The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1811-01-05


mariners return from distant voyage to
their friends, even those rough and hardy
sons of the storm are hushed by the awful
ness OF the scepe-she feet enters the har-
bour with sio7u and solemn sound If the
oar-and at this moment. Of ,hrobbing eX
neutrality-suspicious. comes forth md how
She CONES forth-teading Iwo of her chit
dre''-1vih ne urn containing the ashes II
Germanicns in her h1nd--and her eyes
sfeddfasffy fred on tbGt Precious object p
o! what subject tor PALMER of genius
A general groan is heard--a proniscuous
scene of sorrow foilows-and then comes
one OF the most delicate strokes of the wri-
ter's pencil-that, by which he distinguishes
the retinue OF Agrippina, from the surroun
ding crowd-to the first, the subject was not
new-'heir tears and their strength were ex
hausted: they appear, therefore, as was
most natural, with a languid air. and the
deepest expression of sorrow, settled upon
their faces--while the crowd. Welding to
the sensation of the moment, break our 4Jirh
all the Vehemence ofrecent grjrf.
Iacitus, then proceeds TO describe the miz
iitary procession which, bv the order of the
infamous hypoorite, Tiberius, escorted the
ashes OF Germanicus to Rome. Tiberius in
deed, furnished the cohorts and prescribed
the form of the procession; but it was ma
ture that gave i, its highest grace. When
they advanced near Rome" The copsuls
Marcus Falerius Messiah. and Marcus An
rehus Gotta, who, little before, had enter.
ed on their rhagistracy, with the whole Sc
nate and numerous body of citizens. want
ont to meet the melancholy train. The road
was crowded; no order kept; no regular.
! procession, they walked and wept as incli-
notion prompted. Flafferv had no share %,
the 6usiness: where the co}rt rejoired in
M ,,nf
Japor. Iiberu,>, indeed, tlissemble bu,
he Gould not deceive. Through the thin
disguise, the malignant heart was seem"
In TINS perfect style--N'ithout one touch
, OF the pencil. too mauv or one too few-does
TINS master OF the art finish up this fine piece
OF historical painting-l am seasiDle. that
in turning The attention nf the reader from
Agrippina to Taci,us, have diyerged a l,t.
tie from the immediate subject of this mum
Der. am still, however, within the general
range OF these papers; tor one of my objects
Is 70 endeavor To call off the attention of NV
readers, at least for an hour mr. two every
week. from the painful chickering's of politi
cal party, to the pure and peaceful charm.
/ OF literature; and perhaps this will be BET
ter cnecte by incidental remarks than bv
any series of set and formal dissertations.
Let us now return to Agrippina
| This noble lady, who has Just been held
uPto us in the soft and melting light of wi
lowed love and fidelity makes a very diff
terent figure land if not a more winning. a,
least more glorious one,) in another part of
the history.
The Roman army, under the command of
Sefmanicus was encamped in Gaul (nos
rrapce) which was then, by right IF con-
quest, province of the empire Leaving
Ill TINS camp his wife and children. wi, /
the man body OF the army, the Roman &c
neral crossed the Rhine with a strong de
Zach ment, and invaded Germany, then de
tended by the genius and hero SIN of Afmi
MUS, a savage chicftain, whose characte,
mas been drawn and imrnort alised BIZ the
generous acitus. lam not about to follow
Ser nan'cus IN this march-;but if the rea-
der wishes to see how the pencil of hislori-
| cal truth can eclipse the brightest colors OF
notion, in painting 20 the heart. let ME re-
commend it to him (may / not add, 10 herr J
10 persue the historians account of this in
teresting expedition. Let it suffice for me
to say, that Germanicus, victorious ard sue
cessful IN his grand object, divided his de-
tachment into two parts; and sailing with
one OF them on new enterprise, he left the
other, under the care of recina, an able and
experienced officer, to return to the camp on
the banks of the Rhine. The Germans.
dispersed but not vanquished, rallied on the
/
over the division under the command of
C@cina, harrassed it on its march, and me-
naced it with daily extinction.
At this crisis, report reached the camp
on the Kline, that the Roman army was
cut TO pieces and that the Germans flushed
with conquest, were pouring down to the
INVASION 4 Gaul. The CONSERVATION was such
that 1T was proposed to demolish the bridge
over the Rhine 1t was then thai Agr,D
pima, awakened from dreams of love. and
OF her husbands glory. displayed that coun-
terpart OF his soul, which informed her boz
som. The particulars of the recent expedi
| ton were unknown 70 her: Gcrmanicus
himself might thep be flying to the camp
with the remnant of his vanqushed !eginns.
and the demolition of the bridge would cst
oil his retreat, and throw him, a, once
into the hands OF his savage enemies And
even II he had fallen, did il become a Ro
man army, and one, too, over which the
genius OF Germanicus had presided, to be-,
tray this dIstardly & infamous terror before
a horde OF undi.ciplined barbarians. The
limbeciiity OF her sex vanished: all the
/ nero arose IN her breast; and springing to
! the held, at the head of the astonished lie
gions, she not only prevented the demol,-
tion OF the bridge. but marched across it to
the German bank, and secured the country.
toreleve any hying remnant of the Roman
army, and repcl the invaders, or dissipate
the fears of the camp by proving the .ai.acy OF
the report. The report was falacous; but
the glory OF AgIippIna was the same PHI
ny" says Iacitus, d" has left IN his history of
the wars IN Germany. description of Az
1 at i.s..,l 6 4. l..