Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1819-11-26
RICHMOND, NOVEMBER 26.
FOR THE ENQUIRER.
THE INDIGENIS7,.
BY ACERRUS NIORESTON,
ASSISTED BY A FRIEND.


ASSISTED By FRIEND.
Tune SYLVIA, tune antra oqui, tune vivere fontes,
Tune sacer borUr aquis, adytisque efiunditor echo
Clari r. ct doct9 spirant presag RUPEES C1audidn.
PARAPnRAsEp.
Then shall the groves and gTottoes to the view,
Speak forth language to their beauties hue
Then every stream its naiad shall assume,
And darker horrors DER the torrents gloom
From deep recesses, clearer echos START
And rocks sublime prophetic words impart.
In beautiful evening of August, when
the sun, about half an hour previous 10
the termination of his diurnal journey,
gave a peculiar character of luxuriant
repose 10 the varying foliage, which
waves along the borders of glades, and
o'ercaDopies our heads i'm the maZes
of the woods in the midland districts
Of Virginia, l was slowly proceeding
on walk TO the near residence of my
friend Jasper Forestere.. The path
pursued a dubious course on one side
of II, there was "A slip of clear ground,
bordered by The rich foliage of the inter
minsling boughs of tire tulip tree or leiri-
odendron, the walnut, the oak aud the
cornus florida; on The other side, there was
cOpse composed OF The darkly luxuriaut
foliage of the maple, Taurus sassairas,
The ash, the cOrnus sericea, the fringe
Hover tree, aud the benzoin laurel, inter
laced, garIanded and iestoon Il 10y the
wild vine, with its dark blue leaves, The
scarlet jasmine, or trumpet flower, and
with various other crsepers.-I'he fra
GRANGE Of the last blossoms Of Tue mag.
molia was waited along the path, and the
swelling notes Of the wood lark died Oh the
ear, amid the silence of all surrounding
nature, save when The vibrating pniOns
of the humming bird attracted notice to
lis attempts at insinuating his long bill
into the tube of the trumpet flower
How unaccountable is it"--exclaimed
commencing The following soliloquy-
that scenes of such beauty, and other
scenes of sublimiiy equal TO this beatty,
should never have awaked native strain
responsive to their native charms-Such
scenes seem calculated to raise asSocis
ations The most fitted for poetic display
Yet they bloom and smile on uiisuns,
undescribed, while the imagnaiions OF
our few native writer's expairia,e them
selves TO the scenery OF Europe, I'm
mindful, that even while their unpatrio,ic
fancy flies away to paint the charms of
orange groves or describe The music of
the nightingale, il might have saved itself
the fatigue OF the excursion, land remain
ed at home TO find superior beauty in
tins cOpse and superior melody ia yOn-
der woodlark. Nor is this the worst /:
we might forget the apostacy OF our
few native wrllers-but the majority
even of readers have expatriated, or al
least frequently exiled for time their
imaginaiions. The labi,uaI pcrusal and
admiration OF foreign descriptive poetry
has scared their view 10 that copious
source of homebred associations 10 be
found in feeling and tasteful estimate
Of native scenery. Tie love of coun
try founded upon the perception Of POI
litical excellence III our constitution, is
a cold and abstract feeling in compari
son with That, which is fostered by al,
| tachmeni TO and preference of favorite
spots ollocal scenery, hallowed by early
and heartfelt Impressions of beauty, and
| by associations with the young and
pure feelings Of the heart. These feel
ings are like spiders webs, weak and
almost imperceptible when taken sepa-
raiely, but OF incredible strength when
combined. Would the recollection OF
the charms OF Virginian landscape form
much attraction towards home IN the
bosom OF Virginian wanderer in Eu-
| rope! There might exist other a.trac-
tons, but doubt whether local associ.
atiOns would produce much effect. Yet
il is certain, that the fashionable admir-
er of Scott, would hail with delight au
opportunity of tracing the shores OF Locll
Katrlne, and the sublimitles of Balqu-
bidder, whose eye would rest with care
less apathy OH scenes of equal beauty
and sublimily, embosOmed III the recess.
ses of our blue mountains. When will
the destined voice awake, whose ZONES
are 10 invoke The forms of intellectual
beauty 10 dwell amid these sweet scenes
aud thus superadd 10 them those magical
effects Produced by the action Of the
human mind, on external objects, men
TONED by the poet Clandian-
Tune sylve, tune aaa loqul, tune vvere fontss &c.
And, 10 fulfil purpose of how much
more consequence, when will The being
arise, whose writings are destined ia
introduce true descriptions of Virginian
sentiments and manners into Virginlan
sceneryf 10 correct native TASTE by
pointing il 10 the perception Of native
beauties, aud TO discipline moral cha
racterby directing il TO The perceptions
OF defects in native manners e
This soliloquy brought me TO the door
of my friends house, and | entered the
passage opening o the door, in The unce-
remonious manner, authorized by our
familiarity. heard my friends voice, in
the adjoining room, III conversation with
person, whose tones also soon recog-
nized. This was Miss Lucretia Mention
maiden lady, much addicted TO The
Bellies Letlres, and TO enthusiasm in rela.
ton TO all subjects Of fashionable ioreigr
productions. She is a relation ofmy friend
and as lie is also verging towards tina
point OF single blessedness, which il is
generally supposed, has tendency &c
make one believe that they are exoneratPC
from the nice observance of converse
tional couricsics, little argumentativc
warmth sometimes occurs between them