Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1810-06-30
OTRELto.

It was my hint to- speak,
80 OTaELto.
remembefto have read in tales Of knight
Srrantry Of certain Ill. starred champions,
condemned from their birth by some willy
magician TO continual Succession of mis-
haps and adventures. My admiration has
been frequently excited by similar PERSON
ages who have come within ny own oSserva.
zion, every day Of whGseiixesAas beenmark.
cd, BY their'eW account, with some UMPIRE
cedented accident or exploit; whose 'cohver-
satiOn is kind of rGree. show, in which num-
-bsrIess wonderful scenes and extraordinary
adventures are continually exhibited to sur
prise US, and whom some malicious enchant-
erRPpssrs to have spell.bound 70 lead unto
6iIsmmaE to which the knight of La Man
chA's battle with the WipdlniHs; or PalINGa'S
eRseWsseT with tbs tWeIVs men in Kendall
gFVsR, are Eisre PismlsS Of wonders.
My fFisRd Dick 'SsaVswsIl, although he
! has never besi fly miles from hume, has, |
verify believe. seen msfs surprising sights,
and encountered mefs mcVihs accidents by
~Hood and field" than any nian sinee the days
Of Othsllo. Besides d number Of Standing
adventures which have been regularly served
UP TO me every time have visited him, eve
~ step which he tAkcs from home furnishes
Diek with new budget Of wonders. Does
be ride half dozen failes for an airing the
very elements conspire to defeat his inten-
tioR. Heis either half-drowned.in storm.
carried away by the sudden aoOding of the
streams, or betrayed BY the darkness of the
night 1othe botton of ditch. Every hedge
is peopIed with fSotpads, and every common
converted into Hounslow Heath, and it is
matter Of wonder to every one but him self,
that he has survived his n1uiberless accidents
: and encounters, and the consequent contu-
sionS, wounds and dislocations.
But the most surprising and entertaining
CpeFsoaS ofthis sort are the travellers to TO-
:rCigB parts, Who from their more extensive
: range Of adventure, Ere enabled to bestow
I: greater variety and novelty Of Embellishments
GGpon their relations. One cfthese'liSing re-
Spositorics Of wonders, W hen he Is in the J" We.
Try tempest and whirlwind" Of his 'descrip-
s~tions, resembles very much the dauntless
: knight.or chevaIier Of yore, bestriding some
= eAehanted beast that whirls him with prodi-
a9ioas velocity through hysnas and dragons,
>0verh iilsS wales, and preciPicss, tillSe should
become Absolutely rizSy with the fear Of his
!, breaking his neek,adid we not advert to that
.gostunats and Iaudahes rule which, on such
occasions, undeyiatingly ,preseribes success to
boh species of adTenturers. .. d.
,Thsre are three causes which induced the
ssRAelsef tSis elGss'ot personagesto this sort
Of exhibition. the one, an extreme inclina-
ticn % amuse 4she secOnl, q natural tendsn-
ey to magnify, and q aim beiet Of the i'm
pcrsanceIcE whatever appertains 10 self, the
ptheris an excessive desire TO eRcreass our
consideration in che eyes Of7others ofwhich
motives, the one Is 50 generous and disinter-
.essed, and she two last so natural that, As it
xphld sesua, the whole corps Of travellers
end, oahee. makers Of wonders have considered
fkem 5 fsir polOgyfps hbOing and 4yiRgwith
Snpupity. ] DO not know, however, whether
ths liberal geaerOsity with whish reason, pro-
: eSbisity and possibility are sacrificed b. che
are sf shpasSe repsia Will thss>g ulPsssi