The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1804-08-18

ING OF life. Her childhood had paiied away
amid the oandiihmepts and careiies of her fond
Parents; all had been cafe, indulgence, and gra-
tihcation admired, applauded and beloved by
every body who faw or knew her, every day,
every hour, every rlinute had been flied with
| animation, JOY and rapture. As yet nie had fro
licked only ON g iises velvet lawn" covered
with canopy OF blooming amsranth and her
young fancy teeuing with 4iiionS OF blifs in
bright and bouudlefS profpe6t. Alas poor
Maria How iUon this ierene and joyous
morning to be overcait a lover preiented him.
ielf. Like Maria, he was in the bloom of youth,
and had every advantage Of perfon ard addre,s !;
but his breatt was not, like Maria's, the ref
dence Of pure and exalted virtue. He loved her
indeed or rather, he was infatuated by her
beauty; out he incapable OF forming q
connect Ultimate Of the trealusc which was lodg-
Ell IN her bottom OF that heart whole purity, de-
licacy, fidelity, generoGty and ienGbility, an an
gel might Rave 5lvowed without 4 bluih. The
dupe, however, CT fervent and pathetic proseiii-
or5, The accepted this man and Maria, who
was formed to crown the happneis of ieniible
& virtuous man, became the milerable wife of a
weak and vicious one. Merciful Cod Muft I
remember the contrait which 70 often witneis-
ed, i'll agony Poor Maria Her velvet lawn
was exchanged for wilderness of briarS and
branlbles her amaran.hi1e canopy for the keen
and cutting bla6s ofa winters Ky. ;havc feen
Maria in the thronged alIernbly-room when eve
ry eye was fixed upon her with delight, & follow
ed her iii ipoechleis admiration tkro' the rnaZes of
the graceful dance; & have ieen the fame Maria
far removed from the worlds feciety, and, even
yet IN the bloom of youth, all lonely and droop-
ing Ike wounded flower. / have feen the
lovely girl, preiiding, like a bright, propitious
planet, at her fathers hoipitable board and
nave ieen her the tolitary and mental drudge of
her own gloomy and fortaken houfehold. /
have beheld her the animating foul OF the po-
llihed circle, dipeniing light and life by her
imiles--and my own foul has funk within me,
to lee her iufulated from the world, and pierced
and languiihing under the neglect of her once
ARGENT and aiIiCiuous hu{band. She had feen
the time when every tranIitory detection of
countenauce had been watched by him, its
cautc tedu.ouily explored, and confo!ation adj
mnlitered with tenderness which could not
/ rai Gifts effect. But now, without Jingle en-
| curry, without one touch OF pity, he could fee
! her face pale with forrow, and her once radiant
: eyes dim with weeping. At fuch moment,
intead OF bending before Der as he had once
done, and prefiing her hand to his fympathetic
heart, ne could cait on her look TO cold and
Chilling as to freeze the vital itream of life even
in It's fountain, fling out Of his houir with con-
tempt assS ditguft, aud lavih on the vicious and
impure thofe aftecGonate attentions which he
mad ioiemniy vowed to her alone. lie might
have been happy; and he might have realized
t0hls bsanteous wife, all thote dreams of coni,l-
! gal innocence and bliis with which her youthful
fancy was won't to regale her. But inaeaei os
theie pure and calm joys, whole recollection
might have gilded even the moment of death,
n cFote riot, debauchery and guilt /; to his own
vIrtuons aud celeAiai bed, he preferred habitual
lmPniity and proitituGon and infead of the
perpetual ipring which fl,e mad fondly anticipa-
ted, poor Maria experienced only perpetual
winter. The baf was too keen for her tender
frame. She is gone and, with her filter an
gels, fhe has found that peace which her unfeel-
ing huiband refuied to her on earth. Her death
ttunned him into his fenfes. In vain he endea-
volred to recall her Heeting breath in vain he
promiied and yGIysdif ihe could be reftored to
him, to atone for his paft neglect by future teR-
/ defIleis. To him the refoiution Of amendment
came too late; may it come in time to a por,
ton Of my readers. Y.