The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1823-09-02

fenuitiOn OF fhis degrading cflinct IL hhs
been asserted, aud that by those whose
good sense should have prevented them
from advancing such palliaiion, thai the
incorporate man injuries no one but him
self, and consequently he is the only suffer-
err" This defence Is so obviously false,
thai il scarcely deserves a serious rei'la-
| lion. 4 few observations, Will, however,
silence the sophisms that men bave per
yersely advanced, and with which they
have fruitlcssly cndeavourea 10 Justify ef-
for, and darken The lustre OF Truth. Does
not the influence of drnnkard's example,
+ lore others 10 the commission Of the same
,Xeesscs; How can il IN reason be expec-
! ted, thai the offspring Of such man, VIII
refrain from the indulgence Of such pro-
| pcusities, should the ffIilty Of human nature
tempt them, and look with h0rrer upon a
crime, which the behaviour OF parent
sanctions No--a man of this character,
will spread vice aud misery in the sphere
| in which he moves for any doubts upon
! this subject, will be quickly dlssipated, II
we east our eyes upon the different classes
/ that compose society.
The Indulgence IN wine, when carried to
excess, destroys the health OF the body,
aud impairs the strength of the mind -
Our frame, once light and elastic, becomes
broken down, & paralyzed by dscase-and
reason, hurled from her throne, is sueceed-
ed by weakness and imbecillty. 1tapprafs
MS if every argument has been employed
IN vain, 10 draw the incorporate man from
the gulf Of ruin, into whose vortex he Is
rapidly gliding his health declines daily,
/ ..itl.at,f ,,alip b. uIiUItfagf gSIDn
on his mind, or raising within the least
symptom of alarm. lie sees his friends
deserving him, but, nevertheless, he CONT
nties 10 run the same infatuated COURSE
self respects dcstroyed-the last gbminer-
ing sparkles Of pride are extinSnlshed, ana
nothing more is wanting to complete the
work OF destruction, for when he arrives
nj this degraded state, il is almost impossl-
bile 10 turn him from his ways, or rouse
within his ealous bosom the falntest ray OF
virtue. But a man is a free agent, II Is al
ways at his option to change, If he resoInte-
! " resolves on doing SO. There are mum
bers who observe with much gravity, that
there is a fatality attending a drunkard, and
that however he may wish to change, 1t IS
entirely out of his power. We are told
that from long habit, il has become Sc
! cond nature with him, and the adanantlnc
letters become too strong 10 he brOken.-li
! those who are so fond of Dispensing such
doctrines, would reflect for moment on
the Justice of God, they would have been
convinced mat they were wrong, as He ne
Yer could have pronounced his solemn
condemnation of the victim Of ntcmpcr.
ance, II he could not resist the temptation,
or break the shacklcs of habit. The voice
of Religion informs us, that the Almighty
has implanted in us power, which, 1t ex-
erted, will stine the violence of the pas
sions, and silence the whispering of temp
tation aud il man will not exert himself
il is unquestionably his own fault, and
therefore it is the height of folly, to ascribe
that 10 fate, which flows solely from the
corruption of our nature.
To exemplfy the evils that flow from
this crime, | viii relate the change ii occa-
stoned in the happiness and prosperity o
an individual with whom chance made me
acquainted.
was rambling on bright summers al
ternoon, sunk in penslSe meditatlons, wher
! was aroused from my revere, by thu
bark of dog on looking round, my eye
was attracted by the sight of an old man
bending under the evils which he had eNi
IDENTITY suffered in his earthly pilgrimage
his heard, that shonc like the purest snow
wreath, descended upon his care worn DO
som: in his band he held a STAB, by whicl
, he supported his lettering limbs and a
bag containing the scanty aims of world,
charity, hung nj his side. lie was clothc,
III coarse and miserable garments, that wcr,
scarcely sufficient To protect him from th'
/ cold night air and the violence of TIN
storm-he was the picture of misery AN,
dccreptitude. AT his side was a lrautiiu
boy, crimson with the ruddy glow ofhralh
who held him by the hand, and seemed III,
companion of his lonely way. II was hi
, faithful dog that had reused me by hi
barking My first impulse was to ap
! proach and salute the old man he aske,
me for assistance, and rendered him Nha
little had with checriulness. For mo
ment gazed upon his manly form, now it
, ruins, and contrastcd him with the rosy
child, whose every look bcamed with hcaltl
! and animation the wrinkled forehead
, aud pal!id fatures of the Que, where mi
sery was depicted in the strongest man
, ner, appeared so much the more interest
ing when compared with the uncloudet
: gaze of infancy. The one had passcC
through this world of care, and discovered
the vanity of human expectations-th,
other looked forward in the ignorance o
childhood, to life of undsturbcd serenity
and pleasure
While the boy was amusing himself, by
playing with the dog, entered into con
! versation with the old man. We seated
ourselves beneath spreading tree and al
) my request, he entered upon the relation
of his adventures and misfortunes, in this
vale Of tears.--it was the tale of an OBJ
scure individual, told in the simple Ian
guage of truth, and it could not fail of mo
wing heart, not callous to the best feel.
!. ings of humnn nature. The public voice