The Wilmingtonian, and Delaware register., 1824-07-01

hills, and hat great range of mountains which
goes under the name of Tirzah. Harpath was
Of a naughty, contemptuous spirit; Shalum was
of gentle disposition, beloved both by God and
man
| It is said that, among the antidluvian women,
the daughters of Cohu had their minds wholly
set upon riches; for which reason the beautiful
| iiilpa preferred tiarpsth to Shalum, because OF
his numerous fiocks and herds, that covered all
the low country which runs along the foot OF
mount Trzah, and is watered by several fonn-
tains and streams breaking out Of the sides OF that
| mountain.
| Hxrpath made so quick = dispatch of his
courtship, that he married Hilpa in the hundredth
year of her age; and being of an insolent tenn
per, laughed TO scorn his brother Shaum for hay
| ing pretended TO the beautiful Hilpa, when he
was master of nothing but long chain of rocks
and mountains. This so much provoked Sha
lum, that he is said to have ours d him in the
bitterness of his heart and to have prayed that
one ofhis mountains might fall upon his head it
ever he came within the shadow of it
| From this time forward Hapath would never
ven ure out of the valleys, but came to an un.
timely end in the two hundred and 6fticth ye
OF his age, being drowned in = river as he at
tempted to cross it. This river is called to this
day, from his name who persisted in it, the river
Harpah and, what is very remarkable, issues
out or one Of those mountains which Shalum
wished might fall upon his brother when he ours.
ed him in the bitterness of his heart -
| Ilipa was in the hundred and sxtieth year Of
her age at the death of her husband, having
brought him but fifty children before he was
sna,chcd away, as has been already related Ma
| ny OF the antediluyians made love to the young
widow, though no one was thought so likely TO
succeed in her affections as her first iover, Shs
lum, who renewed his court TO her about ten
years after the death Of Harpath for it was mt
Thought decent in those days that widow should
be seen BY a man within ten years after the de-
cease Of her husband.
shaIum falling into deep melancholy, and
resolved to take away that objection which had
been raised against him when lie made his first
addresses to Hilpa, began, Immediately after her
marriage with Harpath, 10 plant all that noun.
famous region which fell to his lot in the diyi
sion OF this country. He knew how to adapt ev-
cry plant to its proper soil, and is thought to
have inherited many traditional secrets OF that
art from the first man. This employment turn
cd at length to his profit as we'll a. to his amuse
nent; his mountains were in few years shaded
with young trees, that gradually shot up into
groves, woods, and forests, intermixed with walks
and lawns and gardens insomuch that the whole
region from naked and desolate prospect, be
gan now to look like = second paradise. The
pleasanness of the place, and the agreeable dis
position of Shalum, who was reckoned one of the
| mildest and wisest of all who lived before the
food, drew into it multitudes Of people who
were perpetualy employed in the sinking Of
wells, the digging of trenches, and the following
o. trees for the better distribution Of water
through every part Of this spacious plantation.
The iabitation of Shalum looked every year
more beautiful in the eye of iiilpa, who, after
the space OF seventy autumns, was wonderfully
p. ased with The distant prospect Of Shaums
hills, which were then covered with innumerable
trees, and gloomy scenes, that gave maguh-
cence 10 the place, and converted it into one of
the finest landscapes the eye OF man could be
hold.
The Chinese record letter which Shalum is
said to have written to Hipa. in the eleventh
year of her wtiowhood. | shall here translate it,
without departing from that noble simplicity OF
sentiments, and plainness Of manners, which ap
pear in the original.
SHAUN was at this time one hundred and eigh-
ty years old, and Iiipa one hundred ana seventy
"Shaltlm, Master Of Mount Trrzah, to Mloa
Mistress ofthe Vallies.
SIN the 7S8A gear Of the creation.
"What have not suffered, ,hou daughter
of Hilpah, since thou gsvest thyself away in mar.
riage to my rival grew weary of the light Of
the sun and have .s eyer snce been covering
and ten years have bewalled the loss OF thee on
the tops Of Mount Tirzah. and soothed my mel
anchoiy among thousand gloomy shades OF my
own raising. My dwellings are at present as the
garden of God, every part OF them is hlied wlih
fruits and flowers and fountains. The whole
mountain issperfhlned for thy reception Come
up into it, . my beloved, and let us people this
spot of the new world with q beautiful race OF
mor,sls .let US multiply exceedingly among these
delightful shades, and fill every quarter OF them
with sons and daughters Remember, o thou
daughter of zilpah. that the age Of man is but
thousand years; that beauty is the samTa,aoh
but of few centuries It fourlshes as noun
tain.oak, or as a cedar on the top Of Tirz'h,
which in three or tour hundred years will fade a.
way, and never he thought of by posterity' unless
young wood springs, from its roots. ih.nk
well on this, and remember thy neighbour in the
mountains"
Having here inserted this Letter. which look
upon as the only anteduvian billet do''r now ex'
tant, shall in next paper give the answer 10 H.
and the sequel of this story.