The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1804-10-24

IT'S on the bleak and barren heath
Where Mifery feels the ihaft Of death,
As to the dark and freezing grave,
Her children, mot friend to favs)
Unheeded go p
The frf of thefs prints repreients woman of
fafhon, in room fuperbly furniihed reclned uron
couch near blazing FIRE, before which, on tafelled
cufhion, lies little French lap-dog. The feeconed
curtain over the fofa the Etrufcan ornaments on The
chmneypece, and the decorations of the olet-table
exhibit good picture OF the interior fplendour of
fashionable dreiiing room.
To this offentatious dfplay Of the encrva.ng COM
forts OF modern opalence, the picture exhibits
itrikng contra. 1t prefeDts us poor bare footed
and unaccommodated outcan OF focety feated on the
cold earth, in the midi of barren heath far from the
bully haunts of men, and expoled to the pe.;nc of
the pitilef form her baket of ballads b. her Gde
one OF her children crept hivering under her fcanty
cloak, and the other dead at her feet.
81 No g.
Is it in chambers filken-tiren,
AT tables which proftrfion heap,
Is it on pillows foft to ref,
In dreams OF long and balny lcep!
All No p
"'Tis in the rufhy but obfcure,
Where povestys low fouls endure;
And fcarcely daring TO repine,
On ifraw pallet, mute, recline,
O'erwhelm'd with woe ;,
In No. 3, the fair artt has deIineated a Woman
OF faiion at her atin Meal which fhe takes while
fhe is in bed, attended by her waiting-maid and fur
rounded by her children, with well fpread breakfast
table and comfortable fire. As an ornolu cloak is diff
played on the chmney-piece, Mrs. Conway might
have marked the hour which our people of the Ion
begin what they call their day.
In opPoiition to this, we have in No. poor half
naked family employed in their daily labour, which
10 far from furniihng them with any of the esnforis
hardly fupPlies them with the mechanics of life.
Nos.
Is 1t to Haunt in warm attire
To laugh, and feat, and Dance and Gng,
To crowd around the blazing FIRE,
And make the roof with revels fng
All !! MOI
No. 6.
It's on TIA tyijsn's hinty floor,
lis where she d-zf'ninJ, whirlvxinds roar,
It's when the fea-boy on the matt
Hears the wave bounding to the blah,
And looks below !"
As Tong and dance is 70 much the buiinefs of the
preient race OF ahonables there is fome proprety in
representing fuch party 70 employed.
This contrased in the companion print by the hor-
rors ofaprfon, totheHoor of which poor old man is
chained accompanied by ayoung female, who we may
fuppofeh daughter kneeling lifting I'D her
ven, and praying for his deliverance. Through the
iron grating Of the priion, we have view of vef-
Eel in a thunderstorm.
Is it beneath the taper's ray
The bauquets luxury to ihare,
And waite the midnight hours away,
With fJ9iOas idle votaries there
All No"
Kits in the cheerlefs naked room
Where mifery's victims wait their doom,
Where fond n,t5ey famifil'd dies
While forth frantic fatber flies
Mars defperate foe"
No. z. may politely be the view of a fashionable
breakfast, where profufon pours her copious hores.
This luxurious Podgality is in the next print, con-
traited by beautiful female, fun! to the floor exhau-
ed by hunger, and perilhing-whilea naked infant is
licking nourhment from her brean and the frantic
father ruihing out of the room, as Mrs. Robinion
has well deicribed him--l1aas dgLpraie foe!
No. 9,
Is it 10 lavih fortune's fore
In vain, fantaaic, empty Joys!
To ieatter round the glittering ORE
And wOrhip foly's gildcd toys'
All MOP
No. 10.
/" IT'S in the filent fpot obfcure,
Where, fofe'd all forrows to endure,
Pale CsniS turns, Oh loffen fad
To court the vain, and on Bs5aS
Falfe prafe below %
In No. we have a number Of female fifhiona-
bles purchalng hneryf from milliner and IN No 10
an alegorical figure of Genius contemplating the ba
OF lofty colunn, on which we may fuppofe there
will be inilribed falSe pesegyric.
No. IL.
Is it where gdmcEer'g throngirg round
Their filming heaps of wealth dfpIay?
Where vices faihiond tribes are found,
Sporting their fenfeefs hours away
All Nor
No. 10.
IT'S where neglected H1eyit fghs,
Where Rops e1hauaed, filent dies,
Where 1rfps farves by pride oppreGd,
Till every itresm that warns the breaR
Forbears to flow 70
In No, II, we have the representation Of a fahi-
enable party, eagerly attempting to plumber each O.
Their at gaming table, to which
With equal haze they run,
Some to undo, and to be undone.
The lat piAure is allegoriesi, and as clear as allie
gorieal Pieafcs ufually though we cannot well
conceive how the peacock which IS introduced as the
representative Of Pride, have opprefTed merit.
ORIGINAL COMMUNICATIONS.