The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1822-11-01
From The London literary Gaztite.
THE TWO COATS.

Farewell farewell long hast thou worn,
Tho clonied, lhrcsdhare now, and torn
trusty servant, cen mud morn,
To me thon'st been,
And, grateie' still, Wilma scorn
My guild old fien'
.iHnn hdmseE.
Shakespeare says, that many Il mans coat
IS his father, and, like most things he has
said, it is true. How many a,e ,h.rc who
would bc nutiius. fla if it were not for their
vestments People say that old friends
are better Than new ones presume that
this does not hold good rs ii relates 10 ha-
bits-for the person l mean--ior all the
world prefes new coats TO old ones, and all
the world must be right
Ii is now five wears when the sun shall
have get upon the 18th of June, la24, that
my late coat was brought home. with
what delight dN survey it how eagerly
listened to the CNh0rtations of tle maker
how to fold ii up how cautiously put il on
and how carefully | felt in my pocket for
my key when locked il up! Its color
was suited TO the tint Of my mind il was
n bright green with Waterloo buttons,
Green coats ue.c then the sine qua NON of
4 beau. Black and blue " hid their dlmin-
lshed heads or rather tails aud although
now and then brown appeared II passed
along amidst the SCOTS of the Multitude.
The first gear every thing welt well |
stalked down Bond street at the full glare
of half past four ] was not afraid to meet
the purse proud stare Of glitterng oriental
in Hyde Park on Sunday; nor did shrink
before the glance of ST. James Blood.
The second year, in spite of all my ankle
ty, an incipient Wilderness began tn appear
on the elbows. The Waterloo buttons
looked somewhat shorD Of their beams, and
the color had been slightly annoyed by the
too rude pressure Of the hal nowsycr, il
had not Yet had n regular voting, If | omit
the bapiising it got from my gallantry to
Miss Protocol, in giving her more than her
share Of my cation umbrella. But the
third year now fast approached; years
rolled on, Fl nos nutamr an dls--and 50
did my coat. The thread o. the lives Of
two its buttons had been Snapped one
was wrenchod off by fre I'd, notwlth
standing my agonized look, whilst he was
telling me the fate Of his far. The other
fell into a gradual decline, aud dicd a r'atu
raj death. The bright green had now ia
dcd, and had iIrbibcd tint VI brown the
color was dilap!dated, the c'iis We're in ru-
ms.
struggled on, however, another year,
hat LEFT my former s'vGts. would go
half mile out Of my WAY t a.oId St
James street-IwouId go .rt!r out Of my
way rather than pass Hyde po'k on sun
day. Three more buttons h II fell under
the scythe Of Time som hing must be
dome sent 1t to be rep;i d, aud hard
y knew it again. The Wac loo buttons
once more dazzlcd by their brightness ;
new cuffs and collar spran up Ike phD0iH
from the ashes Of their fat iers all tho
the fashion u. coats had somcn hat altered,
yet, held an erect head. i =. ri. tins
was deeeitIul splcndor- 'impse 81 sun
shine IN rainy day the cons tuition o
the coat was ruined, and ooon suesefed
d relapse.
At last my resolution was tfken--a new
coat must he ordered! Ii Vas prec, pt Of
my late respected uncle Nj h6las, tina, one
COOL dear garment is wogr two bad cheat
ones and | always act uptpf. walEec
up boldly 10 Mr.. S., in Lon 5 ret
and although met with some broad starcs
at my entrance, yet when my purpose was
known, every thing was respectful attcn-
lion With what elevation did survey
mvself IN the double mirror clOsr TO the win
dow With what hanteu did bid III