Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1809-11-21

enIyened by visits from some OF his Lon-
don friends, men of sense and learning, and
some of them men Of pietyr
y MY mother, when she was in tolerable
spirits, was now frequently describing the
kind Of woman whom she wished me to
marry. :. I am SO firmly persuaded,
Charles would she kindly say, S of the
business of your taste, and the rectitude OF
your principles, that am not much afraid
Of your being misled by the captivating ex-
terror OF anv woman who is greatly de6ci.
ent either in sense or conduct, but remember
my son, that there are many women against
whose characters there lies nothing very OBJ
iectionable, who are yet little calculated to
taste, or to communicate rational happiness.
Do not indulge romantic ideas of super hu;;
man excellence. Remember that the tair-
est creature is fallen creature. Yetlet not
your standard be low. Ifit be absurd to ex-
peet perfection, it is not unreasonable to ex-
pect consisfence. Do not suffer yourself to
be canght by shining quality, till you
know it is not counteracted by the opposite
defect. Be not tax IN in by stricsness in one
point, till you are assured there is no laxity
in others. In character as in architecture,
proportion is beauty. The education ofthe
present race of females is not very favorable
TO domestic happiness. For my own part
call education not that which smothers
woman with accomplishments, but that
which tends to consolidate firm and regu-
lar system of character !; that which tends
to form friend, companion, and wife.
call education not that which is made up
of the shreds and patches of useless arts,
but that which inculcates principles, polish
estaste, regulates temper, cu'tivates reason,
subdues the passions, directs the feelings,
habituates to reflection, trains to self denial,
and, more especially, that which refers all
actions, feelings, sentiments, tastes, and
passions, TO the love and fear Of God.
had yet had little opportunity of con-
trasting the charms of nay native place with
the less wild and romantic beauties of the
south. twas passionately fona ofthe scene
ry that surrounded me, which had never vet
lost that power of pleasing, which it is COM
monty imagined that novelty can alone con-
fer.
The Priory, handsome Gothic mansion,
stands in the middle of a park, not extensive.
but beautifully varied. Behind are lofty
mountains, the feet Of which are covered.
with wood that descends almost to the
house. On one side narrow cultivated
valley winds among the mountains the
bright warts gated tints of its meadows and
corn fields, with here and there a little white
cottage, embossomed in trees, are finally
contrasted with the awful and impossible
feiis which contain il.
An inconsiderable but impetuous river
rushes from the mountains above, through
thi. unadorned but enchanting little valley,
and passes through the park at distance
of about hundred yards from the house.
The ground falls beautifully down to it;
and on the other side is fine wood of
birch oscrhanging the river, which is here
crossed by small rustic bridge: after be-
ing enlarged by many streams from the
neighboring hills, it runs about half mile
to the lake below, which, FROM the front of
the house, is seen in full beauty. 1t is
noble expanse of water. The mountains
that surround it are some of them covered
with wood, some skirted with cultivation,
some rocky and barren to the waters edge;
while the rugged SUBMITS of them all pre-
sent every variety of fantastic outline
Towards the head of the lake nea, little
village ornaments the banks, and wonder
fully harmonzes with the simple beauty of
the scene. Atan opening among the hills,
view is caught of the distant country, a
wide vale richly wooded, adorned every
where withtowns, villages, and gcntlemen's
houses, and backed by sublime mountains
rivalling in height, though not in their bro
ken and Alpine forms, those that more i'm
mediately surround US.
While was thus dividing my time be-