The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1823-03-25

father. Spsnard, had soasb we1ifh by AZ
establishment IN America, y here he mar
nod lady of the country but Of Spanish
exfaelon.--Juana, the fruit Of this 90 ieu,
displayed in curly childiood y passion FIR
letters, and IN extraordinary flelIiip IN the
composition If Sparisb verse. ~ eight
years Of az, she Hus placed by her pa
rents, with al uncle, WHO resided In Next
60, aud who caused her To receive a learn
I'd ednfaiion. Her tacets having attract
ed notice and Distinction, she was patrons
zrd by the lady of the ,ieery, the Marquis
de Ma6cers, and III The age Of seventeen,
was received into his family.
A Spanish economist of Juana. relates
curious auecdote respecting her, conmupl
Gated 10 hun, ms he allirms, by the ,icefoy.
Her patrons filed with admiration and a<
toushment by thu powers aud ditainnents
10 their Young protfgf, determined to prove
the depth and soiidliy Of her erudition.
-For this purpose they insilcdforty
Of the most eminent literary charac-
tiers of the country, who assembled Ia tx
anime Juana in the different branches of
learning and science. Questions, arg,t-
lncnts and problems, were accordingly pro
posed 10 her, by the several professors IN
1
| Ky, poetry, Sc 10 all of which she answer
ed with equal rcadnessand skill, Acquiring
herself 10 the entire satisfaction Of her judi
! yes. TO this account IL is added, that she
received The praises exiolted on this oeea-
| sion by her requirements, with the most
| perfect modesty mel Their did she at any
! period Of her lie, discover the smallest
| tendency 10 presumption OF vanity, though
! /, al. II.
a pious humility was her distinguishing
! Characteristic. She hYed forty four yearB,
twenty -sesen of which size passed In ihr
conaeut of ST, Geronimo, where she took
the yelI) IN the exercise Of the most exem-
plmy Airtues.
The enthusiasm by which genius is chm
raetellscd necessarily led to desolion in
circumstances like those in which Junnn
was placed. IN the frryour OF her ZEAL
she WROTE in her Llood n confession of her
idith She Is said 10 have collected u H.
brary of four thousind volumes, in the
study OF which size placed her IL light me-
ycrthelcssi toward The close OF her life, she
sae'Il'cod this darling propensity for the
purpose OF applying The money which she
acquired by the sale of her books, 10 the
relief of Inc ilviigem. However heroc
may ho the motive of this self denial, tie
reetllndc OF The principle is doubtful the
cultivation of the miHd, with its eonsc-
| quenl influence upon soelety is more
real bencfi 10 mankind ban the partial re-
liel oil pcenhary exigcneies.
Juana WAS not lcss lamcntod AZ her
death tllan celebrated aud respected during
her HE her writings were collected in
Three quaflo volumes, 10 which are prefix
td numerous phnegynes upon the author,
both ~ verse aud prose, by the most illus
trous persons Of old aud new Spain. II
Is observed by the Spanish critic, father
fcyloo, thai the compositions of Juana
excel III ease and elegance, rather than in
energy and strength. This is, perhaps, in
some degree attributable 10 the age in which
she lived, and 10 the subjects of her pro-
duetlons, which were principally compli-
mcnts addressed to her friends or sacred
dramas Ia which an absurd and scnselcss
superstition afforded the materials. The
following IL an imitation in English of ono
oi her poems, In which she complains Of
what ~ keenly fell by every woman OF un.
defsiandlob lhc injustice suffered by her
sex:
Weak men, who without reason ain
10 lond poor woman with abuse
Not seeing TINT yourselves produce
The vcg evils that you blame.
You gainsi her finn resisnnceIstriye,
Aud having struck Ler judgment mute,
Soon 10 horleviiy 10 impdie
| What from your hbour you derive.
OF womans weakness much niraid,
ot your own power still yon boast
Like The win child that mnLes u ghost
Then icnra what he himself has made.
Her whom your arms hive once embraced.
You think presumptuouJy 10 Gnd,
! When she Is w0od ms Thus kind,
When welded, rs Lucretin chngte.
How rnre fool must he Gppcnr
| Whose folly mounts 10 such n pass,
| That brst lle breHihed upon the glass
Then grescs because il is not cleny
Still with unjust, ungratciul pride,
iou meet both invor aud dlsduin,
The lru rs cruel you nrragn,
The tender you ms wcak dcride.
Your foolish hnmour none can plense.
Since Judging all with equal phlegm
One Tor her rigOur you condemn,
Aud one you censurc Tar her ease
"Nhst wond'rons gifts must her adorn.
VINO conld your lastlug love engage;
When rigorous DymPho excite Your rare,
AND easy TAR ones raise your seorn
!" But While you show your pride or powr,
With tyrani passions vainly hot,
She only blest who heeds you not,
Aud leaves you all in happy hour"
| Marriage ring.-It may he curious to
notice, thai the wedding ring is worn on
the fourth Eager Of the left hand, because it
was ancicnfly believed, though the opinion
is exploded by modern ANTAGONISTS, that a
small artery ran from this finger TO the