Alexandria gazette & daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1817-1822, 1818-10-13
ALEXANDRIA,:
TUESDAY MORNING. OCTOBER IS.
Haup rHExpERrUs LoeuoR.


full of our own; while they instruct the
youthful reader to grasp at social happiness,
he grows miserable in detail. That species
Of philosophy, therefore, is to be regarded
with suspicion. which describes the incon-
venencies of life in such pleasing criors,
that the pupil grows enamouredof distress,
meets poverty without dread, and fears not
its miserics, till he severely feels them.
A youth who has spent his life among
books, new TO the world, and unacqanted
with men, except by philosophical iniorma-
ton, may be considered as being whose
mind is filled with the errors Of the inge-
NOUS, and the whims Of the wise.-utterly
unqualified for journey through life, he
sets out with confidence, blunders on with
vanity, and finds himself at last involved in
perpexiiies, traduced in character, and IT.
reparably injured in fortune.
lie has first learned from books, and Their
laws il down as maxim, that all mankind
are virtuous or vicious in excess and he
has been long taught to love virtue and de.
test vice.-Warm, therefore, in his attach
ments, and steady in his enmities, he treats
every creature as a friend or foe: expects
from those he loves unerring integrity, and
consigns his enemies 10 the reproach Of
wanting every virtue. On this mistaken
principle he proceeds, and here begins his
disappointment. Upon closer inspec-
ton of human nature, be perceives that he
would have done much better to have mo-
derated his friendship, and softened his Sc
verify for he often finds the excellencies
of one part of mankind clouded with fail
ings, or perhaps vices-and the faults of the
other frightened by some noble virtues
He finds that most characters are mixed.
He now therefore, hut too late, perceives
that his attachments should have been more
cool, and his dislikes less violent: that the
truly wise, seldom court romantic friend
ships even with the good, and equally a
void, if they can, the resentment of The un.
worthy. Every day affords him fresh III
stances that the bonds of friendship are fire.
quenlly broken and that those whom he
has treated with disrespect, more than re.
taliate it, by injuring him TO the utmost of
their power. AT length he is obliged to
confess that he has declared war upon the
vicious half Of mankind, without being able
to form an alliance among the virtuous, to
take par, in his quarrel.
Our book taught philosopher, however,
is now too far advanced to recede /; and,
though impaired credit and reduced cir
cumstances are the natural consequences
OF the many enemies he has created, yet he
is resolved to meet them without shrinking.
Poverty has been often described by novel
lists and by philosophers in most charming
colors; and even bis vanity is touched, in
thinking that he will show the world, in
himself, one more grand example of pa
thence, fortitude and resignation" Come
then, Che exclaims) come poverty, for what
is there in thee terrible to the wise ?--tem-
perance, health, and frugality walk in thy
train: cheerfulness and liberty are everthy
companions. 81 all any be ashamed of thee,
of whom Cincinnatus was not ashamed p
The running brooks. the herbs Of the field,
can satisfy nature" Man wants but little
here below, nor wants that little long,"
says Goldsmith. Come then poverty, and
let the world gaze with admiration al The
true Philosophers resignation. "--The
goddess appears-for poverty always APP
pears at the first call but, alas 4! he finds
her the very reverse of the charming figure
which books and his imagination had paint
ed. All the fabric of enthusiasm is at once
demolished, and thousand miseries rise
upon its ruins he sees her in her real form,
followed by her real attendants, while scorn,
with pointing finger, and contempt and de-
rision, with thousand insults, move fore
most in the hideous procession.-Suchdoes
poverty show herself to her new enter
tainer!
In short, the poor man finds, that not
wiihstanding his philosophy, he can get no
body to admire or comfort him with ap-
plause, while he is dining upon herbs: that
in proportion as he grows more poor, the
world turns its back upon him, and avoid
ing intercourse with him, gives him leave
to play the farce Of the philosopher in all
the dignity Of solitude