The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1822-08-20
DR.. MITCHELL.

every literary aud philosophical Society.
was present On "wednesday Iast al the Tar-
tie Grove, when the 3obeAen Tnrtle Club,
of which ancient aEd honorable irsttute he
is an associate, held ia third meeting l0r
the present season. After enjoying rich
repast, the doctor rose and delivered 4
speech, which was received with the most
heartfelt Satisfaction.
He first spoke of " the grand conceptions
inspired by the commercial city on the
Hudson's right bank, then he advrrtod
to the tortoise upon whose sayory gelatne
he had. Toasted SO rchly--then he told the
ancient tradition of the Mingoes, how this
earth rests on the back of a huge tortoise
then he alluded TO the Grecian instrument
OF music formed with tortoise shell, then
to the festudo Of the Romans--then 10 the
turtle OF the groyes--thcn To The witty eng.
ma of Symposius, whether tortoise, was
a oeod a FISH or kaip-.then he regretted
that the tortoise had not wings like the tut
tlc--ihen he said that certain southern ma
tons (called, in relation 10 Europe, occi-
dentm, termed the tortoise, the gift of q od
Then he spohe of turtle soup as n remedy
for the yellow fever, But take the whole
speech. fPha. Union.
from he .Nsw York Duty .3drcriiscr
There is something 30 eougenial to ra-
tional and social feeling on this Occasion,
that there ia difficulty in restraining the
expression OF il ia words Iheprapret Of
commercial city from the majestic
Hudson's right bank where We are sitting,
inspires great conceptions. It's industry Is
"A mighty topn. The enterprise which
gather into one mart, The productions of
the different countries IL wonderful. The
accumulation and employment of capital
are always interesting themes The
thronging population, ever Increasing in
number and activity, is subject Of the ut.
most moment. 1h" arrival and departure
OF ships, whitening the horizon with can.
vass, afford d noble and diversified specta-
Gle.
But from al these subject, il IL bccom-
ng, for few moments, 10 Withdraw, that
attention may be paid to some matters con
nccted with the fcstiyity Of the day. Lei
US therefore with thankful hearts and vii
ling lips dignity our gratitude TO the houn-
uful providence that hath seat store of
good things for fcod, aud appetite to en-
JOY them and let us supplieatc a contnu-
ahce of his mercy to give, and our health
to receive.
The Tortoise, upon whose savoury gela-
tine we have Toasted 50 richly, deserves
more exalted enlogy than sae cycryut been
pronounced. The incidents of his history
arcstoo copcus for application. Al the
present occasion permits is u brief exhibit
tior of a few leading sentiments.
The ancient tradition of he MiDgoes, the
most celebrated and powerful Of our North
American natives, is worthy of your no
tee. According to this, tne female spirit
VINO first visited the world or descended
from her celestial abode, was received by
Tortoise, then swimming ON the immense
and bOundless ocean. by miraculous
display of power, soon after this event,
ground and grass, and plants bearing fruit,
and all sorts Of green vegetables were for
med around her, until the rye could no
longer trace their extent, and even 10 this
1t Is UNDERSIGNED by the sages, that the solid
land with lis continents, islands and inha-
fitants, rests upon the back Of the huge
Tortoise outsprcad upon the expanse Of
water 4; bearing his load without growing
weary, but sometimes causing an in,nda-
ton Or delusc by subuersion, aud then
a gain producing carthulakcs when be
shakes himself Among these untutored
men, the tribe which derives itsappclaiion,
or traces its origin from the Tortoise, is
nigh and honorable above tine rest.
Persons who indulge in classical and mn-
steal researches, know that the celebrated
Tyre, is connected with the history of the
tortoise. For IIermes, IFS inventor, is al.
i ged to have produced tbs first harmony
of sounds, by stretching strings across the
dry shell, and playing ON them with his
fingers. Hence, as the legend states, he
was occasionally represented With his foot
upon a tortoise and that particular iustru-
mcnt was called 1sstado.