Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1811-04-25
FOR THE ARGUS.
THE
PHILANTHROPIST.
(No. W
Fortunate Senex >!
Nrsil, Eel 1.
Thrice happy old Man
FOR THE ARGUS.

l.. -.
DARK and lugubrious views OF
human nature are no less painful to
me than to my readers. l hasten,
therefore, to elface the gloomy i'm
pressions which my last number may
have left on their minds, by the mar
rative enclosed to the friend, whose
letter partly transcribed.
In the fall of 1910, upon my return
from an excursion into distant coun-
! ty, I rode slowly, along the roman
| tic banks of #** River, indulging in
that melancholy, yet delightful c0erie,
into which autumnal scenes never fail
to throw me, and stopping, now and
then, to admire the picturesque OBJ
iccts around, when the venerable f.
! CURE of an aged planter, leaning "a
gainst an ancient oak, whose branches
partly projected over my path, sud-
denly caught my eye.
perhaps, says Blair, the most COM
plete assemblage of beautiful objects
that can any where be found is pre-.
scented by rich natural landscape,
where there is sufficient variety OF
objects fields in verdure, scattered
trees, and flowers, running, water, and
animals grazing. II to these be Join
ed some of the productions of art,
which suit such scene /; as bridge
with arches over river, smoke rising
from thescottages in the midst Of trees,
and the distant view of fine building
by the rising Sun we then enjoy,
in the highest perfection, the gay,
cheerful. and placid sensation, which
! characterizes beauty"
Thus far the Legislator of taste.
would have added: C A still superior
| charm, that of sentiment, will be spread
over the landscape, if somewhere In
the interesting group, be placed hui
man beings, who, by their age, or any
other circumstance, harmonic with
the season OF the year, and its CONGO
Militant scenery; for instance, if, on a
vernal day, at the moment when, with
brilliant tints Of renewed vigour and
beauty, nature energies from the
shades of night, some lovely child
be seen, lightly tripping over the lawn
in pursuit. of the gay butterfly, or some
rustic Hebe appear, gathering, as she
--osae rho G>-,-a-,---.eAsy the ucWy
blossoms OF the wild rose, on the mos
sy banks of a transparent rlll; or if,
towards eve, in Autumn, some rural
NeStor be found, seated, under a de-
cayed tree, near the,ruins Of a monu.
meht, perhaps coeval with himself,
and gazing, in expressive silence, on
the glorious orb of the setting Sun,
already half concealed below the Yves
tern horizon" oh there are few
scenes in nature so ineffably moving
as the last AS, upon the occurrence
which I have just related, | looked at
the venerable unknown before me, I
was forcibiy struck by this impress
sive consonance between him and the
surrounding objects. Only few Ian
guild flowers now diversified the ia
ding verdure, which here and there
still mantled the skirts of the road.
The evening breeze was scarcely
heard 10 sigh through the adjacent
woods, whose disco!oured foliage see
med TO be detached and scattered a.
round me, by some invisible hand.
The waves OF. the river, gently pro-
PEELED by each other, silently expired
on the sandy shore. The dying rays
OF the Sun still impurpled the Wes-
tern sky, bu, their tints were feeble,
and evanescent. In short, the univer-
sal aspect of nature, at that moment,
and in that place, presented none but
images OF weakness, languor, and de-
cav.
Thus attuned for sympathy, 1 re-
specially accosted the rural patriarch,
and, after the ordinary compliments,
entered into more particular con-
versation with him.-rhe day was
now rapidly drawing to its close. DO
you see, said to me the good Old Man,
solitary house, upon yon hill -
Yes We'll follow me there. Under
my humble roof, YOU will find fru-
gal repast 70 recruit your exhausted
strength and simple couch to enjoy
nightly repose.-Accustomed as / am
to the unceremonious hospitality of
my country, / accepted his offer, a.
lighted from my horse, and began to
walk by the side of my venerable COM
panion. could not forbear admirinr
the noble mixture Of simplicity and
difruifv which ch.,ractc~,.,eJ H. .-.,.,