Alexandria gazette & advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1822-1824, 1824-08-05
From tie ~. York Com Advertiser. Jaty So.
Tales. OF AN A MEXICAN LAND
lord

LOJsO. sfssf s-,.
Who reads an Americas Book? was.
asked by the Notthefn Critics. with
apparent triumph, not long since. The
reply to this petoleut question has been.
rather more co pioos than the critics an
ficipatsd. The numerous original pro
duciions. which for the last three years
have issued from our .prsss; their re-
publication in Britain, and the trans
lation of some OF them into French, the
strong excitement so emulation among
our native writers, with the improving
state of our public education, will soon
put that question to rest,
have been led tpthe, aboveremaIks
from the perusai of manuscript re-
gently put ineo nsy hands, entitled
tales of an American I4sndlord, or
Sketches of Life South of the Potomac
The scsne is laid in Virgins. bot few
years subsequently, the American Re-
volution. One of its principal objects
10 to depict state Of>soeiety, of which
even the memory 10 Cow fading. 1t
gives a fine view of those habits and
feelings which had been enssndered
uader Inonarchieal government. 1t
draws 20 the life that high arisrocraii.
cal pride, which under the new order Of
&nipgs, me sioutest republicans found it
difficult to shake off. The Tirginlan
gentleman is exhibited in his true char.
acter. Lofty. unbendiDg, fond of plea.
sure, and impatient of contradiction
The females stil lingering after snow
and distinction, for which almost any
ss.rifice was ready to be made.
l have however been most interest
ed with the view 1t akes of the state of
religion at that period. Some of the
characters are drawn with great force
and perspecuity. One, a Methodist
Preacher, is striking aud correct, and
did the work contain only shis portrait.
it would entitls the author to no mean
distinetion. There Is another ola Qua.
kar Lady, with which was deeply To-
terested, and which draws the female
character of that sect in the most lovely
form.
AS understand it TO be the inten.
ton of the author to publish the work,
Twill only give one extract to show his
power OF description II is q prison
scene, where professed gaDester. and
his dupe, the accomplished brother of
an English nobleman, are confined on
charges affecting theirlives.
x.
sIs that you, MIR. Hunter growled
this man of boh and bar, a. he held the
candle to the Landlords face. why,
what't the dust nOwP'--'l have brought
q parson gentleman, to see old Cog
returned the Landlord, Il 'sposs weCan
60 upp'
Brought the Deyil!' said the jailor, i
have just got that young spark, Percy, to
huld mis- CAB about hell and 'peOtance,
and such stuff and old Rattledice ia 10
doze, and who knows but he may get
betler?--If be comes feet foremost down
them their stairs, twill be dead lOss
to YOU and me, MIR. Hunter'- lis all
one for that replied Hunter, which
way he comes down, for IT he gets we'll
he'll be hung
May be not,' returned the iailor;
sbut it's 20 use TO be waking him now,
80 go bothering the man abou nonsense
and had there been no other means Of
getting to the bed side of the sick
man than through the good wishes Of
Mr. Lock, 'tis certain MIR. Scatterbrsin
had found no a6mittsDce, Bat the
Landlord whispered something in the
ear of this compound of Cerburus and
Vulcan, the concluding words of which
only could be distinguished by Mr..
Shattterbrain--ss good, said he, as
ever was tlp't over tongue What vas
che precise nature of that cabalistic
whisper know not, but it produced an
effect equal TO that sscribed In eastern
story TO the pronunciation of the word
sesame for 20 sooner was 1t tried, than
Mr.. Lock made way, and ushered the
gentleman up stairs.
"A they assembled, they distinctly
heard tho breathings of the sick man:
and on entering the room, Mr.. Skater
brain, though by no means fastidious,
wa. SO pesrly overpowerad 10 all his
seoses, that nothing but the strong de-
sire he felt TO render assistance where
1t appeared TO be SO necessary, could
have induced HIM to remain.
The sufferer or rather should say,
the sick man. for all were sufferers who
were tenants of this dsrksome place.
was wing on feel ADD half stuffed
feather bed, which was placed on