Alexandria gazette & advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1822-1824, 1822-07-25

arch could not have been that unmixec
specimen of debauchery which his sue
cessful enemies represented him to DE.
there would have been both reason and
philosophy in the attempt; but when
he goes the length Of converting de-
bauchee into an exemplar of all the gen
tlest and noblest virtues. he at once vio-
lates the truth Of history and of nature.
The Cain is equally paradoxical. 1t
was satirieally, but not justly remarked
of Millions Paradise Lost, that Satan,
being the most active parsonage, was
its hero. OF Lord Byrop's Cain it may
be said, with perfect truth, chat the first
murderer is both the hero and the fa-
vorite of the author. Cain, for no cause
that we can find either in reason or on
record, becomes in Lord Byron's hands
a philosophic inquirer, a poetical admit
rer of nature, tender-hearted lover of
his wife, and even of his sheep; in short,
has no fault except that he abhors his
Maker and his brother. Are such feel
ings as are here jumbled together COM
patible? The character, or rather the
situation of Lucifer, is no less inc onsis
tent; his purpose is to fill the mind of
Cain with the idea that the Creator is
a merely malevolent being, and the au.
thor of nothing but evil; and yet he is
occupied throughout whole act in ex-
hibiting to his pupil the beauties, and
sublimities, and innumerable wonders
ofthe new creation; the sight of any
one of which gave the lie to every ca
lumny against its Supreme Author.
Nay, Lord Byron forgets himself and
the object of his work SO much as to
make Cain burst forth into the follow
i ing fine apostropke of praise:-
Oh, thou beautiful
And unimagmable ether and
We multiplying masses of increased
And still increasing lights what are We what
Is this blue wilderness of lntermmable
Air, where We roll along, as have seen
The leaves along the li'aped streams of Eden !?
Is your course measured for e? Or do We
Sweep in your unbounded revelry
Through an aerial universe of endless
Expansion, at which my soul aches to think
intoxicated with eternity!
Oh God Oh Gods Tor whatsoe'er We are!
How beautiful We are how beautiful
Your works, or accidents, or whatsoever
They may be /! let me die, as atoms die,
If that they die) or know We in your might
And knowledge NV thots are not in this hour
Unworthy what I see, though my dustis;
Spirit let me expire, or see them nearer"
L. it not to be lamented that the man
who can feel and express himselfin this
manner, (and there are many passages
or even higher excellence in this drama)
should, like one of the vulgar herd of
writer's, descend to the extravagancies
of paradox to excite attention, and de-
light himself with startling the timid,
and puttlng the delicate to the blush,
when he might easily win the applause
of all by sound thinking, genuine feel
ing, and language at once eloquent and
poeticai, Let US hope that he will yet
wean himself from his errors and weak
ness; that he will abandon the seduc.
tive but meretricious beautiness of Ita-
lian poetry for the sublime conceptions
Of Milton, whom he con.esses that he
has neglected, and ceased to read let
him do this, and he may then, without
the imputation of inordinate vanity, "a
dept the prophetic anticipation of that
great master, and exclaim that he will
''indite work which the word will not
willingly let die'
A gentleman going homo late one
evening, stopped the watchman to in
quire the hour. Sir, replied the face
tious guardian of the night, l am not a
stop zrGtch. know il. retorted the o.