The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1823-01-03
en- reviewing an LIMITATION e cat TIC wed
ding dinner with -


SUSAN TRUEISoYE.
?. ST. hsse omitted TO inform You
4i,at our attachment Is OF some standing
and had the consent Of my dear mother
whose soul Is transported 10 the regions oil
eternal happiness. .. L.
The subject treated ef. in the foregoing
epistle OF Miss Susan Trurle.e, is the same
an which | intended to have remarked III
nv last number, but which | declined, be-
cause considered the subject of but little
Reneral imporianee- But as Others appear
10 think differently, have been induced to
sacrifice my own opinion TO that OF my
correspondents
A disposition 10 show I" the kindness oil
my heart towards suffering lovers" would
have been sufficient indueemcnt to engage
me IN the contcst-but, whrn accompanied
by . promise that | shall be invited to
i" pariake Of the wedding dinner the bride
i. rrcsistible.--Butl esity aside. The re-
marks which shall make will OF course be
general ia their nature and application
They will, hope, however, be sufficiently
explicit and plain to snsble Miss Trncloye
to ascertain, If not the course which she
ought to pursue, AT least that which lshould
take, had Heaven, in It's wrath, made me a
woman.
The doctrine of non-Ttsistdnce aud pas
sire obedience, is, in my opinion, entitled TO
no more reverence in the common pursuits
of life, than in the higher sphere Of politics.
There ~ point beyond which submission
ceases TO be a duty IN a child to It's parent,
as IN a subjce TO lis government. have no
idea uf a bhndfoid adherence to com
mands, by following which inevitable mise
~ will enyue, because they emanate from
the secondary cause OF our being. There
is another law of preyous and higher orr
gin, aud of paramount obligation. II is the
law OF nature, which places before msn the
path ofhappines aud though it be obscure
and intricate, the torch of reason is sent be
fore, TO guide them in the devious track
Man was placed by nm Omnipotent Power
on this " mundane sphere" that he might,
in the pursuits Of virtue, enjoy happiness.
What right has one mortal, whose pas
sions and senses, like those Of others, are
liable to error, delusion and pervsrslon, to
snatch the cup of bliss from another's lips,
because the lies of nature have bound them
together with the cord of affinity ! am
no advocate for the independence of chill
dren Of their parents. On the contrary,
hold il 10 be the best criterion Of WORTH
ness Of character in other respects, when |
see them cllngng TO their parents in youth,
IN all tho pla ylulncss Of innocent delight, &
propping them upin their old age ,as they tot
ter on the verge Of the tomb. But the duties
ofparent and child are reciprocal. They are
not binding altogether on one party, nor
are the hands Of The other altogether I'M
loosed ! am aware that | may be met
here with The answer, that it is in iulflment
of parental duty, that men step between
their children aud what they consider to be
dreadful evil. But, prejudice more often
holds the balance IN these cases than us
tiec aud the iOedge Of gold, though stained
with vice, will, nine times in ten, kick the
beam, aud throw honesty, because in indi-
gence, To the earth. ! applaud both the
motive and the act of that parent, who, if
he should see his child about To connect him
or herselfto worthless vagabond, forhds
the hams. lis not against such conduct
as this that protest. 1t is against interre-
ring where The heart is concerned, and
where the only objection against the per
son IS his poverty. Discretion should, and
we are bound to consider thatit does, have
influence enough on the minds Of those who
are about 10 consummate one of the prn-
clpal ends of their being, To induce them
not to engage in matrim0ny, unless their
pecunlnry circumstances are such as TO
place them beyond the dread of want If
they have not this discretion themselves,
then think the interference of the D rent
not only laudable bat necessary. But do
not like some, think superiority of this
worlds gear" necessary To happiness
Experience sanctions this opnlon.-Whe
shall we go to look for domestic peace ana
quiet In the splendid palaces of the rich
decked with the gew-gaw trappings of =
silly vanity, and filed with = protusion o
l"xurleS from the -Four quarters Of the globe
foa most lrequeutly look ior IT there in
vain. HaPpincss seeks not The glitter AM
glare Of pompous magnitcencr- She care
not 10 be cNlihlted in splendid eqnipases.
aud luxurious leasts, To the gaze aud open
mouthed wonder of gaping crowd-she
needs not ostentaton 10 make her attfac-
tive, but, like Beauty, she is "when una.
doru'd, adern'd the most" | know il is a
custom with sOnle TO deal out, with an I'M
spaung hand, anathemas against the veal
my, aud am aware of the motive by which
they are generally actuated. But am in
dlenced by no such feeling, when say,
thai the Temple Of Happiness is fixed IN
the pifuouS heort--that the Goddess who
dwclls in it, scorns H9aiih and Honor, ex-
cePt 80 far as they contribute to ameiorate
!ne condition Of men, whose fortune it is
10 move IN less genial atmosphere--and
that She IS more often found in the poor
mans howell than in the rich mans dwell
hng.-ll this be the case, and am conf
dent that none will deny it, how inconss-
tent and how futile are all the efforts of pa
rents To force happiness upon their children.
They, II actuated by honest motives, in