim, delicious reminiscences, that we had once before passed through the same scenes; a sort of spiritual and mysterious pleasure is thus added to our enjoyment, and we love to give ourselves up to the illusion as in a pleasant dream. It is this feeling, too, which gives such wonderful power to the strains of music over the minds of some, in whom it awakens these undefinable, yet inexpressibly delightful emotions, a feeling of the spirit within us, and a longing to penetrate the mystery of its existence. This is not a peculiar sensation indeed to scenes of enjoyment, for in seasons of affliction, how often our present sufferings are enhanced by this awful foreboding, when "coming events cast their shadows before," that we are now fulfilling some irreversible decree of fate, of which we had a former knowledge. Who has not felt in dreams a more vivid sense of reality, than in his waking moments, for then fancy wanders uncontrolled through her airy domain, and images of unearthly brightness arise, without any material perception to dim or weaken their ef Among the princes; then they conspired death against him; fect. The metaphysician vainly attempts to anaAnd now he lies in blood, in whose soul Lived the great thought for the fatherland! lyze these mysteries of the spirit, they are standing miracles left in this material and mechanical age to proclaim to all, that there is a spark of Divinity within these earthly vessels. In this strain ran Henry Livingstone's thoughts, as he sauntered forth on a fine summer morning, in that blissful state, when we give ourselves up to waking dreams, as vivid and as unreal, as those which visit us in sleep, and the only difference between the two states consists in this; that reason is only sufficiently awake in the former to conceal her own unpleasant suggestions from the excited imagination, and the will has power enough to call forth only such ideas as please the fancy. The old grove, the winding river, the surrounding scenery, but above all, the fair and gentle Fanny, seemed to him to have been shadowed For now he asks not Tiberius and the shades of his fathers, forth in some former blessed and spiritual exisAt the scales of Jupiter. The army of Germanicus, passing over the battlefield of Winfeld some years afterwards buried the bones of the army of Varus that lay scattered all over this valley of slaughter. Tacitus gives a touching description of this mournful scene in his Annals, Book 1, Sec. 61. 7 God of war. 8 Hecla. tence, and he felt like a wandering spirit now returning to the home of his soul. In this mood he wandered along a winding path near the banks of the river, which was shaded with the luxuriant growth of the tulip tree, maple, airy birch and shivering aspen, overhung with wild grape-vines, now forming rich, dark bowers, through which the sun could scarcely 'Enherion. The heroes in Walhalla, who (1o) are all penetrate, then throwing graceful festoons of again restored to youth. fairy lightness from tree to tree. Here, too, the trumpet flower and clematis, wreathed themselves and expression, that the strain affected Henry around the trees, adding variety and beauty to deeply, and he could not help comparing the efthe rich and varied foliage. The brilliant cardi- fect produced on his feelings by this simple melnal flower growing in large beds, glowed like ody, with its touching words, to that which he precious stones, the rhexia and blue enpatorium had experienced in splendid churches from the mingled their tints together in gay profusion. brilliant sacred music, instrumental and vocal, of No sounds were heard but an occasional bird- professional singers. note, and the ceaseless flowing of the river, a sound which irresistibly disposes to meditation. He went on dreaming sweet dreams, without attempting to check the rovings of fancy, follow- "The Lord will reward you, my child, for all ing the path unconscious where it was leading your goodness to a poor old cretur like me; him, until it struck off into another path winding but stop a minute, I want to show you the nice up a gentle knoll, he pursued this, which gradu- present of Guinea fowl eggs I've got to send to ally led him to more elevated ground, and the you when I can get one of the children to carry murmuring of the wind in the pine forest, like a them up to the great house." So saying, she great Eolian harp, whose chords gave forth took the basket down from the shelf and showed their low, sweet notes under the soft summer them to Fanny. winds, attracted him. When Fanny had concluded, she arose to depart, after inquiring into all Judy's little wants, and promising to supply them. "Oh, I'm very much obliged to you, mammy; it is a most acceptable present,—Philip likes Guinea fowl eggs so much. It is such a nice little basket, I can take it home myself without any trouble." "No, no, Miss Fanny, 'spose any one was to meet you. It don't look proper to see a lady like you toting eggs." Fanny laughed. "I have often heard you say a lady will be a lady, no matter what sort of work she does." "Yes, high blood will show, but still there's some things I don't think looks well for ladies to do, it looks too much like poor folks. I can easily make Nelly run up with the eggs when she comes in from the field." "But suppose a lady should happen to be poor, what must she do then? As he emerged from the pine forest, he perceived through a screen of trees and vines, a cabin which presented an unusual air of neatness and comfort, and he was about to approach to view the premises more nearly, when he was arrested by the sound of a voice, the lowest tone of which he thought he could have recognised in Babel. He advanced gently and cautiously behind the screen, until he saw the cabin plainly, and the yard neatly swept before it. A very old looking negro woman, neatly dressed, and venerable in appearance, was seated beneath the shade of her own vine and fig-tree, and Fanny was sitting near her with an open book in her hands, from which she was reading aloud. It was irresistible the temptation to pause and listen, and he perceived that he could do so without danger of discovery, for he was entirely "She could'nt be poor folks then, honey, for screened from observation. Fanny was reading 'tis poor blood makes poor folks; and a lady a chapter from one of the Gospels, and the earn- born and bred will be a lady, as I always told est solemnity of her tones, showed how deeply you, no matter what sort of work she does, but she realized what she was reading. As she clo- you've got a plenty of servants to wait on you, sed the book, she made a few, simple, explana- and there is no use in your carrying eggs." tory remarks upon what she had just read, so Fanny yielded the point and turned again to plain, that it was impossible not to comprehend go away, when the old woman said, looking carethem, and so full of genuine religious feeling, fully around her, and lowering her voice: that they went directly to the heart of the hearer. There's one thing I wanted to say to you, "It does do me good, Miss Fanny," said the Miss Fanny, about that Yankee gentlemanold woman, "to hear you read the Scriptures; you all had better take good notice what he it sounds sweeter and more solemn-like to me does." than any preacher's reading I ever heard. But if you've got time, honey, will you sing me one hymn before you go?" What hymn do you prefer, mammy?" "I like that one There is a land of pure delight; that's a mighty good hymn, and it makes me think of that great resting-place I shall soon go to." Fanny complied with the request, and sang the hymn with so much sweetness, simplicity 66 This was said with such an air of solemnity, that Fanny saw it would not do to make a laughing matter of it, so she replied as gravely as she could-"Why should we take notice of what he does, he will not do any harm, mammy.” 66 Ah, don't be too sure of that now, honey; there was that Mr. Jarvis from the North, yon know, that stayed so long at Mr. Smith's, and was after courting Miss Sarah too; well, they had'nt no notion how he went about and talked 11 amongst their servants, putting all sorts of fool- of vexation and mortification. He heard Fanny "Yes," said Fanny, "what you say is very true, if Mr. Jarvis had been a real friend to black people, he would not have taken this way of showing it." "I know'd that, honey, and it made me so mad with Jim, to hear what foolishness he ran on, that I talked right up and down to him, for I've known him ever since he was a child; besides, he married into the estate, so we may say he is one of the family like. But don't say nothing about what I've been telling you, if you please, for I don't want to make no mischief upon Jim; but as soon as I heard that Northeru gentleman was staying here, I laid off to tell you all about Mr. Jarvis, that Mas Phil might watch him, and if he goes walking about amongst the cabins, or in the field, Mas Phil can go about with him, in a careless sort of a way, you know, like he was going with him for company." gen that his passion was unrequited by Fanny, but that she was quite unconscious of its existence, for he was sure that there was not one spark of coquetry or insincerity in her composition. The first step was not taken, and a feeling of despondency came over him—the prize seemed every minute brighter, fairer and more unattainable. Yet it is hard to destroy hope in the hearts of those who have never experienced any severe disappointment, and Henry began again to reconstruct the glittering web, which Fanny's light laugh and careless tones had brushed away. He had heard not the most remote hint of a rival, and if her heart was unoccupied, he would not despair of winning it. He retraced his path a part of the way, then, filled with agitating and unpleasant thoughts, struck across the fields, and passed a settlement of negro cabins. In another mood, he would have paused and talked with the children he saw playing about in the yards, for the peculiar ways of talking and thinking of this singular race of people awakened his interest and curiosity, but at present, he could not brook the idea of being suspected, even by old Judy, of the meanness of enacting the fable of the viper and the hedgehog. He observed, however, in passing, that the cabins, like the dwellings of a free population, were characterized by the peculiar turn of their possessors. The yards before most of the cabin doors were neatly swept, and large gardens at“But mammy, Mr. Livingstone is a real tached to many of them, filled with vegetables tleman-he would not act so meanly." and corn-patches, rudely, but substantially in"Ah, now, don't you trust to that; I don't closed, with that species of inclosure, the existreckon there's any high blood amongst them ence of which, Michaux mentions in his work on Northern folks, like there is in old Virginny. forest trees as peculiar to Virginia, and almost That was the way they talked about Mr. Jarvis, incredible to relate, from its destructiveness of they said he was so high larnt, he talked all sorts young trees, namely, a watlin, a horror with of outlandish talk, and played on Miss Sarah's pi- which the Eastern Virginians are so familiar, as aney. I has heard of gentlemen's playing on the to be unconscious of its enormity. A rose bush flute and the fiddle, but I never saw men play- or two, some tall sunflowers, and bright bunches of ing on the pianey, except the old music master, marygolds, were seen in the gardens of the most so I said, when I heard about it, I reckoned thrifty and the neatest of this little community, the man had been a music-master in his own but a few of the other cabins exhibited the negro country. Miss Sarah wouldn't hear it, and went character in its most genuine form; dirty yards, on praising him until at last he had the impu- rags stuffed in the crevices of their houses, gardence to court her, and I should'nt be surprised dens overrun with weeds, and scarcely an atif this gentleman had the assurance to be think-tempt at an inclosure around them. In a word, ing about you, Miss Fanny." they enjoyed the privilege, for such many negroes consider it, of being as uncomfortable and as unthrifty as they pleased. For the first time, Fanny's clear, silvery laugh, fell painfully on Henry's ear, and he shrank more closely behind the screen with mingled feelings Taken collectively, however, this little settle expressive language, yet showed plainly that he had been carefully instructed, and that he was acquainted with the elementary truths of the Gospel, and the true meaning and purport of the passage he had repeated from Scripture. ment conveyed to the observer the idea of a His answers were made in his own homely, but happy community, and excited many doubts and speculations in Henry's mind, as to whether these negroes, putting aside the name of slavery and all its associations, did not really enjoy in such a situation as this, as great a degree of happiness, and even freedom, so far as they were fitted for What patience, what high, disinterested, reliit, as in any other situation in which they could gious principle-what philanthropy in the truest be placed in the present state of things. An sense of the word, must teaching such as this outcast population they certainly were in the require," thought Henry, "from such a being, too, States which boasted of being free States, and as Fanny Seyton. What a sacrifice of time, too, here in a slave State he found them existing does it involve, from one who has so many inin communities, enjoying the rude and simple ternal and external sources of enjoyment in her pleasures for which their degree of cultivation own bright imagination and rare intellect, and in fitted them, cared for in sickness and age, never the society of friends to whom she is warmly knowing the presence of extreme want, or the attached; what self-denial in exchanging purcare of providing subsistence for their families, suits congenial to her taste, and such as most and living under a sort of parental as well as young ladies would think they were doing a duty absolute control. to themselves to pursue to the utmost their lei Henry's mind was candid-his love of truth sure would allow, for the task of enlightening, by ardent-yet he revolved these new ideas with the slow and tedious method of oral instruction, much diffidence and distrust, fearing lest the en-minds in gross, mental darkness! And yet, how grossing passion of his soul should give a false improving such a mental exercise would be, to brilliancy of coloring tɔ all objects associated, in those who had the patience to impart such inany degree, with one, who embodied the types struction, not only to the spiritual, but the intelwhich had existed in his mind of all that is fair, lectual nature of the instructor! How much bright or excellent. He determined to consider might be learned in this way of intellectual prowthe matter deeply and impartially, and as he was ess, by watching the first rude attempts at genwalking along the fields, deep in thought, his at-eralization, reasoning, deduction, when the ideas tention was arrested by the sound of children's voices, and as he approached more nearly, he heard distinctly one of these children repeating to another some verses from the Sermon on the Mount. are just struggling from the chaos of thick darkness to light!" Such warm admiration of moral excellence, divested of all the embellishments of fancy and romance, was highly honorable to the heart of a "Is that right, Billy?" said the child to his young man, who had been educated like Henry companion. "Well, t'aint exactly right: now listen to me, I'll learn it to you. Miss Fanny said I could say it all without missing a word." Livingstone, who possessed, too, an exquisite taste for the beautiful in all its forms, and consequently appreciated accomplishments very highly. But love in his case, instead of exerting his usual power of blinding his votaries, had, like Ithu Henry paused, and having spoken kindly to these children, asked the little boy who had un-riel's spear, awakened his mind to higher and dertaken the office of instructor, and who had indeed repeated correctly a large portion of the Sermon on the Mount, who it was that had taught him to repeat so many verses from the Bible. "Miss Fanny, sir-she taught me, and this here boy, and all the children on the plantation." "And what else does she teach you?" "To say hymns and catechism, sir.” purer perceptions of truth; and the loveliness of moral and spiritual beauty had never appeared to him so far exalted above all the outward attractions and accomplishments, which the world especially delights to honor. He thought of Fanny's speech to old Judy, which he had so lately heard; "and is it possible," he exclaimed mentally, "she can be so uncon "And do you think you understand the mean-scious of her own rare gifts and attractions, her ing of what you repeat ?" "I reckon I does, of some of 'em. Miss Fanny always makes us tell what they mean, 'cause she says it don't do us a bit of good unless we know the meaning of it, and try to do what is in the Bible and hymns." Henry asked the child a few leading questions from Scripture, and then questioned him as to the meaning of the portion he had just repeated. VOL. XV-10 own exquisite beauty, the mind, the music How 66 letters he had received from home, after he had people; altogether you will see an entertainment ascertained that his parents were well; how most unique in its kind, and such as you will weary, flat, stale and unprofitable all their con- probably never witness again. Indeed they are tents had seemed, how foreign to the new emo- fast passing away even with us, and disappearing tions which had arisen in his heart, to the en- before the advance of civilization." chanting state of existence, through which he was Altogether then," said Henry, "I consider passing. And yet," he murmured, "the light- it a piece of rare good fortune to have such an est pang that I could suffer would inflict more opportunity." pain on my mother, than my death would on "You will find much to amuse you," said Fanny Seyton." This reflection called forth a Fanny, "though you will, doubtless, witness deep sigh, but again Hope whispered that the things which will appear semi-barbarous, yet there time might come when his happiness would be will be so much ease and cordiality, and such varieinexpressibly precious to Fanny, and again he ties of character, that I think you will be pleased." pondered on the means of winning her heart. "I am sure I shall," replied Henry, "the mere He was so much absorbed in his own thoughts conventionalities and embellishments of a fashand feelings, that he was quite unconscious how ionable entertainment possess very few attracfar, or how long he had rambled, and it was tions for me, but a party of the sort you describe, nearly two o'clock when he returned to Oak would be not only amusing but interesting. Grove, where he found Philip looking out for him. Whenever the workings of the heart and varie"Ah Hal, I am glad you have returned from ties of natural character are allowed to appear, your wanderings, you must have made a real ex- we find something to please and improve." ploring expedition. I was just about to set out in search of you, as Fanny suggested the possibility of your having lost yourself in our pine forests, though I quieted her apprehensions somewhat, by surmising that you were botanising, as I know that is a favorite pursuit of yours." "You gave me more credit than I deserved," said Henry smiling, "I was not engaged in the pursuit of knowledge of any sort, but merely enjoying the sweet influences of earth, air and sky, yet some observations forced themselves upon me, the beauty and variety of your forest trees, for instance, the brilliancy of the wild flowers and the surpassing grace and beauty of the wild grape vines. I do not believe any oriental growth can exceed them in richness and beauty." "Mrs. Maynard's Tom is waiting at the door to see you, Mas Phil," said John, entering with the important air of one who has agreeable news to communicate. "Then you will like us better and better," said Philip, "for the varieties of individual character are very strongly marked amongst us; and though we abhor display of sentiment, and are not addicted to scenes of any sort, still you find few states of society, where family and local affections are stronger and warmer than in the Old Dominion,' or where greater sacrifices of interest are made to the ties of kindred or of friendship." "It shows we are rather at a low ebb, my dear brother," said Fanny laughing, "when we have to trumpet forth our own praises :-these strongly marked characters often degenerate into oddities, of which we have certainly a rare and large collection, but which do not often excite admiration, in those who have been accustomed to a polished state of society." "The sweet influences of a noon day in August," said Philip laughing, are "somewhat too sultry for me; moreover, I cannot allow of your "These peculiarities of habit or manner," exposing yourself to them, for though I can an- said Henry, "certainly do not excite admiraswer for your health, if you are discreet, I can- tion, though they often produce amusement, not be responsible for your safety if you rove but individualities of character and mind are about in summer suns, before you are acclimated, very interesting to those who love to study and you know I am answerable to Mrs. Living- human nature, and are always produced, I think, stone for you." by high and vigorous mental culture. In your state of society, it appears to me that the higher classes are called on at a very early age to think and decide not only for themselves but for others; this early necessity for thought and action must have a great effect in awaking and forming the mind. Here, too, they seem to read not for display, but either for the gratification of literary taste, or to gain information on some speci"You will have now an opportunity, Living- fic object intimately connected with their purstone, of seeing a Virginia wedding conducted in suits, such as agriculture, politics, law or mediold style, a real gathering of the clans, a squeeze cine. This sort of culture enlarges and invigoof aunts, uncles and cousins to the tenth degree, rates the mind. Yet, on the other hand," added and marvel how one house can contain so many Henry smiling, "I cannot so far abandon my char Philip returned in a minute with notes of invitation to Helen Maynard's wedding, which was to take place the next evening, and said, as he handed one of them to Henry, |