Alexandria gazette & daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1817-1822, 1817-12-02
Fran tie Connecticut CograQt.
THE BRIEF GEMARKER.
So We leave our native lands, these fields
so sweet,
II ~. zn,,... -.

so sweet,
{" Our country leave -
The charming language above,
is the translation Of n sentence in
une Of the Eclogues of Virgil. and is
from the pen Of tie great earl of Chat
ham. in letter to his young nephew,
at the university OF Cambridge.
Those so acknowledgement of here
by the shepherd in Virgil, aere whole
districts of Industrious farmers in the
vicinity Of ancient Rome, whose lands
were cOnfscated. aud who. along with
their families. we're exilcd 10 remote
regions. in consequence Of their be-
longing to the defeated parties in the
civil wars.
Haplcss, men So deep was their
affection, it has been sung in never
dying strains.
And who that hath any heart in his
bosom, can read without commissera-
ton the Eclogue tbat describes it d:
In all former ages, Exile has been
regarded as one of the greatest Gala
mites. The abandonment Of native
home, and breaking up the numerous
and nameles3 associations it had given
birth 10 the severance Of old friend
ships and of tie endearing ties Of
blood ; the scquestration from ac-
quaintance, from customs, from condi-
tons, by habit made familiar and
most natural (; and TO =" become as
now into the world, strange and un-
acquainted all this has been rcck-
oncd. III tines past, as next TO death,
But the +" times are changed, and We
arc changed with them."
In our country here. thousands
Of late have gone into exile, and other
thousands arc going. not 10y Comrui-
sion. but Of their own accord. lven-
ture to call it caiie, because it sun.
dcrs them from inestimable priSile-
ges and cnioyments, whicl. it were
impossible TO supply or countcIyail.
&" They leave their native land, their
fields so sweet :" and infinitely more
than that, those venerable institutions,
Tie pride ard glory Of their native
land, they leave institutions literary,
moral, and religious, Of far greater
price than mines of gold and silver,
they voluntarily leave,
fNCr cast one longing, lingering, look be-
hind
Here let ne not lie misunderstood ;
it is not emigration that is here re-
probated, but its wilduess of excess.
No inconsiGerabIe blessing is it, that
we are exempt from the frightful dan
gers and horrible fears of All over
grown population-that the exube-
rance of people, wheresoeNer it hap
pens in particular piaces,can be drain
ed off so easily, and with benefit to
the great whole and that the do
mains OF our common country are of
such wide extent, as to furnish ample
room for many generations 10 come.
Moreover, praise is not TO be with
held from the astonishing industry,
hardness, and cntcrpriZe, which al!
ready have made So much of the will
derness /" to blossom as the rose.''--
Nor are migrations from the older TO
The newer parts of this vast common
wealth, at all to be censured, but ra-
Their commended, when moderate as
to numbers, and conducted with pro-
yident care. But excess turncth that
to evil, which is good in itself; and
scarce ever was wild excess more ma
niiest Than in this particular. ItwoEld
seem indeed, as II the east were nov
a-days pouring Itself upon the west,
with near as much phrenzy Of zeal,
though of a different sort, as wcsicrn
Europe in a certain period Of the
dark age, poured firth its devoted
population upon western Asia. It is
as the frantic fcrvOr of the crusaders,
distracted from ali considerations VI
religion.
The illusions Of hope, in the pre-
sent instance, are t.uiy Wonderful
They imagine, o. seem t. imagine,
that in Inc best regions they are seek
iag after, The earth yields her in
crease spontaneously as we'll as abnn-
dainty, so as to preclnde almost al!
necessity for hard labor. Bat, AtrG,
as wei as here, it will he found. tbat