The Federal mirror — Concord, N.H., 1795-06-12 00:00:00, page 1

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CELADON & AMELIA.
A PLEASING TALI.
^ t % OBOBCO ^.
&NMHst,,frail, intendant, faitble, race,
Nor witb tretencefweet friendjbip'sname disgrace,
Ifwith toe veering wind of fortune's change
Year tutor'd bearftfirm brea, to brea, can range,
Sweet toe mr fHtodJbip's powers,eu ne'er bave
toy'd,,
But devious rov'd with foil, for your guide !
%Henceforth adore her ferine— nor dare pretend
Taffine the name rflover or of frisL:
tty, what is love, beet friendship's brighter ra,,
^%bicb fate's fever, frowns can ne'er alla,.
OELADON, a young man of fafh
^ ion and fortune, paid hit addreff
ei co the blooming Amelia, and at hit
charader was as unexceptionable as hit
manners were elegant, (he made no
abjection to hit propofah, nor were
the, disapproved by her friends ; they
were, indeed, like himfelf, very wor
thy of her acceptance ; the hymenal
rights were performed, and the birth
of a Son in the firft year of their un
ion considerably increased their con
jugal felicity, all was joy and gladness
within their happy habitation, and
their rural excursions awakened feel
ings, so beautifully expressed by the
poet —
"Ob ! J,eal,our joy,
" You whom tbefient tear furprizes often,-
" When nothing meets, our e,e but jigbts ofb'dfc !"
As they were mutually attached to
each other in consequence of the fia
cereft mutual affection, they recipro
cally endeavored to oblige each other
^'every occasion ; but as all Subluna
ry enjoyments must have their alloy,
the happiness of this affectionate pair
began at last to diminish, and each
grew less Solicitous to please: They
felt the fame affectionate regard for
each other, but ft minted its firft ani
mation I Time, which alleviates af
fliaions, by rendering them habitual,
produces, by making happiness famil
iar, the diminution of our pleasures.
Celadon, though amiable, was ft
ther inclined to be suspicious, & could
not bear the least trifling : Amelia,
though in general extremely agreea
ble, was Sometimes rather haughty
and capricious. The delicate apprc
henfioo of giving offence in the slight
est degree, gradually wore off, they
took left pains to conceal their refpec.
live foibles, and at length from mere
inattention and negligence, Suffered
them to appear in as strong a light as
their good qualities— This uopleafant
reversion became difguftiog to both
parties, and gave birth to little cabals
and disputes, which naturally prompt
& them to vent their disquiets to a
third per son.
Amelia's confidant was her sister,
younger than herfelf, and of a lively
ptealaot disposition, too much attach
ed to her fitter not to condemn her
brother's behaviour, (he very kindly,
however, Strove to bring abou: a rec
onciliation between them. Os a dif
ferent and an oppofiie temper was the
confidential friend of Celadon—a man
of family, nearly of his own age, young,
food of women, (averse to marriage)
artful and defigniog. Os Johnson's
real intentions Celadon's franknefs har
bored not the^kaft ^dea $ but Char
lotte fufpeaed the Sincerity of his fa
vored &d^ She hid resided with
her fitter from her father's decease ;
on fcJoholon had designs, but his
inclination led him firft to attempt a
conquffl over Amelia. Charlotte
NEWHAMPSHIRE PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY RUSSELL AND DAVIS, AT CONCORD. ,
[volume ill.]
CONCORD, FRIDAY, June 12, 1795. "
with a great Share of discretion had
also a great Share of sagacity, and felt
a particular aversion to Johnson on
account of hit character. At hit
principal pleasure war to seduce every
female who fellin his way,he took no
small delight also in corrupting those
men whose minds were better framed.
Actuated by this propensity, he was
at this very time pradifing upon a
young fellow related co Celadon, who
had lately come there on a visit.
Neville was not only an agreeable
but a worthy young man,but not hav
ing seen so much of the world as those
with whom he now resided, and their
acquaintance ; he was not at firft a
ware of Johnson's character, he sup
posed indeed, from the air of gallan
try in hit behavior to Charlotte, that
he intended to make honorable pro
posals to her, though he was always
ridiculing matrimony to him.'
Neville soon conceived a violent
passion for Charlotte, which made his
uneasiness great with regard to John
son, wno had a very attractive exteri
or, which, with the general turn of his
carriage to the fair sex, greatly pre
possessed them in his favor. Alarm
ed however, and disquieted as Neville
was, with all the agitations and anxie
ties of a Sincere lover, he received
some fatisfaction from observing, that
Charlotte did not discover the slight
est partiality for bis rival, as he took
him to be ; but the indifference with
which he himfelf was also treated by
her, contributed to strengthen hit ap
prehensions, left Johnson should win
a heart which he should, he imagin
ed, find it extremely difficult to ob
tain. However, though Charlotte
outwardly discovered no particular fa
vor for Neville, She very clearly dif
tinguilhed him in a moral view, from
Johnson ; but she was somewhat a
traid left the latter might, from his
insinuating manners, -prevail on the
other to become as finished a liber
tine as himfelf.
Celadon indeed saw not Johnson
in his true colours, yet he was far
from thinking as he did upon any
Subject of a very interesting nature :
He still loved his wife with a sincere
affection ; though their disputes had
weakened the strength of his firft ar
dor ; yet he was Sufficiently sensible
of the value of domestic felicity, to
with its Murn; for that he often
Sighed, hourly lamented the change
discernible in hit lady, and the change
which he felt in himfelf.
By a dispute in which they were
one day warmly engaged, concerning
their little son, the breach between
them was considerably widened. Ce
ladon, in direst opposition to his wife's
judgment, took him from her, at an
age when boys ufualiy remain under
the tuition of the female part of the
family, in order to place him at a
boarding school, though his own fond
weft could scarcely brook the Separa
tion—Amelia, on the other hand,
who loved her hufbind's likeness in
miniature, Sighed at the absence of
: her little Harry, but knew that her
Solicitations for his return would be to
no purpose ; domestic debates at last
became so frequent, and so fierce, that
the former began to drop hints about
a Separation : Amelia, though she
trembled at the found of that word,
was too proud to let him who uttered
it fee that it affeaed tyer.
Johafon, who was ever upon the
watch, and ever spiriting up hit friend
to proceed with the greatest violence,
determined to seize this very favora
ble opportunity (at he imagined) to
pay his court to Amelia, refolding at
the 'tame time, to prevent Neville
from forming an alliance with Char
lotte. To facilitate the execution of
the last design, and prompted also by
his consummate vanity, he carelessly
hinted one day, that he was sure of
the heart of Amelia, and that he had
no doubts with regard to the posses
sion of her fitter's, whenever he should
have leisure to attempt Such a con
quest : This bold assertion jaftly rais
ed Neville's indignation, and he threa
tened to acquaint each party with
what he had delivered.
Johnson answered him firft with a
loud faugh, and then dared him to
the commission of so capital a folly, as
he called it, assuring him that there
was nothing particular in what he had
affirmed, as all people who knew any
thing of life, thought and aded pre
cisely in the fame manner ; adding,
that he would make himfelf appear
in the„moft ridiculous light, by pub
lishing any thing of his rustic and ob
solete notions, which were quite con
trary to the ton.
Neville, who had by this time form
ed bis plan, made a Short reply : He
then left him and went in search of
Charlotte, whom he found ready to
reproach him for his attachment to
John Sen, and who declared, that She
had a worse opinion of him than, of
any other man in the world.
Transported at this declaration,
which confirmed the falfity of John
son's assertions, he seized that moment
to tell every thing he had been fay
ing, and to press his suit with more ar
dor than ever. She gave him in re
turn the most Battering encourage
ment, but not till he had promised
her to break off all connexions with
Johnson, and to assist her in paving
the way for a reconciliation between
her brother and sister ; vindicating the
latter in the warmest terms, and assur
ing her lover, that whatever faults She
had, they all proceeded from an ex
cess of sensibility, and from an uncom
mon delicacy of disposition, which She
was afraid had been carried too far.
Highly pleased with having put
things in this promising train, She
flew to her sister, and informed her of
all She had learnt from Neville, who
would, She was certain, endeavor to
make her husband sensible of the mis
take into which he had been led by
Johnson, his falfe friend in every sense
of the word.
Amelia thanked her sister for her
information ; and asked her if She
thought the interposition of her little
Harry might not also be of consider
able Service :" Though we have long
ceased to be fond of each other," con
tinued She, " we both dote on our
child, 1 will go and fetch him this
moment from school ; Celadon can
not be offended at my love for my
dear iboy ; when he has made us
friends, he may be sent again to the
school if his father chooses it." Ac
cordingly She fee out with her sister,
but when She arrived at the school, She
[number 138.]
-was told, that Celadon, accompanied
by Mr. Neville, had just carried her
son away. The latter of these gen
tlemen, indeed, had prevailed on the
former to listen to reason, and to be
reconciled to his lady, who had been
basely misrepresented to him by Joto
son, whole infamous defer,, both
upon her and her lifter, were no long
er of a questionable nature.
Ai soon as Celadon was convinced
of the fallhood of his pretended friend
he began to doubt whether Amelia,
who had been, he was thoroughly
(enfible, very ill treated by him, would
ever forgive him. Upon hit express
ing this apprehension, Neville told
him that the light of her son would
in his opinion, disarm her resentment.
The little fellow was rejoiced to come
home—On his eagerly flying to look
for his mama, Celadon flopped him,
and bade him conceal hirrlelf in the
closet till he sent fcr him ; the boy
whimpered and obeyed: In the mean
while Amelia and Charlotte returned
very much diffatisfied from the school
—Charlotte, by questioning the ser
vants closely, soon found out the little
Harry, and brought him privately to
his mother. While (he was caressing
him, Johnson, who began to fufpe&
that he was found out, but who also
believed he had still Efficient power
to impose on Celedon, came and dis
covered him with Neville. Very soon
after his arrival, Amelia, followed by
her sister, led in Harry, and bade him
regain his father's heart for her. Ce
ladon could not immediately recover
from his surprise and embarraffmeot,
especially as Johnson flood close at
his elbow, stimulating him to reject
every offer towards a reconciliation ;
but the modest appearance and tender
behaviour of Amelia, a recolledion of
every thing that Neville had told him
and the fight of his engaging child,
who difeovered the greatest fondnefc
both for him and his mother, quite
foftened his heart. He embraced his
wife and child with unutterable trans
port, and then turning to Johnson,
forbade him the house. He quitted
it in a rage, and Charlotte gave her
hand to Neville soon after.
[May the excellent moral of this agreeable talc
be dee,l, engraven on the hearts of Conjugal rela
tives, and the beauties of its admonition never be
effaced.]
~—
From the London Morning Chronicle.
To the Editor, Sir,
YOUR honor must know that I am
just returned from a long voyage, and
that on my coming ashore, I met
with my old messmate Jack Spritfaii
under a jury mast, he having had his
Starboard prop carried away in some
fight with the French, under my old
commodore Howe, in which it seems
the Monfieurs were fwingled. Jack
has givem me a meh of news, bull
cannot believe half of it, unless I hear
it confirmed by your honor. When
I set fail, the English army had taken
the Dutch in tow, with some other
outlaodifh fellows, who I thirik are
called Austrians and Prussians ; they
had run down the French army, and
upset Landrecies, a place which flood
in their way, and were getting a head
at the rate of nine knots an hour, on
their way to some frefh water port,
which I think they catted Paris. Now
Jack mme r tad no ^
CT;.