Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1811-04-25


health of body and serenity of mind.
Time had enteebled, without destroy.
ing, his faculties, His memory re.
sembled an ancient manuscript, the
| characters of which are indeed pale
and obscure but in which no,hing is
effaced or even illegible. His eyes
still retained Sufficient vigour 10 ena
! bic him to enjoy the beauties of ma
ture through the vsrious scenes of the
revolving year and he was, when 1
accosted him, meditating upon spec
tacle which had with himself forcible
analoeies for he, too, must soon de-
scend bclow.the horizon OF life 49,.
Bat, added he, am prepared TO obey
| that great law. Death is necessity
OF our nature, with which, at my age,
1t may be sweet to comply. The ra-
| pid and varied passage of the success
sive generations on the theatre of eX-
istence, is "a dispensation Of Providence
no less benevolent than wise.-Yet, I
confess it, will be attached to life as
long as my heart shall retain SUI
ficient activity aud warmth to love my
children, and my country, and to feel
gratitude towards Heaven I'VE
| had now reached his modest abode.
Upon our appearance, eight or nine
boys and girls, who, he informed me,
were his grand children, ran to meet
us. "You will see, added he, how
affectionately they love me Their
tenderness is, indeed, the chief source
OF the happiness that gids the decline
OF my existence" In fleet, they see
med to vie in paying to him every
tribute ofattschraent and respect due to
age. and to the parental character.
1" Evelina, said the venerable Senior,
addressing one Of the girls, apprizc
your mothe:' that l have brought a
stranger with me, and that TO her I
/ delegate task Of which she is pretty
fond, that OF hospitality" Evelina left
us with the smile of welcome on her
rosy lips, and FASTENED into the house,
which, soon after, we entered our
selves. was introduced to the ia
mily, consisting of the old mans
two sons, their wives, Zone OF whom
was Evelina's mother, and the chill
dren whom 1 have already men
toned. One heart seemed to ami
mate them all; every thing, in that
auaiable family, retraced the Innocence,
the simplicity, the dignity OF ancient
manners, and presented some image Of
happiness & viitnc. There the native
elasticity OF tn human soul was hap
! Il a., - D..
ocr1tdS courted and sung by the bard
OF iivoli, had fixed IT'S abode; there
Patriarchal hospitality was exercised
with unaffected kindness there, too,
religion, unalloyed with fana,icism. re-
llgion, pure and conso!ing, as wnen she
! frst descended from heaven. had found
sincere votaries, With what emotion q
Joined in the evening, ana in the morn
ing hymo, commenced, with a tremu-
ious, but highly impressive accent, by
the venerable Planter, who, like pat
riarch of old, was at once. the parent,
the chief, and the priest of his family !,
This simple homage Of the heart, no
| doubt, assembled to the tn one of the
Deity, of whom trust it is not psc-
sumptuous TO say that it was worthy !!
II shall not dwell on the various
marks OF affection, respect, and defer
ence, bestowed on the interesting Sc
Nor, not only by his children, and
grand children, but also by several of
his neighbours, who visited him dur.
ing my stay at his house, and whose
oracle he seemed to be; on the beauty
and fertility of a settlement, which the
industry of his manhood had, in some
measure, created on his small, but
well chosen library, where, as he him
self observed, he always found afriend
to instruct or am0se him, when alb
stracted for few moments from his
aHectionate offspring.
Fortunate SeRer! Thrice happy old
man In none OF those vortices, called
cities, where the riches, the strength, &
the morals of nation are too often en-
gulphed, could have contemplated so
interesting a spectacle When /
first met thee, ] was inclined to pity
thy grey locks, to shed over thee the
balmy tears Of sympathy and, upon
leaving thy abode, sincerely congrat-
ulated thee on thy happiness. on the
tranquility of thy declining days, or
the respect which thy children and Il
neighbours entertain for thee. on The