Alexandria gazette & daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1817-1822, 1819-02-15

Whose tongue would never let her chin be
still
- 60 - % IL q - @ So
THE NEWSPAPER.
There is scarcely any thing that distin-
cuisines modern from ancient times, more
than the rapidity by which intelligence is
conveyed. Formerly, mountains, oceans
and streams, were regarded as natural boun
daries-diversity of languages was another
imp. diment to the progress OF knowledge,
out all these distractions have, in modern
times, vanished and disappeared. If an
important movement is made amongstgreat
and warlike nations on the continent OF Eu-
rope, the Atlantic presents ne barrier to
the flight of the intelligence. The winds
and the boisterous waves now lend all their
assistance to aid the rapid herald in his pas
sage. When such intelligence arrives, this
mysterious messenger climbs the tops OF
our highest mountains, skins along the bo-
som of our native lakes, and visits every
city, town aud hamlet, in her passage
This mighty piece of moral machinery,
which has been SO much decried and abus-
ed, is nothing more than newspaper-lt
visits the cabinets of kings royal palaces, or
the hut of poverty, and proclaims alike to
the world what has been done, unawed by
the frowDs, and regardless of the smiles OF
the great. Agriculture, commerce and in
dus,ry, literature, and all the wonders OF
nature or art, do not escape the searching
pen of this anxious and inquisitive sprite.
Printing is the great bond by which the ci-
vilized world is held together.-which
makes the poorest man, while seated by the
side OF his cottage FIRE. FAMILIAR 10 the great
revolutions taking place in the political
world--familar with all the suflerinss 81
emperors and of monarchs. Such is the
importance Of an engine, which appears
in an abstract point of view so inconsider-
able. Journal of The Times:
The following, taken from La Belle Assem-
blee, is a curious account OF dead Monks
termination.
1t is well known fact, that throughout
all the monasteries in Sicily, the dead bodies
OF the Monks are dried and made TO stand
erect in inches placed round kind OF Sc
pulchral chamber, where one of the bro
theirs of the holy order take It in turn to
watch for two hours every night, to put them
in constant mind Of the las, awful change
that every one is destined to undergo.
A Monk of Palermo, was passing part of
the night in the manner above mentioned,
when in the interval OF his devotional eXer-
CT e ,he iancicd he h, ard every now ant then
q very unusual noise and looking stediast-
~ at that Of the room from whence j, pro-
ceeGed nc perceived one OF the dead MONKS
nod 10 him; he held up his lamp, and the
head nodded again he instantly FASTENED
up stairs TO the convent, TO acquaint the bre-
thren with his fearful omen. Tie Monks
was mere illusion of the Imagination; he,
therefore assumed courage TO return, but
took care 10 go to different part of these
extensive galleries, where he remained a
while in anxious suspense. Finding all still
and motionless, he began to think he must
have been deceived by his Imagination, and
therefore he returned to his former station
and fixed his eyes on the same dead Monk.
He again saw the head move and nod at
him. Away he ran, and declared that all
the saints in the calender should not per-
suade hin, TO go down again: he was now
SO positive of the fact he had witnessed, that
considerable alarm prevailed in the coyent.
The Monks were called together, and eight
or ten deccnjed into the apartment with
candles and holy water-They were brought
opposite the dead body IN question, but
just as they drew up, a nod OF the head put
them all to fight. When the Superior was
informed Of it, he was extremely ang'y,
and declared some English hereto had got
in aud play ed this trick he therefore went
down himself with another party. As
they descended to the galleries, their fears
in some degree abated and after advan-
cling cautiously TO the place, tie Superior
held up his lamp 70 the Monk. itwas no
illusion, life had, indeed, once more enter
ed this irail tenement of mortality At that
very moment the head shock violently and