Literary cadet and Rhode-Island statesman. [volume] (Providence, R.I.) 1827-1829, 1827-09-12

| gagged him in conversation, won upon
his confidence, and in our last interview
received from him, with an carnestncss
which carried TO my nsnd CONVICTION O..
its truth, the history OF his life. give
the substance onIy-,he language and
many little incidents cannot repeat
To spare the feelings Of some surviving
relatives, / shall call him by fictitious
name.
Those pupils of Yale College, who
were at that venerable institution in the
years 1919, 20, and '21, will doubtless
recollect a young Virginian, possessing
fine talents, warm inpulsiye feelings, a
fiery and ungovernable temper; an idler
in his studies-relying upon tho force of
his genius, and a skpptic in religion
lie was generally called by his mess
mates IN College, "pious. Hotspur."-
This appeilaion was the result of his re-
ligious principles, which, although forci-
bly, ard pIausibly maintained, were far
from being orthodox The influence of
his fathers opinions, together with the
pcrusal Of the infidel works Of Paine and
VoltAife, had early imbued his mind with
so much skepticism upon that subject,
that the ceaseless and assuasivc admo-
nitions of his pious mother, fell like the
seed of the husbandman, among rocks
and thorns.
Born in affluence, reared amid the
sports of the field, and the alluremonts
of society, gay, fashionable and dIssi-
pated, Littleton was, even in early life,
a devotee to all the idle folics, if not the
lighter vices of his neighbourhood. He
returned from college more manly in his
appearance, improved in his mind, pol
shed IN manners and conversation, and
With apparently less of the waywardncss
of youthful folly. He was destined by
his father for the profession of the law,
and his studies were commenced under
the care Of distinguished barristcr-
The pages Of Blackstone and of Coke
were, however, often thrown by for the
pleasures Of the turf and the tavern
Again placed in the midst of fashionable
life, he gave himself up to the fascina-
tions and practices Of his early associ-
ates.
A short distance from his native town
there resided, in all the bloom Of ripen-
ing womanhood, one Of his early female
associates. Amid the richer tenants OF
the garden, we sometimes find modest
little flower, almost obscured by the more
showy ones with which it rs surrounded,
but at tho same time possessing beauty
and fragrance of the loveliest and
sweetest kind. To such fowrct may
be aptly compared, the gentle, but un-
fortunate Elizabeth. Of respectable
parentage, without wealth, regularly edu-
Gated in the bosom of her fathers family,
possessing fine mental endowments, with
the most benevolent feelings, and the
most unvarying serenity of disposition
few who knew her intimately, and who
had learned to appreciate worth, when
unconnected with wealth and fashion,
These attractive qualities of the head
and heart, and the beautiful form, and
still more lovely face Of Elizabeth, had
strongly enchained the feelings Of Little
ton. Their attachment for each other
was mutual, and had been formed in
early youth his absence seemed to have
strengthened (at least on her part) the
ties of affection. She loved his virtues
and admired his talents. She knew but
few Of his foibles-none of his vices. -
Within tweIve-month, however after his
return from college, an incident occurred
which passed over her young affections
and bright hopes, as the whrlwind passes
through the forest, marking its course
with blight and desolation. In one Of
his nocturnal revels, a quarrel arose over
the gaming-table, between Iittleton and
an associate. Blows ensued, and in the
heat of passion, Littleton drew his dirk,
and stabbed his companion severely
He was arrested and thrown into prison,
until it was ascertained that death was
not likely to ensue. BY this circum-
stance Elizabeth was awakened from
her dreams of love and happiness. The
page of Littleton's life, by the interpo-
sition of friend, was spread before her.
She was amazed and giddy with the
thought of the precipce upon which she
had been reposing. She saw him but
once more. The struggle was violent,
but their engagement was dissolved, and
with promptness Of decision, equally
indicative of firmness of soul, and purity
of feeling, she gathered in her young
affections, but with them the seeds Of
sorrow and affliction.
Stung with disappointment and morti-
fed pride,-almost discarded by his
father, and partially discountenanced by
society, Littleton now plunged still deep
er into scenes of vice and dissipation.
Harassed by debts, and deserted by those