The Wilmingtonian, and Delaware register., 1824-11-18

! IncN CfOWu MS lGNcc- DVyutH.
Mr. Editor,
! At your request, sit down to give you
some account OF the Levce OF our late distin'
gnished Guest, which was held at the Draw
ing Room on the Esd Oct. as happened to
be there for short time.
Asit was generally known that he would be
at home to receive company that day, at a.
bout / o'clock the porch and passage Of
the house began to be thronyed with visitors
llaclies and gentlemen, of the Boro ugh, OF
| Portsmouth, and Of the adjoining counties.
! The ushers however preserved good order,
and passed them in one by one to member
of the com nittce who stood near the General,
and introduced them to him by their names,
while he shook them all by the hand, and
thanked them for their visits. Among the
rest, | abscrycl with particular satisfaction,
several old revolutionary soldiers, who had
fought under hisbanncr at Brandy wine, Val
lev Forge, and elsewhere; and now come tor
ward (somc of them from Il distance to greet
thciru commander with tears in tllcir eyes.
AS YOU may suppose, these mutual rccosnl-
tions were deeply affecting, and very graft.
fying to all present. 1ncrc were also some
dcpUtations from different societies, whopre-
sentcd themselves before him with short
addresses, in bchafto their bodies, Among
these was much plcasli with the speech of
Dr. French Of the Methodist Church, who
came al the head Of SOME clcrgymcn, Of diff
ferent denominations and saluted him with
great energy and feeling. The Generals
reply ton, tho't Was very gracious and hap
Nv. Some time afterwards, observed a
young lady who came forward, ana present
ed him with neat copy Of thcncw Icsta-
II u II
~ proper words, and he received it with
great courtesy from her hand.
But of all the incidents Of the morning
was myself most gratitietl indeed | may sav
almost enchanted, with il littlc masque and
pageant which had been got ~ for the ocea-
sion, and which produced the Most tl;ghtiul
efiect.---Ths was the prcscntlncnt to the
Gcncral ofa number ufour fair damsels, (thc
most beautiful ofcolrsc, that could be chos-
en- for the service BY Young lady persona
ting the Genius of Norfolk, ard who was BY
another representing Ersltn, the Lyric Muse.
The scene, (although despair before hand
ot doing any thing ike justic to its beauty
and INTEREST," was couti,iyed somewhat IN this
way. In the dining room d the house, which
is separated from tle drawing room by sli
ding doors, as tie Young ladies OF the party
were placed along in pairs, all dressed with
perfect simplicity and taste, in pure white,
and their heads without any ornaments but
a few natural flowers. At the head OF them
on the left stoo,! the young elected Genus,
in her own natural charms (she needed no.
other, and dressed iii character, with 4 small
civic crown OF laurcls and roses, III which
was inserted a pale blue flower called Re
membrance, with bunch Of wheat and
very small strip Of tobacco, q hope it will
be larger by and by) cncircling her comb.
At her right hand, stood her friend Erato,
dressed also in character, with her own clas-
sical wreath of myrtle and roses intertwincd,
and q small Tyre sparkling in her hair At
the head of these again, were placed two
matrons, to be pledges, as it were, for the
perfect propricty Of the scene that was totol-
low, aud q sho@ ii figure, What hope Gu
yaun% ladies d. Noifol'. will always observe
ii fac, that llrucnce and discretion should
ever guild" theil Steps. and 50 before them
ia ali their WAYS. lhe pageant TINS arstn
pcd, a servant was placed at each side Of
the Sliding doors, with orders to pull back
thcirreapectite partsin moment. at 4 knock
u be given from tie other SIDE. In the mean
time the usher of the Rasquc, who was one
Of the comnitt", took care 70 arrange the
company in the drawing room III proper or
der for the opening of the scene. He actor
dinghy invited the ladies to take their seats
and requested the gentleman 70 fall back
little, without however apprising them o.
his design. By the way, as it happened, the
room was at this moment, filled with a very
rcspectabls repre- ,entation Of the talent and
taste Of the town, besides several strangers
of distinction who were CASUALLY present.
ffhc usher now led the General insensibiy 70
the front of the partition, at d proper dis
tancc from it, and then stepping forward
gave the signal knock. instantly tic sides
New back, and the pageant stood disclosed
to view in all its charms. The effect was
surprising, and almost magical indeed, upon
MI i'll the room. Every eve bcamcd With
pleasure, and every tongue was ready to cx-
claim with Miranda in the play
0 wonderful and sweet
How many gcodly creatures are there hero :
Hos bcauteous is this vision O rare room
That has such ladies int.
Md here before wc could recover from oui'
surprise, the ladies came forward into the
room, and the lndtrons parting in front, the
usher presented the fair GENUS of Norfolk
to the General, BY that name, ana size adj
dressed him at once, wita the sweetest voice
and manner in the world, in the following
lines:
| LINES TO GEN. LIZ FAYETFE,
BY Z youug L4dy heraonatng ne GeNie4 u
.HiJ9tk.
4 rs Norfolk $ Genius, am here to see
y | NJ Nation S Guest. who comes to visit me