Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1826-04-19

possessed by the Lord High Chancellor OF Eng
I land But enough: it is another head OF tina
Hydya which engendered the Bill for loca
legislature, lopt off by our Common Council
and il will be no Herculean task for the Com
mi,tee appointed by that body, now to sla!
the mons,er-thus ex,inguishing the farther oil
future abortive attempts Of private ambition
and sel6shness, which germ so rapidly in Wash
ing,oh. FlNDEA.
From work called the "Omens," recently
issued from the press of Edinburgh, the follow
ing extract is taken, in support OF the authors
theory of prewarnings. 1t is mystical, bu, ho'
without fine imaginings. " Z. inner.
| "What is genius, but sort of something
| which distinguishes, one mind from another
as the differences Of figure and feature, mien *
complexion, individualize the persons OF differ
ent men2-We al. hear, and see, and taste, and
| feel, and smell alike, though some have Keen
er relish of the enjoyment OF one sense than
| those Of another.
Some are delighted by the ear with melodi-
! Gus sounds-others by the eye with wel-order-
ed forms; and the musical distribution Of CO.
| lours: of such are those artists who address
| themselves TO the Imagination. The epicure
has his paradise in the palate; the voluptuary
in his exquisite touch; and l have sometimes
thought that The faculty OF the poet was livei-
est in his SMELL for no other revels so luXurl-
ously in the reveries and nominations Of the ar
omatic summer, nor finds in the perfume Of
leaves and flowers such delicious reminiscent
ces of wisdom and beauty. Despite, then, of
all controversy and metaphysics, it may be
said, as the senses are the gates Of the mind,
that genius sits as warder at that which is best
constructed to give entrance, or, perhaps, that
which the circumstances of fortune have made
the most equenled-quickness of sense, or a
habit of observation.
"But whether that melancholy foreknow-
ledge, with which / was so often depressed,
came Of endowment or custom, 1t would be
thriftless to investigated for, as an old musician
once told me, such things are too shrewd and
subtle ever TO be tasted by philosophy.
ale was a German by birth and came to
teach the flute / was one Of his pupils; but
soon discovering that he was curiously versed
in peculiar experience, took lessons from
him in study more congenial TO my DISPOSE
ton than even music. He had been bred up
from his childhood in the band OF regiment
and vet such was the dominion which his ge-
MUS had over him, such his fascination to har-
monious sounds, thai he remained as simple IN
his morals and imaginations as the shepherd
bow when he tries his first oatenpipe, alone on
the hills, in the calm of sunny May morning
"Ts not the sense have Of the speech which
is in melody / have often heard him say, "a
gift from Heaven? Think you it was given to
delight but idle ears3 That would be to say
Providence makes ddle-strings-No: there is
much prophecy in all the sounds of nature,
speaking to our instinct; but the use Of instinct
we have lost, and therefore do not understand
them. Yes; bv the virtue Of the oracle in mine
ear, have discovered many things that are "a
mong the laws and Irregularities of nature. Those
persons, for example, who particularly delight
in the delicacies ofchromatic melodies, modu-
lated on a fat key, whether they be composers,
performers, or listeners, are seldom long-lived
For the most part they die before their forty
second year, though few, by reason OF more
strength, do sometimes reach to forty-nine.
Such truths cannot be put into the crucibles OF
philosophy
And then he would reckon on his fingers in
Vulnerable instances of musicians Of that deli
cate order, who died in their youth; adding,
ANU nave not NltHSoS L hiOSt oSilSNS III
mine own self? can tell by the key to which
the rising corn ruslles in the winds of spring,
whether the harvest will be plenteous or mig
gardy; for the world is but band Of instru-
ments that were all once tuned to the same
pilch, the celestial key to which the innocent
angels tune their harps Whenever, therefore,
there is any lack Of concord with that which
was the universal key, expectation will be dis
I Los -
with some deficiency. In this lieth the mystic
~ Of fortune. Those who, by their vigor and
intelligence, should be prosperous in health
and in worldly circumstances, and yet are al
ways otherwise, are ever sensible OF some dis
cord in the diapason of themselves, which mars
the effect of their best endeavors in perform