The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1823-08-15
nuMoRous pnospEcrIIs.

tile introductory dedication, Than from d
formal prospectus:
" TO The Lddy .Harg JerRop, The Ms
trtss Of oil harmony, he Queen Of all
wiiS, The bightest Of all bellies, toe, The an
dcrslgned send greeting -
" We, the undersigned, are n knot OF
young men, of various forms aud features,
--ol more various talents aud inclinalions
agreeing in nothing, save only two esscn-
iial ponts--a warm liking for one another,
and very profound devotion for your
ladyship.
Some of us have no occupation.
/" Sumo Of MS have no money.
Some of are desperately In love.
:" Some of us are desperately in debt.
Many ofus are very clever, aud wish
| ~ convince III, public of the fact.
Several Of as have never written a
line.
Several Of us have written great ma
| ny, and wish to write more.
For all these reasons we intend To
| write book.
| I've viii not compile numbering quar-
to OF Travels, 10 be bound in Russia and
| SKINNED in the Quarterly, and bought by
the country book clubs nor biting
Political Pamphlet, 10 be praised by every
! body on one Side, and abused by every
body ON the other, and reud by no body at
all nor a Philosophical Essay, to be
lnaVeIicd al by the few, aud shuddered at
| by the many, aud prosecuted 10y his Males
TVS attorney general nor little Epic
Poem ii twenty four books, Ia be loved
by the mjilners, and laudcd ia the Lite
rary Gazette, aud burnt by your LadysIjp.
But Il Book of suine sort We are re-
solved 10 write. We Will so forth 10 the
world once IA quarter, ia high spirits aud
handsome .!po, and modest dress of
drab, with verse ard prose, criticism aud
wit, fond love and loud laughter, every
thing that is light, and warm, aud fantas
tic, and beautiful, shall be the offering we
VIII bear : while We will leave the nation
10 the care Of the parliament and The
church 10 the Bishop of Peterborough
Aud to this end we will give up 10 colder
lips and duller souls their gross and tefres-
trial food We viii mol Interfere with the
saddle or the siil0in, The brandy bottle or
the punch bowl eur food shall be of the
spicy currency, aud the glistening Clam.
paEhe our inspiration shall he the thanks
Of pleasant Voices, aud the smiles of spark
ing eyes. We grasp at no renown--we
pray Tor 40 immortality; but we trust thai
"a the voyage L shall BE- our destiny tn run,
"c ahail Haken many glowing Feelings,
aud revive many agreeable recoleelions
We shall make many jokcs, and many
lrlcud5 We shall en,en ourselves and the
public together and when We meet 1onnd
SOME merry hearth, Ia discuss the past aud
The future, our projects ana our success,
We shall give zcst 10 Our hntile and our
debate, by drinking "A health 10 all who
read us, and three heallhs 10 all who
praise.
" We have built up our temple, and in
stalled the priests, and made ready the of
lerlp9s, and we are looking for the goddess
of the shrine. The President of our Club,
and the Editor of aur writings, shall be no
compiler of essays--no eater of oysters
no bald aud bearded gentleman, with a
cold judgment aud lippant pen, dreaming
Of pounds shiIlinss, and pence, and hnnhl-
ating the young hopes of an author in all
the Anonymous authority Of the plural num-
her. We must have for our tutelar dsinl-
~ more aniable and more interesting
hring, 10 whose authority we may put II
voluntary Submission, 10 whose eyes we
may breathe our VOWS and sclibble our
sounrts, beneath Nlose influence we may
forget the tcdlum aud the toll OF bookna
king, and scatter over our revel and our
press the magic charm ol galiantry and ro-
nance.
"We saeei before your Ladyship's OF
toman.
" You are beautiful aud very Kind, a
widow and very witty: with complex.
Op little flushed, aud most little ac-
outline, and AL necessary dlSnity IN your
clear high forehead, aud an conceivable
merriu,ent in your deep hme eye; and you
wear white shoes and diamond necklaces,
and dress your lon% lark hair q ie Greqne !;
ard you have a light step aud quick
speech, aud gus, sufficient tnnbonpolm to
ttcdll or A9Ung sos1netters from Their
dreams III DryadS and of Nalads, and TO
compc, tim to mtGe for a few minutes
on som ethlng more lovely and less divine :;
apd ,ou paint flowers, and draw earica-
tues and you play the harp aud Fteo'Fe'
nd sing delightfully."- and YOU love Han
( del, and doat upon Shakespeare ; and you
are twenty five, and Mary
"By all these sgns you are man'iestiy
pointed out AS the idol before whom we
are TO PROSTATE our hearts and outpapers.
You will not refuse the homage we proiler'
Among our gay and buoyant souls the day
of chivalry and Of enthusiasm should have
another morning you snail be to US the
queen Of the joust IN your sight the bold
and adventurous are to break their frsi
lance. Your smile is TO be the excite
ment your hand is 10 hestow the reward
thousand poets snail be YOU slaves "a
thoosandlquills shall leap from their dc, H
10 a,ease the iook thai threatens You win
insult. Your image shall animate, ana
your nHme shall protect US censure tIa'i
kncel before you, and criticism siai! Do
dumb IN your presence.