The Wheeling repository — Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.], 1808-03-03 00:00:00, page 1

WHEELING REPOSITORY.
(Vol. I.) Thursday, 3d March, 1808. (No. 43.)
ORIGINAL POET R Y. i
The writer, on it late journey, had se
veral tinies subjected himself to the a
uimadversions of others, by a course of
•onduct which, from its singularity, he
\v as aware, was liable to much iniscon
sti uction. In his own justification, and
in defence of those li'ttlc courtesies of
life, which are hinted at in this piece,
and which, by the by, in some places
seem to be almost exploded from soci
ety, he offers the following
APOLOGY FOR CERTAIN ECCENTRI
CITIES.
Addressed to M, R. M. and E. C.
AMI too squeamish ? Let me say
One word or two in my behall ;
Either to wipe the charge away,
Or turn the thing into a laugh.
One that knoxvs how to love himself
Vv ith love of th< superior kind,
Bates above all his lands and pelf,
Ills independency of mind.
This is that cloak for everv storm,
By isdom’s children always worn,
W liich keeps them shelter’d, snug and
warm,
Unless (as sometimes) it be torn.
Now to apply. The man who wears
Tnis almost out-of-fashion cloak,
Bears Lie’s vexations, as he bears
A common or good-humour’d joke.
Religion and politeness* go,
As far, at least, a3 this extends, [show)
{Which I lrom various proofs might
Both hand in hand, like cordial friends.
• By politeness is meant that urbanity,
civility, or good breeding, xvhjch foxes
into outward deportment from i modesty
ctud disinterestedness seated hithe heart.
Jn this sense of the word, the ibostle Paul
was a polite man—Bctwdn this and
the common politeness c! the world,
which is made up of certain formalities
find grimaces, or local peculiarities, there
i • the same difference as bUxeeen the true
at law, and a uullius piius, or 69n of
f
J
i
For self-possession is the root,
Or primum mobile of both ;
And sf.lf-enjoyment is the fruit
Ot grafted, not spontaneous, growth.
Notv put the case. Some churl like Seth,
Whose heart was never known to feel,
And w ith an aspect cold as death,
Invites us in to take a meal.
Can I partake ? And if I could
Where were mv independency ? —
W hy, rather, should I eat of food
So grudg’d as not to nourish me ?
Again. If one, with greedy eyes,
Devouring eve.}' dish that comes,
Helps first himselt,and,clown-like,tries
'I'he freshest morsel with his thumbs :
Or, if joint tenant of my bed,
He, hog-like, manages to roll,
And so contrives his limbs to spread,
As to monopolize the whole :—
Shall I, who see his Selfishness,
Attempt to baulk his rude design f
IVo ! 1 retire ;—it costs me less:
He acts his part, and I act mine.
This is, in fact, a barter made
Between my love of Self and his ;
He gains a supper and a bed,
And grunts in swinish ecstacies :
/ get, perchance, a midnight stroll,
(So priz’d by meditative me !)
hnjoy the freedom of my soul,
And keep my Sensibility.
Now, he who shuns these brutish jokes,
Or, with a courteous spirit bears,
A pleasure feels, which churlish folks
Can never witness to be theirs.
Yet Self, perhaps, in both presides,
As Taste is more or less refin’d ;
1 he one lor Sense coarse food provides,
1 he other caters for the mind.
nobody. It is high time for the world to
become acquainted with this distinction,
in order to prevent the children of Liber
tinism and Profligacy from monopolizing
a claim to virtue, which they have u
surped without utiy just pretensions. t
But, since all minds that grow in grace.
New sensibilities attain;
Unless one’s knowledge should keep pace#
All toil for sanctity were vain.
Let me explain. The feeling heart,
Which daily incidents mav thwart,
Enjoys the privilege to imart,
But not to censure, nor retort.
“It bleeds, perhaps, and must it bleed
Without one sigh*’ one murmur?” Yes;
For knowledge prompts to take no heed,
But quietly to acquiesce, *
Man acts from knowledge. He,alone,
Is wise, who never gives offence ;
And though his heart, to feeling prone,
M ill throb with pain, it ne’er resents.
Not so the fool, whose nerves, like steel,
Emit ju^fuiy, in a crack ;
For ’ti^K privilege to feel
Nough»save the rod upon his back.
This, thin, is that Philosophy,
Which knocks down Stoicism at once:
It edges Sensibility;
VV hilst Stoicism merely blunts.
The Recluse,
Ntw-Garden, (Ohio.)
' ” "v-r-T* r'r'F-rr-F'r'
Characteristic Sketches of Germans, &c.
[From the French.]
uIn religion—The German is unbe
lieving; the Englishman devout; the
Frenchman zealous ; the Italian very
ceremonious ; the Spaniard a bigot.
tl//j love—The German does not un
derstand it; the Englishman loves a lit
tle here and there; the Frenchman eve
ry where; the Italian knows how one
ought to love ; the Spaniard loves truly.
“/« keeping his word—The German
is faithful; the Englishman safe ; the
frenchman giddy; the Italian cunning;
the Spaniard a cheat.
41In manners—The German is clown
ish ; the Englishman barbarous ; the
Frenchman easy; the Italian polite ; the
Spaniard proud.
>‘/n keeping a secret—The German for
gets what he has been told ; the English
man conceals w hat he should divulg^