Berkeley and Jefferson intelligencer. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va.) 1802-1810, 1804-06-15

And htai anssvere6 the King, and said,
as the Lard Gveth, and 0s my Lord the
King Eoeth, surely in sphat place my
Lord the King shall Be, sphethtr in
death Or e, eOen there also SuiH shy
serpantbe." ~
THE book Of Samuel Is crowded with
interesting narratives. The story .ofthe
article and detection Of Absalom is fun,
of incidents and exhibits q forcible mo-
raL The eIergyhave ever found, in this:
revolt and It's consequences, copious
theme for grave remarks and pious medi-
tation. Sterne, whose pen was a pencil,
has grouped king David and his atteh.
dants in Consideration and sorrow, flying
over the brook Of cedron toward the
way of the wilderness. The Lay Preach
er, humbly cleaning after such labour-
Eers,- has picked up one incident pietur-
esque, pathetic, honorable to humanity.
A portrait, that has such features, me-
rim, an exhibition. From the cabinet
of the Bible thenlet It be produced; and
if placed in a good light, the rude man
a well IS the connoisseur, win stile it
enchanting. -. az. .>->*--'
Asa cover for fraud or violence, reli-
gious, perhaps, more frequent than POI
fitical pretexts, have been employed by
the hypocrites of every age. Absolom
was too cunning an imPostor not to know
that shew Of piety would be highly ope-
ratite with his father David. Anxious
to set up the standard ofrebellion in He
bron, city of malcontents, the royal re-
volter prays that he might be permitted
to go thither 10 pay his vows. The ere-
dnlons king eonsents.- Absalom - at
ttended with the usual crowd, studious of
Echange and confusion. Some Of. those
counsellors, in whose loyalty the king
probably reposedentire confidence, aban-
don their duty and their sovereign, and
follow the fortunes Of the usurper. The
dark plot chickens. The conspirators
Increase. The mournful tidings of =
sons eriminality reach at length the af-
fictsd sire. The baleful cry Of treason
rsng in the palace. The purturbated
king urges the necessity of flight. He
and his household accordingly eecede
from the city. Interesting fugitives -
Youwere not the victims of common
fear, you were not disordered rout on
the retreat from . chasing eonqaeror, you
were kind companions and fellow mourn
ers, and, rs you assembled together the
steep Of Mount 0livet, let fall .! kindly
drops, which pity had engendered."
Though it might be expected that
those, immediately about the person Of
David, whose affections he could easily
engage, or whose obedience he could
sterniy require, would be the partners of
his fight, yetin such a dubious hour, the
strangers at Jerusalem, the wealthy, the
,, polite, the timid would keep aloof, till
more tranquil times should come round
again. :, 49,. j.. -.
But Ittai, the Gittite, had such a Warm
heart, that he never balanced in his eau
tious head the pros and cons Of this self
| ish philosophy. ~
This man did not linger a moment on
the bank of the brook to consider the ha-
card he ran, or the probability that be
should loose his head, If Absalom's BAN
ners proved victorious. The time serv-
ing Shimei made many a sylogism in this
prudent logic Ittai's process Of reason
ing was more summarys fer he pass
! ed over, and all his men, aud al the lit
| tie ones that were with him. - -
| Though a kingdom and a child's If.
feetions were fast fading away before the
sight of David, and We might easily sup
pose him absorbed in his scalamities, he
/ was NOT so snnken in the trance of woe,
not to remark the promt fidelity of Ittai.
But such zeal, at such season, and
from such a quartet, appeared enignati-
erl--" Wherefore gosst thou also with
us I For thou art . stranger and also an
exile. Whereas thou camest but yes.