Alexandria gazette & daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1817-1822, 1817-11-04

ISM vi ulsSuispu amUitioHs u 10 pure
and trauscsndant love which We csGtin-
ually feel, which we can lever subdue,
aud which We can never forget for the
spot Of our nativity.
Its a p:atipIc of affection which CON-
mcuced and has continued with thr roll
of time. and will never be extinct until
nature herself shall cxpiif.
In ancient ages it was deemed the
highest virtue-the want Of it the deepest
vice. He that was thoughtto be without
il was an object Of scorn and execration,
while he tina, was in any way distinguish
ed by it VAS blessed with the prayers
ard honeis of his country, and iupiously,
perhaps, consecratcd as God. In eve
ry circle Of tie globe we shall lind thu
principle binding them to the land of
their birth with force no reason can e.
ludc--no persuasion can deceivc--no pa
thence can destruy-nu lapse Of time csn
forget No matter how ungenial the cir
nate, how oppressive the government, or
how uairiendly the SOIL, il seems imposs!-
bic for man to transplant his affections.
No natter what rcscript Of power, or
what disastrous tissue Of circumstances
may have forced him away, his heart ne
yer ceases to beat when it is mentioned |;
and being full of the recollection OF his
native scenery, or some touching associa-
ton Of events in his youth, ne fnds him
self unable to suppress sigh and wish
10 return 10 his HOME. Such is the pc
tent the mystical control ef his passion,
that even the untutored tenant of To-
rest would not exchange it for the tabled
beauties If Paradise. Tie Instances
which might be adduceI in confirmation
of this truth are too many fer the pre-.
scribed limits of this essay. II is we'll
known that this anxious solcitGde for
our ia al spot has been 50 active and il.
repressibIe, that it has given rise to 2
malady known in the medical science
under the term of nostalgia. Even
musical air la, been sufficient to produce
it. The soldiers Of Switzerland, no mat
ter where they are destined, fly back to
their native mountains as soon as they
hear the inspiring spirit Of their RAM de
Iackss. This exquisite degree of sensi.
bility, however, is NIT confhcd 10 them
alone. Even the dull and torpid Sa-
moiedc could never be al!ured to leave
the shores Of the Frozen Ocean to reside
in al! the splendor Of polished and mag
nifcent court. The Indian Of 0taheita,
who was conducted into the royal gar
den at Paris, upon seeing the paper null
berry tree, which they manufactured in
to cloth, could not abstain fcm weeping,
and closping it in his arms, ana exclaim-
ing, A" Ah tee Of my courtry!' This is
not ONLY the case with the uneducaled
nan, but Likewise with the academlan
and the philosopher. His feelings vii!
forever convince him of the futi!ity and
the mockery OF his learning and his Logic.
He may adjust his features with compo-
sure-hc may force his mind into state
of rest, but his heart will always bound
in delight with the remembrance Of his
country. Ills a claim which nature
holds upon her offspring, which she will
never abandon, and which We must all
acknowledge in despite of scholastic
pride and subtlety. The heart will re.
tain lis feelings, aud, like some "poor
bird that is hunted from her nest, il will
return to the place CT he7 af!ecti ms, and,
attn some vain efforts to fly vi, will SET.
tie again where all its cares and tender
nessss are centred"
This transient and imperfect sketch IS
to show that natdre herself has
laid the foundation of pttriotism-" that
column Of true majesty in man"
With Theorists, whose "specula'ioDs
are roasted near the sky" il is common
TO consider il as derivation and acTuir-
ed sentiment But it is not my purpose
to toach upon this po!essic point. Casu-
,sts and metaphJ Slcians may ENJOY them
selves in all the solitude of abstraction I:
il i, DOT my wish to disturb them: but
the feelings OF my nature give way to the
truth Of these remarks, and no matter |
what unexpected doom may befaii my
country or myself, l can never cease to |
love it with pride and With joy.
y, then, these affections are found to
exist in rude, unedacated lie, in so .auch !
iuxuriance and 'iscur, they ulsht surely |
to increase and refine, to bloom and bios
som in, all the sweetness Of perfection,
under the temperature of the happiast 80 |
vernnent On the face of the ca. tn.
These combined considerations should |
animate US to unite in all the va iOus Off |
ces ofssoeiety, 10 order to attain and en-
Joy social and pali,iea! Happiness. In do
Inr this. we perform at the same time, |