The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1811-03-05


luton considered aristocracy as noxous
plant, and meant to extlrpate it +; but this
shoot was left behind, and unless we I Ike
care OF il, will one day sprout UP and ffou-
IRISH anew, 1t you view this subject in as
serious light as / do. you will agree with
me that such obvious distinctions should be
abolished, or it they must be kept up, that
they be conferred on our citizens solely in
proportion to their virtues, talents and use
fulness.
am Sir,
With honest respect,
your friend and fellow citizen.
RICHARD NAMPER.
About the insertion of the following letter,
from Richmond. have for several days, been
made to entertain very strong doubts by the
strenuous opposition OF my ncicc, Rosalie. She
insists that the character of the writer is an
assumed one; that his pleasure is affected !;
and that the most keen and biting irony lurks
under his compliments. She says that my
living so far from the scene. of active and
polished life, disables me from comparing
these pictures, which are sent me, with The
originals and thus subjects me to be made
an instrument to crafty individual pique and
malice: that it would comport very lily with
what she knows to be my disposition to give
pain to individuals Intentionally !; and, that.
| this letter, however general the face of
1t, will be well understood in the circles to
which it relates, ought not to run the least
! risquein giving it currency.
All this is Certainly very prudent. But,
then, consider that if irony be intended by
the writer it will have no edge, unless the
errors exist which alone can make it irony !:
and if they do exist, The irony is DESERVED
| As to individual censure Ihave 40 fear of it !:
L know that personal motives cannot be i'm
puted to me. The letter itself contains no.
thing individual or personal: And If there
be individuals whose conscience applies it,
ironically to themselves, the maxim will be
remembered---' qti cafut, lie facit"--he
who takes the application to himself, makes
it.
1t the errors exist, which this letter i'm
plies (taking itironicaly)I have no mercy
or feeling for them. They deserved TO be
Kissed out of pure and yirtuous society. If
they do not exist, the letter, instead OF hav
'og double, has only single aspect and
that complimentary one. And as, in eli
Their way, it is well-written and amusing,
shall, without farther hesitation, give it TO
the public.
SIR,
am the only son of German far.
mer, who removed some thirty years ago
rom Pennsylvania to one of our upland
Counties, where he married my mother
sno where by djnt of indus ~ and frugality
he acquired large estate. My father
feeling the insuffciency of his own educasi-
on, determined 10 make a scholar of me &
accordingly put me to the best schools
which thar part of the county Afforded
My education was scarcely completed be
fore l married the daughter of respecta-
Die nelSbboP, connection of my mother,
who brought me a handsome portion
had not been married two years before
death deprived me both of nv wife and my
father--And AFTER passing away three nr
four dull years on my estate, / determined
! TO seek happiness in :his city of whose gale
ty and pohteneSs had beard such inviting
descriptions.
thought l would make my debut during
the sitting of the General Assembly, and
therefore providing myself with pair of
handsome horses and new suit of clothes.
for myself and my valet. set out for Rich
mnnd with the Delegates from ouf. County
one of whom is an old schooi-fsllow and
the other my wife'S brother. My object,
DIR. Cecil, is to enjoy life, not by plunging
into the vices and dissipation which / am
cod prevails in all cities, but to be free from
the trouble and care attendant on business
---lo Uc Witnln reach OF q reGUeQ, ntelii.
gent and agreeable society of bo.h sexes
and it pcrchance should meet with an a.
miable woman who should find me to her
taste as well as suit my own, to be once
more candidate for matrimonial felicity
have now been here upwards Of two
months, asd can truly say l have every
reason to congratulate myself on the change
OF my residence. Every day furnishes me
with some new idea Or imparts some new
pleasure. My most sangune expectations
have been more than realized. And some
times think am now enjoying that true
Epicurean life of blended reason aud plea
sure which l had pictured to my magma
ton rather than ever hoped to experience,
The first thing which struck my at ention,
next to the ceasees stir and hustle in the
streets and the shewy elegance of the shops
was the smoothness and polish of manners
which L could not but contrast with the
Coarse simplicity ofmy neis hbors and COUP
ty men. | no longer wondered that the
terms ctUihfy " fiokifeness were derived
from words signifying towns. SO great wac
the effect Of this universal courtesy, that ]
was sometimes tempted to tn * there was
something peculiarly Interesting in nv ap-
pearance, which these refined citizens.
whose cultivated tastes are so alive to the
elegant and the beautiful, had discovered at
first sight. II / went into shop to get
some little article of dress which were ne
cessary to make me resemble the gay young
men met with the shop keeper took part
cuiar pains to accommodate me~.<told me
what was fashionable or Otherwise. Tina
Lawyer Lounge had coat of this and Dr.