Northern star, and Warren and Bristol gazette. [volume] (Warren [R.I.]) 1826-1830, 1826-07-15
MISC ELLANr.
WALBRlDGE.

ed with a person by the name Of Wal
bridge, whose appearance and deport-
m.nt interested me 10 a singular de-
gree. He seemed then about eight and
thirty, slender and -genteciy formed
not handsome, but possessing reulnrk-
able degree of that charm which makes
personsilteresting. Though he new
er complained, but, on the contrary,
supported, beyond any person ! ever
knew, an equanimily Of temper, yet, to
those who observed him with attention
it was evident that he Iaboured under
the recollection Of some bitter calamity.
Every feature Of his expressive face
bore testimony that j: had at no distant
period been writing with anguish. He
might be said to resemble some fertile
region ofsicily, a long whilo ago laid
waste by au earthquake, and whose
smiling aspect, though in some meas
ure restored by time, still every where
bears traces Of the ravages it once sus-
tanned. His was painful countenance,
as wcs once observed, and the phrase
expressed bis character completely.
In the circle which Walbridge fire.
4uentel, he excited mlcn Of that in
terest which we feel. we know not Why,
for some persons, and was highly es-
teemed. though lie took little pains to
gaiu tie good will Of any one. He evil
IDENTIFY Possed acute feelings, but made
little parade Of them on the contrary,
when. on any occasion, they were as
sailed, he seemed to task his mind to
subdue, or. at least, 10 disguise them.
Though in few instances remember
TO have seen him enter, with spirit in-
TO the discussion of commoa topicks, yet
in, general, he seldom exerted his pow.
ers but on subjects of deeper and more
permanent interest. Then bis severe
aud manly style of speaking. his force
of thought, his min yled feeling aud Pni-
losophick, indifference, ,os ,taer with
the strong and earnest expression OF
bis face, gave an indescribable charac-
ter to every thing he uttered.
If ever, on any Occasion, he appear
ed devoid OF feeling, it was when call
ed upon TO sympathisxe in the common
evils of life. Loss If fortune, disap-
pointed avarice, baiIled ambition, or
speculation, ending in poverty, were
subjects which he listened to as idle
tales aud often would he ridicule, with
bitter irony, the winnings Of those who
complained Of these every. day distress
es Of life. Such things he said, were
the daily bread Of all mankind, and
none but querulous, weak minded be-
ings ever complained of what was the
common lot Of the whole human race
But there were other evils which hi
seemed to feel with rcdouhled force
The wounds Of affection, the sorrows
Of the heart, and above all, the loss O
friends, never failed to call forth hi
pity and commiseration. Fortune coult
restore what she had taken away av
arice deserved to pine {; ambition nigh
begin the world again; and time recon-
ciled US to the ills Of poverty-but VIII
he would ask ever wrestled success
fully with broken heart, or what time
ever reconciled US to the loss Of those
we loved.
confess on these occasions | use,
to suspect that Walbridge wmted tha
practical benevolence which is wortl
al! the speculative sen.ibility in th'
world, and does more TO alleviate tn,
distresses Of society, than all the fin
spun effusions ofsenliment, OF fine spul
philosophy ever whtteo. 1t was no
long however, before ] accidentally dis
covered that. he was in the practice o
relieving the wsa,s Of ihose very per
sons whose common GaiaInl.ics he con