The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1822-11-15
ARENA

roR rHG vIRoIsILH.
THE msCELLANfsT-NO. VII.
A vice which drugs all others in its train. .
.9non.
There is no vice deserving Of more fire.
qnent or severe apprehension than that OF
gaming. Itlends, ithen practised to excess,
10 se'er the bonds, implanted in our breasts
by bite aII-wise Architect who spoke cren-
lion from chaos, Intended to link man 10 bic
fellow and II makes US callous and lnfcel-
ing. II often shadows the pathway oil its
victims and some, whom have known,
whose prospects needed not the gildings OF
Imagination 10 make them a source OF com
fort to themselves, 4 of envy 10 others, have
been hurled swiftly from the competence
and splcndor Of which they were masters,
10 staeoi ndescrIbablc penury & wretch
cduess.
once knew a man, who, step by step,
descended from an elevated rank in life, 10
the lowest depths of iniamy and who ira
ccdhs degradation aud lis ruin to this cause.
He was IN early life, the pride of his parents,
and JOY of his blends. No peculiarly, Ell
thcr OF intellect or action, distinguished his
juvenile years from those of other boys
Bat, his amidhlc qualities, as be advanced in
age, became matured, and, together wib
talents OF no mean grade, made hlm in e, e
~ company a welcome guest. His parents
were wealthy, and he was their only child.
NO wonder, that with such prospects be-
fore hnn,he gave rcin- IN his imagination, Il
pictured 10 himself scenes of future happi-
ness which. alas were only TO be par.
TALLY realized No wonder that his spirit
was light and careless That buoycd np
by Lopes Of future distinction to himself,
and % usefulness to his fellow men, he sail
ed down the stream of time without per-
celsmg the breakers ahead, on which his
bark was destined TO rush, and, tunnblIng 10
pieces, plunge HIM INTO "A vertex of lrretric-
v"oic rum lie had, all his days, Slidrd o.
yer smooth sea--he saw II wide cx,tfllse
Before, hlmto al appearanceas gentle ~ that
whose bosom he had alre ady traversed-but
he saw not Ifor why should men render
Themselves miserable by anticipating evil q
the shoals on which his hopes & prospect i,
bright and glowing ms they were, We're des-
tined TO be stranded -
Young Ashley was rs happy as man can
be in this world. He was wealthy, and he
appropriated his wealth 60 its legitimate use
the amcloration of human wrotchedness.-
He was esteemed by his acquaintance. and
he had that within his bosom which told
him THAT he was not nudcs,1'ving of thcir
esteem. lie was blessed with ai,cctiOnatp
parents, and he was conscious that their at
lection was not misplaced. And, 10 crown
what Qpnt,1pI thu CT, IF aarthIv hliSE
the girl to whom he had been long ardent
ly attached, had blessed him with her
heart and hand and two smiling chcrubs
girl and boy, were the pledges of their
mutual love. lie lived many years in the
enjoyment of every bliss afforded by the
married state, when the characters of those
who are united together are assmiated by
samenoss ofrieWs and opinions. Such was
the case with Ashley and his Maria. He had
espouscd her when both were young. The
down of youth had scarcely bcgun to hris-
tie into manhood, when the spark which had
mutually existed in the bosoms Of the love
" pair, broke forth into flame, and knit
ted them together in bonds as durable a.
tune. Years had passed on in uniutcrni TED
happincss--they loved with rs holy ana u,
endearlng passion when they had lived
long together, and knew well each the fol.
blcs of the other flor none are wholly free
from them,) as when, rCstr ictcd by the rules
of life tn more limited Intercourse, they
had lOnged for the moment, which should
by making them one, break down ibis bar
rer, and " hopcbe lost in frultion," Yet
how heeting is bliss ! and how unsubstan.
tlal are all the plans fonnd for its perpetual
ton To-day, the sun shines forth with
brllilancy, and cnliycns every object which
comes within the sphere of ITS influence =
We cxLt in the antcpations of futurlty.-
We look forwa ard, and behold sky uncloud-
ed aud screne.-Not speck obscures the
horIzon-nota murmur gives notice of an
approaching storm. Our hearts are glad
dencd, and we rejoice at the feelings which
we cntcrtail that such will always he the
case-that the same sun which lights us IL
happiness to-day, will continue tn be the
pioneer of our hopes forever. T0-nfowou
comes. and how is the scene changed =
Clouds rest upon the horizon which was
lately without spot and casts a general
gloom over all our prospects. Where are
all our glowing anticipations now ? Where
the happiness which We had pictured p
Where the long life of uninterrupted JOY
which our too fond imagination had paint
ed Ask the winds Like a bubble on
the wave, they have melted into thin air.
They have disappeared, like In, passing
meteor, dashing thro' the heavens, and
" left no trace behind. oh, how heart
fendlng, to jee, that the last link in the chain
of future joy which our enthusiastic minds
mad figured to themselves, is broken That
our last hope, TO which we had fondly clung,
as if it were our hope of heaven, is gone :.
And yet, how few and feeble are the efforts