Alexandria gazette, commercial and political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1812-1817, 1816-08-23

From the past, and conclusions formed
upon the comparison of former and pre-.
jent appearances. Can it be supposed
THAT person moving in one sphere of life
|cau ever firm correct notion of ,b,,
igreat whole OF is it reasonable TO thint
hat Books can convey tia lively pictprs
lof lie whichis only found abroad. Even
he Painters lively skill, is inadeoust.
20 give true copy of inaaimate nature.
Ihow then is it to be imagined, that tbss
|widely extended Iabyrin rs oi the mind
Iean be comprised in volume, or its in.
ltricate ramifcations reduced To anv de-
Iterminate arrangement Beside H..
|knowled ge we collect in travelling, there
lis countless variety of pleasure ever.
|dancng before the mag alton; we are
ever satiated, because ere is a perpe-
Iual change. Like the Bee, we may rays
tfrom flower to flower, and Collect nutri.
locus toad even from weeds aud Bran.
lbles for in the progress Of lite, It's often
our !ot to meet with wild uncu.tya,ed
inature. Lest | should out-tun the limits
/ my paper, before | am aware oft, let
s takea walk through 81. Louis. The
first impression on entering the towr,
y ouId be, that it was never laid out with
Re customary taste of Americans.
/ hese crooked streets, winding with tie
bend Of the river: thes culioUsiy bliit
Houses and these old tone Fortsand
o,lifications. The plan Of the town, ss.
Indeed the principal objection agaits it
the situation is beauti ii. being CD the
gradual slope Of hill, on the top
@hicI, The town now BEG rs TO spretd il.
eli. From the upper town, lhereis Anex-
ensive view OF tie Miss ssippi in front.
Hooking towards the West, the eve
stretches over a vast p are--on lie
iboscu. Of which, a beautiful Lake.
axe, two miles in extent, SPREADS irs
IwaIers on the North, are seen The
Wounds these are supposed to have been
I'he sepulchres of the dead but when or
10y whom raised, it is impossible to say.
Having taken prospect Of The situation,
et us now take nearer view Of what
idppeitains to the town itsef. 1t would
seem, that the taste of the French. instead
Iol beins displayed in tie peatbess or
Isty!e Of tie buildings, vas 8aleIy employ
led in laying out their gardens wherein
|ihey far surpass the Americans. Front
street facing tie river, is the place Of
|bIsiuess.-Ihe other streets, may be
compared TO walks through a spacious
EGarden Tor each house is surrounded
with two Or three acres Of grunhd. planted
with trees--each Lot, has its orchard.
Flower and kitchen Garden. Tie Acc
.casias which are seen before every house,
q e the most beautiful trees in Imaginable
I hose we have in Pennsylvania. a!e nuoh
inferior, both in size and beauty. The
Branches OF the former, grow irregular,
with their foiagc--the other, on the con,
ltrafy, puts forth lis spreading braEcies
in regular graduation, one above Tie other
the leaves and branches srow hon"
Izontally. and are thick!y clothed with
Il caves Oi ollie EN- hleS. some vi talh
Iiich green, some o! 4 Pale. and others al
I!rost yellow. You Will also see iD svme
81 The Gardens, clumps OF Fapas, round
lie roots OF which, tie ca th is eh'ated
and sodded wilh grass. lheSe are he
;ayounte retreats Ct lie French, In tIc
cool Of the eyenlns-hcrc. With table
Detole them, spread with different klEds
81 fruits ana wines, they refresh Srd en-
10y themselves It'll bed time Ii is se-
dom that their iestiyity is GnaccCDpahIrd
10y muslc-that of the Violin is the Ia
IyouuIte. What with their nusic, and
what with thtir incessant chattdrIng, the
whole place is kept in contiDrai h0~,
On entering their houses, yau wo'0
IDe sGrprized at the singular APPEARANCE
OF their floors instead Of stPPlng OF:
| ne boards, you would either aFgreiie&@
ltnat you were about to plunge i'i'o d
ismootn pool Of wster, &c else 10 sup On
CLASSY pavement; tor it is pccg'i'r cG'-
tom with item 10 polish ti.cir foor,--'N,
Us aoneb by ciliug the Whole wltI' Nnse'o
tOl. about once week, and a'femaros
60 enciea8e tbe polish; the nego. ,ED
the whole flour, daily, with hand AO''''
and clo,b, in the same manner IS y""
v oud rub aMahcgany table. Pip H!,n
which the floors OF Pennsylvania APE ,a'G'
would bot, | imagine take tfepo''."'
lAihough the bouses without. ar ioI !"
ssensral of very progressing 'Pp'aF..
lance, within trey are tuhlshedbn greet
!stsyIe. 1 he rooms are i 70 widlPclHH"
laid tie nantes adUr With yEfs' GNF,
which are suspended cairs ota'''0cI"'
lhowers--in some CO FER ct tie ico"s
Ithera is genemlIy seen what ttry cav
|. I'm Lahape - tbs y q .ort ri SouCI,