The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1805-05-14

thoic Of others-fie obferves the human character
IN all its grave, well exccntrio movsmsnts-in
fhort is alive to all around him, and preen,s an
admiri,.g wsrld the ntereiting iPeefsce Of YOUTH
combining the pioA iublime faculties, the mon vgi-
liant objervation, and the warmeR virtues, Marx the
fame youth few months hence after his resurrection
from the bed of fin. Gracious Heaven can this b.
the fame where is the vigorou. cefture the eye Of
fire. the form and manly voice. and the roiea,s bloom
of health ! See how feebiy his eniicated form tot
tiers along Fled are the rofes from his cheek dim
the ure Of his eye, fallen his village anu his voice,
! once all melody, is now nothing than trenu-
lous dcord Or grant that his health may yet remain,
his foul, the breath of heaven, is fuicd. No more
are we enlightened by the profound remark, no
more we aonlihed at the brilliant flight of ina
gia,ion no more attracted by the amable
ientimeu, of virtue! His mind, once 10 active, 10
excurfive, 70 towering, grove!s and Numbers in
the duff All its gay and rich creation of ideas has
yanihed like von OF enchantment, and all its glory
is extinguiihed His heart, too, that once bea, re-
fponiive every call of virtue, that melted Ger the
tale OF pity, sowed indignant the piaure OF cru
city and role into extacy 1t actions of generoty and
nagnann,ity, whittier have all its delicate lenGbl-
tiles fed Scattered and hurled to ruin before tile
| black form Of vice. Melancholy reverfe See
with what grim dicontcnt he fcowls on that creation
the view Of which once gave him peafure Tn.
FAIRS that lately beamed deli ht to him now become
his accuiers and pirate of his midnight exceiIes-and
what OF all other the mott heart-aecing Change
that hand which but few months ago was nrerched
forth in friendihip and refpea to greet him, now
points at him g the flow unmovng finger of fcorn p
Whittier ihall he look for hapPiaeis For bseen:i,
do Fay Whittier ih-ll he fly for refuge! The
neutrality-suspicious. of his ruined hopes Fart iii gloomy
array before his imagination and haunt him to mad
neis DePar, detracfon in every feaiure he is redu-
cd to the bitter alternative, of bordering in olitude
on the wreck OF his name, or of afiuaging for
ment the burning filings of confidence by repetition
OF his crime. Mierable remedy if every new
tranigrefon did lend an additional thorg TO the
envenomed fourge of rehexion.
I'tbi' Janty or Is faS7 Let me appeal to the
man who has made progrefs in this crime, whether
bhis is not itrsnger to his brealf /? Nay whether
1t not the principal employment of his life to Hy
from the tormenting alarms of thought Whether
me clouds OF gnoniny and contempt which farround
him, do not afume darknefs infinitely more diirna
when he remembers the fplendor with which the fun
OF ms youth a-ofe' Whether he does not Ggh with
regret Tor the chae fociety which he has forfeited
and whether III the paroxyims Of his anguih he doe:
not even pray for annihationl
Wemay hepray for it, for if the difp,eaeure OF this
world be 10 inolerable, what viii the dple Azure OF
heaven be /! When his foul diveRed of its earthly
tenement ana with it, of all the articles with which
he was wont TO drown the clamours of confidence
iEal have no other employment than to f,rvey it.
ta,ic world OF iaints and angels and TO wrhe undo,
the vengeance OF an offended God With what color
oil pauilbity can the lbertne hope for future happ
neis IL his vices render him unfit companion
for the more respectable part of the human race, car
me be ht companion for the mma oulate purity o
louis emParadh'd! Or iuppoie ne were admitted Il
that bleiied fociety, what happuefs could he taHe
Let him appeal to his experience OIL earth. What i
the icene OF his Peaiures the company of the vir.
. tuous No, from fuch, his foul thinks back, Gk,
the bird OF knight from the meridian effulgence O.
the iua. No, ne feeks his poor plealures in circ.
whole every habit and fentiment, whole every look
word and deed is pollution and guilt. Could he hop
Tor peace then even fhe were admitted into the bo
ION OF heaven No, to him every cherubimic fini
would be dagger; every hymn drausht of TN
deadlielt potion.
II then the libertne knows no real lows on thi
earth and can know none hereafter-f on the contra
ry his life is perpetual flight from an accuing con
clence-it his practices tend Gas they certainly do
tothe degradation of his nteecas, to the defrueio
oil his character and tranquility here ard to his per
dition in that life which flal never end, would de-
mand of him what object his crimes give him fuic;
emily to balance all this havock! Is the n.diors ami
mercenary fmle OF 4 proitituSe, an equivalent 70
temporal and eternal ruin VIVA, pity is it tina, E
very mans lips will aniwer this queltion in the MEGA
tive while their lives give it an affirmative anfuer-
what pity is it that while the road to peace and cha
ra9er here and bIifs in the realms Of .adn,
light is 10 iimpe, 70 obvious 70 direct that voutb for
ever deriae into the wilderness of vice The tim
will come when thi, choice fall be repented of Coz
end that it be not too ate-when death f1a d;fIoIv
the charm which had fettered their fenGes and wbe,
repentance hall have merit-this view of the f,b
Jeet is too painful. Let rather indulge the hone q
reformation. The arguments in it's favour are e
rong that in order to be effecua they need only =,
be coniidered. On the one hand temperance health
wiidom, honour reipeaability, peace: on the other
intemPerance, dfeafe, infamy, and niGery-Paufe
and weigh this hatement-Paufe, e'er diiipatop Ihal
have icsttered abroad the bloom of youthful beauty
and contigned your names to indelible difgrace-
Pauie Ger the anger Of heaven ihall oyertake Won
when your tears of duplication and fcreams of terror
ihall be Knocked; when you f1a exclaim amid III,
horrors OF eternal ruin, GO that had obeyed IN,
Injunction Of 81. Paul! o that had fed youthh,
LUIS"
BodIng politicians have adopted a proverb
that the want of news is an Indication of tn
prosperous fate of the world what then nuf
we think of the profperity of our political af
fairs, when there is not even Jingle meaCur,
OF our general government, which can excite
iliQuI6t and diIcHITou. thouob flers - , -.