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

acquires new desires, new passions,
as well as new virtues, and new sour
ces of pure felicity, it seldom surren.
ders any of its innate propensities.
The letter alluded TO is from Mrs. AL.
lear, worthy and sensible woman,
whose unshakcn friendship towards
me and mine, and particularly towards
my little Charlotte, the darling child oi
my heart, claims my warmest gratitude
and deepest veneration--it runs thus
To LAUNCELOT SENSITIVE.
FARMER,
X 4 X COUNT,
VA.
RICHMOND, March IL, 1911.
My DEAR REcLUsE,
Our young friend,
Ned Goodfellow, is just setting off on
a distant excursion, and will pass
through your county. You know his
unaffected, obliging, ardent temper.
Hearing that 1 mad expressed wish
of meeting with conveyance for a
packet directed to you, though his
way lies, at least, twenty FIVE miles
from your cottage, he has inureated to
be favoured with my commands. AS
well know that Ned's offers always
flow from his heart, and are not mere
complimentary forms, have entrus.
ted him with my packet, and dare
say that the honest lad will deem
himself both honoured and happy in
thus obliging an -. old woman.
To my beloved Cod Daughter,
Charlotte, send some new music, and
some sketches, which Mr.. P*w an
excellent teacher in this place, has
been so kind as to draw at nv request.
tor the improvement of the lovely little
Rustic. have added some elemen.
tary books which l know, she will like.
And to you, my Philosopher, or ra
Their, my Savage, l send -. oh
Launcelet, thank me fervently thank
me ;thank me or your knees-I send to
you the Old Bachelor. See at what
trouble have been to cut and ar
range, in neat form, the numbers of
that charming work, hitherto publish
ed?--and all this for you, for one who
once bade a long, an eternal farew ell
to orators, poets, moralists, &c. &c. -
When, upon the death of your affec-
tIonate wife, tortured, overwhelmed,
by the anguish of your widowed heart /;
beset, too, with other melancholy ca
sualties, you tore yourself off from So
ciety, in paroxism of ungovernable
grief; and, collecting the scanty
fragments of fortune originally
small, and eventually impaired by cir
cumstances which you could neither
anticipate, nor prevent, you few with
your infant daughter, your only child,
to the lonely and wild retreat which
you now inhabit, urged you to have
pity on yourself; to carry books into
your solitude, and to subscribe to
some of our best literary and political
gazettes. / thought that the reading
OF these. together with the occasional
letters of few faithful and sympa-
thiZlng friends, and above all, the in.
fsntine caresses of your Charlotte, and
the sweet engagement which her pre-
sent nurture, and her subsequent edu-
cation, would afford, could not fail of
pouring into your lacerated heart the
healing balm of consolation. From
time and labour, expected the rest
But the voice of friendship died on
your ear; it penetrated not to your
heart--no, no---you could not read
you could not think--you could only
feel-to court the awful gloom OF
the sylvan shades, and there to in.
dulge in the luxury of unobserved,
unrestrained, ADD undivided woe, was
now to be your sole occupation, your
only solace. In the frenzy of your
unmanly grief, (for it was, indeed,
unmanly y the angelic smiles of your
lovely babe were scarcely noticed.
The chords of parental affection see
med to be snapped.-But, Launcelot,
this retrospect is cruel. You have
since expiated your want of resigna.
ton, and fortitude, at a moment which
required both in the highest degree
Cheer up! / believe you worthy oil
reading the Old Bachelor !. %. I believe
that your bosom will beat responsive
to his generous sentiments and youi
mind reverberate his exalted ideas