The Wilmingtonian, and Delaware register., 1825-05-05

"In its maignancy, it engrossed the i'll OF
all other maladies, and made Doctors de-
spcable. OF a potency equal to death, 1t
possessed itself of all his armourcs, and
was itself the death of every other mortal
di,temper. The touch, yea, the very sight
of the infected was deadly; and its signs
were so sudden, that families seated in
happiness at their meals, have .ecn the
plague spot begin to redden and have Wild
iy scattered themselves for ever. The &C.
ment of society was dissolved by it. Mo-
thers, when they saw the sign OF the IN
fecton or the babes at their bosom, cast
them from them with adherence. Wild
places were sought for shelter-some went
into ships and anchored afar off in the wa
tiers. But the angel that was pouring the
vial had foot on the sea, as well as on
the dry land. No place was so wild, that
the plague did not visit-none so secret
that the quick sighted pestilence did not
discover-none could fly that it did not over
take.
at was as if Heaven had repented the
making of mankind, and was shoveling them
all into the sepulchre. Justice was Tor
gotten, and her courts deserted. The ter
rifcd ailors fed from the felons that
were in fetters-the innocent and the gull
tv leagued themselves together, and kept
within their prlsops for satety-the grass
grew in the market-places-thc cattle went
moaning up and down the fields, wonder
ing what had become of their Keepers
the rocks and the ravens came into the
towns. and builts their nests in the mute
belfries-silence was universal, save when
some infected wretch was seen clamouring
at window.
| sEoro time oil commerce. was IN COff1DS
and shrouds but even that ended. Shrift
there was none churches and chapels
were open, but neither priest nor pepiten'
entered; all went to the charncl-house.-
:. The sexton and the physician were cast
into the same deep and wide grave: the
ltestator and his heirs and executors were
hurled from the same cart into the samt
hole together.-Fires became eXtingulshet
as if its element too had eXpired--tht
seams of the salorless ships yawned to the
sun. Though doors were open, and cot
/ fers unmatched, there was no theft-al
offences ceased, and no crimes but the uni
vcrsal wo of the pestilence was heard
among men. The wells overhowed, ant
: conduits ran to waste; the dogs BANDED
r themselves together, ha ing lost their mas
tiers, and run bowling ever all the land
horses perished of famine in their stalls
old friends but looked at one another whei
they met, keeping themselves far aioof
little children went wandering up and dow
: and numbers were seen dead in all cor
ners. Nor was it only in England tina
the plague so ragged; it travelled over
: third part of the whole earth; like tn
n .hadow of an eclipse, as if some dreadt'l
q thing had been interposed between tn
!, world and the sun-source Of life"
.
> "At that epoch, for short time, ther
i was silence, and every person IN tn
l. street, for a moment stood still: and Lon
don was as dumb as a church yard
Again the sound of a bell was heard tor
= was that sound so long unheard, which al
: rested the fugitive multitude, and cause
: their silence. At the third toll a universe
: shout arose, as when herald proclaim
g : the tidings of great battle won, and the
d there was second silence.
: "The people fell on their knees, and wit
d anthems of thankfulness rejoiced in the dis
- mal sound of that tolling death-bcll; for
! was signal of the plague being SO abatc
y that men might again mourn for their friend
: and hallow their remains with the solemn
a ties of buriel