Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1826-10-14


| father allowed himself no other relaxations, al
ter the fatiguing business Of his counting-house
than visit to the general hospital OF the town
"a horrible scene OF misery, where four or hive
| hundred beggars are at time allowed to lay
themselves down and die, when worn out by
want and disease. Stripping himself of his
coat, an1 having put on coarse dress for the
| sake of cleanliness, in which he was scrupulous
to fault, he was employed, till late at night, In
making the beds oftbepoor, taking the helpless
| in his arms, and STOPPING to such services as
| even the menials in attendance were often 10th
| to perform. All this he did of his own free
will, without the least conpexion, public or pri-
vate, with the establishment. Twice he was at
deaths door from the contagious influence OF
the atmosphere in which he exerted his charity.
Bnt no danger would appal him when engaged
in administering relief TO the needy. Foreigners
cast by misfortune into that gulf of wretched-
IT. D. 80. after describing his father, he adds,
"The principle of benevolence was not less
powerful in my mother; but her extreme sensl-
bility made her infinitely more susceptible OF
pain than pleasure-of fear than hope-and for
such characters, a technical religion is ever
source Of distracting terrors- Enthusiasm
that bastard Of religious liberty, that vigorous
weed Of Protestanism-doe not thrive under
the Jealous eye Of intallibe authority. Catho-
licism, it is true, has in few instances, pro-
duced sort OF splendid madness; butt. visions
and frances partake largely Of the tameness OF
mind previously exhausted by fears and ago
MES meekly borne under the authority OF the
priest. The ,hroes of the New Birth harrow
up the mind of the Methodist, and give that
phrenzied energy ofdespair, which often settles
into the all hoping, all-daring raptures Of the
enthusiast The Catholic Saint suffers in all
the passiveness Of blind submission, till nature
sinks exhausted, and reason gives wav to a gen
tie visionary madness. The natural powers OF
nv mothers intellect were strong enough to
withstand, unimpaired, the enormous and con-
slant pressure of religious fears in their most
hideous shape. But, did | not consider reason
the only gift OF Heaven, which fully compen-
safes the evils Of this present existence, might
have wished for its utter extinction in the first
and dearest object of my natural affection. Had
she become. visionary, she had ceased TO be
unhappy. But she possessed to the last an in
,ellectual energy equal to any exertion, except
one, which was not compatible with the inHu-
ence of her country--thal of boldly looking in
10 the dark recess where lurked the phantoms
that harrassed and distressed her mind
| He then adds of both
cit would be difficult, indeed, TO choose two
fairer subjects for observing the effects Of the
religion of Spain. The results, in both, were
lamentab'e, though certainly not the most mis-
chievous it is apt to produce. In one, see
mental soberness and good sense degraded into
hmidity and indecision-unbounded goodness Of
| hoo RI Of bepe
lence In the other, we mark talents of SUI
perior kind, turned into the ingenious tormen-
tors Of heart, whose main source Of wretch
edness was an exquisite senSibility to the beau
ty Of virtue, and an insatate ardor in treading
the devious and thorny path it was made to
| take for the way which leade:h unto life "A
bolder reason, in the first, Git will be said) and
a reason less haltered by sensibility in the Sc
cond, would have made those virtuous minds
more cautious of yielding themselves up to the
full influence IF ascetic DEVOTION
| Is this then the affection of son for his fond
| parents? Has that man heart, who seeks to
degrade religion by knocking the virtues Of his
amiable family? Can that man have sense Of
religion, who violates the command of heaven,
and vents his malice against the church OF his
YOUTH by dishonorlng the authors OF his being,
and publishing what even less leroclous enc
my 10 hem who gave him BIRTH would call the
| interesting weakness of their virtue; but what
this palricide of family honor publishes as cri
minalty Of their religion? Yet we shall find
this man, in several places, put on the sem
blance Of affection, to cry out against tribunal
| which, he says, obliges the parents to denounoe
their criminal children; though his hand has
struck through both his parents, to endeavor
to plunge his dagger into their church!-Yet
see what a picture he has drawn OF that father;
occupied in the work Of devoted charity, whilst
probably his wretched son was sneerlng with
his in6del companions at the religion which
gave such heroism; or running that innocence,
which, tainted and degraded by criminals like
him, was to find its last earthly refuge in that
hospital, and The last consultations of religion
from that clergy, whose name he has disgraced,
and whose fame he has libeled. Can this man
have family affection? Not content with dis
honoring his parents, he betrays his sister; or
he has added to the catalogue of his falsehoods,
and Knocked the best feelings of the human
he art. believe the,latter to be the fact. No
brother could have written as he does In p. | 81
of his Evidence. Had he sister in the state
that he describes, he could not have heard her
confession, as shall afterwards shew, by the
strongest evidence; and if he could, neither as