The central gazette. [volume] (Charlottesville, Va.) 1820-1827, 1824-12-25

TIC reward Oh W uolais, ONeTcu some l'Tne
since by Mr.. NJ as a rremu,n, to the VIII
ter OF the best essay for mis- valuable an | in
teresting Miscellany. Eight ESSAYS were
accepted by tue committee appointed to
Judge of their merits and award the premi
UNI.
TIE DREAM OF EovE
BY Charles Ludtoso, Of Richmond, Va.
1 have seen a bubble blown into its
circular and iudescrbable beauty; on its
I brilliant surface were painted the most
inimilabie pictures of light aud life 4;
greatful clouds floated in the bosom of
the mimic sky ; a tiny sun irradiated
the little world, and east all the magic
OF light and shade over u landscape of
the most bewi,chinS spleudor. A Gre
alton, bright as a poet could Imagine
glowed before me but wave of the
air broke The spell Of its iransitory. but
beautiful exi,teuce, AID It was GONE
1t was like dream IF love. If there
is one happy being in creation. it is The
lover in the luxury of his visionary a.
pirations--if there is a single blissfuI
moment, like star sparkling in the
sladowy armament Of life, il i, that
which discovers a long nHurished al
fiction to be mutual.
The moon, as she rides on 'hrongh
her in!iai,y Of space, has not a greater
effect upon The ocean-tide. than has The
passion Of love upon the tide of human
thoughl--now PERMITTING it TO settle
down into a state oftepporary tranquil
ty--a%ain hiding it heave and swell, by
the magic gifts viewless power. With
out il, what would be the world? As a
creation without light; yet. possessing
it, as we do, how does it discompose the
soberest plans of reason? How do the
lnftiesi bulwarks Of stern philosophy
bow down and disappear before the fra
GRANGE of lis breathe Ii is the poetry
Of thought, when reason slumbers OH
her stately throne, or wanders away in
happy dreams. Ii is scarcely to be de
fined, for it seems in a perpetual halo
Of soft light, which dazzles while il
fascinaies the minds eye. Ii is to the
spirit what Sunshine is to the flower
--luring The fragrance from lis bosom,
and bringing OUT all the energies of its
young nature, or as the hand OF beauty
TO the siSmberine Lutte passing over the
silent chords, till sit doth discourse
most eloquent music"
had young friend, just rising into
manhood-tiery and unsettled as the
warrior steed in battle, his career was
unguided by prudence or thought. A
never failing flow OF spirits mnde him
always agrecable-he was full of sense
and froI,c. He could bring tear into
your eye, before the smile had left your
lip--he was all hope aud happiness.
Suddenly he stood before me All alter
ed beibg,his eye had grown melanchol y
and full OF meditation. Its moisture
was often succeeded by fash; and its
FIRE again exlingnished in the trembling
tear. He Stunned the rude Glamour Of
the busting world and would steal away
iuio some SOLITARY recess, and in the still
shade Of the forest ponder Oh the sweet
ness of his own sorrow. His mind be-
came almost world Of itself, and thou.
sands of visions rose 0beilient at the call
Ofcreatiye thought his soul lifted high
on fancy's wing, would explore in IFS
wild and beautiful career, fathomless re-
gions of imagination, through all the
variety Of It's magnificent domain
lie loved--deeply, devotediy. II was
more than love it was alteration. The
object Of bis passion was all that wo-
man could be. There is no object, in all
creation half SO splendid az such be-
IDg--the charms that are diffused thro'
the whole universe seemed gathered to-
gcther in her.
when the sun is gone down in the
west, he leaves behind him track of
brighter light, but il is insipid when
compared to the light of the eye. The
fragrance Of the rose was not so deli
cioas as The warmth other breath-mu-
ale could wake no melody like the thrill