The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1825-03-01
FOREIGN.
trer 4, Lirspooi .iffrcutg, October 30.
La fAlBrTE.

-,al nlufe sahlime than W. have been
frr.l, describing. We there see whole
people ~ one individual, enihnSas licaily
welean,ng Ia their shores a man 10 whom
they are endeared by the grateful reeollee
ton uf past services, rendered to t1r VA
ton IN tie hour at Imminent peril the
very crisis "f their independence. Our
readers viii readily perceive that we allude
10 The brilliant reception OF The veteran
1.afayelte, by all classes vt The citizens oi
the u. States. To use the emphatic Ian
riiagr of the american journalists, The
illusfriaus brnfaeior al America, the sol
der. pattinf, and statesman of our fefolu
.tion. the bosom FREUD and companion in
arms of the immortal Washington, the
sieadfasi friend of liberty all over the
world, has came in his old ags, aud full of
Yfoaors, 10 the country al his youthful Clio
ry, to witness its creatures and renuHn, 10
receive the congratulations OF his surviving
-sampatiin aud To become the guest of
the uslion--the guest of ten millions Of
grateful freemen. Welcome Lafa, cite
The editor If the London Courier who
must have persBel the journhis describing
the receptinn,of Lafayette with the kind
of teeirns with which 1t is said the Devil
looked OWES Lueulo, has made a feeble Il
malignant attempt 10 turn into rldicule a
snlurimis exhibition OF national gratitude,
unprecedented IN The world. Wien the
King of England eandeserndcd TO visit Ire
land his Majesty's reception was highly
fatteiihg, aud was TO doubt dictated by
genuine feeling but we may be permitted
90 observe, without Questioning the loyalty
of those who shouted and threw up then
caps on the occasion, that II is not only
probable, but extremely natural, that they
Were also actnated by other feelings. Roy
atty is the fountain Of power aud of honor /;
and as there is no nation on earth more
wretehed than the Irish, II was natural that
they should be overjoyed to SEE amongst
them mighty Prince, who certainly had
the ppwcr, II he had the inclination, To con-
fer upon them thr most substantial bless
ings.
in the reception Of Lafayette in the u.
States, the case is altogether different the
Americans have nov nothing To expect OF
~ wish from their iIlAstrious guest who,
an his part, neither seeks, nor would con
descend 10 receive, from them any recon
pense for his past service, except their
gratitude no wonder that 50 disintcrested
an exhibition Of republican feeliog should
be sneercd ut by aruurtler and Tory, like
the Courier, as il gives the lie IL the Sian
drrs he aud others have heaped upofi the
American people, whose moral character
win be greatly exalted by their digni6cd
reception Of La Fayeiie. Gratitude is II
virtue which is always accompanied by
other good qualities. Whenever find
gratitude in poor man. says Swift, |
take ii for granted there would be- as much
generosity If he were a rich man
The enthusiastic aud Unprecedented
welcome given by whole naton To this
gallant, honest man, almost entirely IN
crosses the columns of the American jour
mails !; nor has the lively sentiment his visit
at first inspired in any degree abated.
Wherever he appears his presence is hail
ed as the signal fera general jubilee says
the editor of the Loudun Courier, las if
the rest Of the world were not looking on
with scorn and derision at their fooleries.'
The MUSES. of course have been invoked
upon the occasion add we certainly have
seen abundance of bad, and some good
specimens. The Courier, in order, as we
suppose, 10 disproye that passage Of ON
.fsvorite national song, in which Thompson
says, The MUSES. still with Freedom
sound has selected the worst verses which
have appeared in honor Of Fayetie, and
has rejected the best Thus he quotes with
great relish, the following piece of luatian
Honor to whom honour Is due,
Long HE to Lafayette, and Liberty too"
We are not informed, however, from what
quarter this very odd coupet emanated
whether ii were inscribed in Dutch me
tal letters on gingerbread cake, or on one
Of the siSpenny drains with which the in
FAINT republicans march out 10 meet La
fayette, because their fathers and mothers
have told them that he had fought and
hlrd 10 secure the. independence and hap
piness they now euJoy. The writer WIN
could adduce two such lines as we have
just qrolcd, for the mere purpose of throw
ing an mir of rdicule upon sublime and
enthusiastic exhibition of national gratitude,
must bea hearlIrss being, icsers,be 10 the
nobIest feelings ofour nature.
We nave no doubt that the editor Of the
ouIler has heard of the anccdote of a
pnrish clerk, who, when a certain great
Bishop honoured the village church with
his august preseace, gave out the psalm in
the mauner following Let as slng to
the praise and glory oi God, Il psaImn of
mine own composing:
. Way doye skip ye little hills,
Why do ye skip and hop;
. Is it because You re glad to see
lis Grace, my Lord Bishop
Nowif any foreign journalist were to
addnce these lines either rs specimen OF
tile state otpoetry IN any country, or with
n view of ridI,ulmG the Bishop, or the
good people Of ,ae parish, 1t would scarce
~ he more nncandid and absurd than II is
in the Courier to lay stress upon such
,nt, lrts rs fbnsn hp has ntntpd