Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1828-1831, 1828-12-17


dreams OF youth evanesccnt a. they are ecep-
tive. Who has not felt the bright Illusions of that
nspringtm fall like Jewels from the radiant Ii
airy that Fancy had woven about his heal' Who has
not wept over the spostacy of early friends or the de-
scrtion OF more Gan friends and stood alone even
amidst smiling thousands in that worst of solitudes
the solitude ofthe heart?-Ths may be the homelicst
picture Of lives; but, alas it is the trnest The
following recollcctlons will furnish a melancholy L.
lustration 10 IT, Indeed such one be necessary
ilERBERr LELAND had been but little familiar
l2ed with the grosSor OF this tradcsman- ko
world, when. at the uge of nineteen, with all the ad-
voutages fbirth fortune, and talent together with
the finest temper ind the whitest teeth i'm the world
he became II member of Christ Church, Oxford
where he was very shortly voted "a correct man" by
the select and exclusive Set Of the Ys and Honora
bes oi that society. He thro' the usual course
OF dissipation with the fatal precocity which ever
marks the of genius; and Sardanapaus himself
could not have been more casscdiy cpicuran or gen
nemanfy IN the selection of his pleasures But ere
long he was doomed To experience the inevitable con-
sequences of such pursuits,-the zcst of novelty
which ut first disguised their real yapd hoowness
wore Oft, but their paralysing effects remained and
he found himself in the very summer of his age, with
the whitening of autumn on his check and the cold
| ness OF winter at his heart.
Alter dcpositing in the bosom of Alma Mater, the
greater portion OF the learning he had brought with
him to her halls, he LEFT the great Alexandra of Eu-
rope for the metropolis; and having taken up his A.
bodc nt Longs fell in with some college friends who
first sympathized with him the loss of his health
ana then proceeded TO console him with the loss of his
money;-in short he was nearly ruined! His friends
Tell from HIM like insects from bighted bough their
detection aroused him and compelled him for the first
time too look around him. He could scarcely recop.
nize the world of his imagination in the world which
ne bcheld. The first finely pcncilled land
scape with long perspective of sun and shades but
1t was no likeness the other q dark homely pic
ure dirty, Dutch; and unromantc; but then it was NO
copy, but an original.
Ills finances were once more recruited by the de-
ccase OF the last of his family and he became the pos
SCISSOR of large and unncumbcred estate which had
been the heir loom of long and noble line. He had
now to decide whether he would retire into the ouet
aud unambitious walks OF domestic life or minge with
the mighty earth, the noble the talented and the
wealthy; he proudly chose the latter, and after pass
ing two or three years in the scnselss rone of fash
ionable life during which he squanhered his noble
inheritance pandering to the taste of others he ac
CURED u reputation that Brummel might have envied
But he was the worlds idol only long as he was its
dupe, he had dsipaed his wealth i'll counting its suf-
lraSc; he became guilty of poverty and the word was
memorable. AT last he "went out" with the air of
retiring minister, and philosophicay determined tor
cut the world when, in fact, the world had cut him.
The village Of. in the county of Devonshre,
was the spot he selected for his retirement. His an
pearance III the village created n considerable sensa-
ton; and several niy6 dunts we're seen shortly after
wards, waddling from house to house, in all the apo-
MES OF craving and unqualified curiosity respecting
the strange gentleman" During these visits he
authority, swlndler, music master, q murderer in
Disguise anu minister of state. For some time the
hHughness OF his manner cfectually repealed the ci-
Whites OF the natives who stood corrected by the in
soent dignity of his eye, which, Tightening from be-
meath his dark curling hair, gave peculiarly aristo-
cratlcal cast to his countcnancc. There were howe
ever, lone two hardened old retired citizens who
presenting on their purses vcntured TO nict several
sly offers of patronage the strangers such as seat
in the church, permission to shoot, invitation to
dinner. 1t is even Iumoured that OF these niat-
uatcd persons, Ito the utter establishment of large
party ofgentlemcn who were dining with Sir Arthur
Ellington, ncighbor baronet) had ventured to take
VINE with him, and even TO be facetious in his pres
eEce; but this fact requires confirmation.
lIelapd had played the hermit for few mon; hs
during which mo his heart had been freezing in the
shade OF solitude, when the potencs of the venerable
oaronet already mentioned again attracted him with
IN the pale ofsocicty but he was no longer it's dune
out It's tyrant The freshness of his spirit had faded
with the bloom of his cheek and he was-a man with
out heart!
The family scat of Sir Arthur ELLINGTON was an an
cient pile, in good preservation and furnished will
the usual gothic fixtures of old country seats old ser
wants, old pictures old wine, and old women -Thcr,
was onc, however, who seemed to stand apart from
tins antique asscmbage like the Hobe i'm the pictur,
gallery, that stood smiling from sunny niche on The
dark and towning beauties OF the older school, and
this was Edith Ellington.
Had the gentle, graceful Edith met the eve Of
Leland before the world had set it's stamp upon him
1
but known what brighted dessert was the heart o
HIN on whom she was bcstowing the first increase Of
her maiden affections, she had never loved! But
could the naughty look of independence that sat OF
the expanded brow of Leland be that of the vii;
hypocrite needy fortune huntcr' Could that fine
ly toned voice that full eloquent eye be the portion
OF the deccivcr? that graceful, unobtrsivc soft
ness OF manner dwell with the heartlcss, Edith wa,
woman, and bad rcasoner. Edith was countr,
girl, and had only mixed in high life enough to affair
ITS cleGanclcs, without earUlu0 its heortlassncss
She saw the temple lovely from without and dream
not that oil was corruption within. The advances o
The tabled serpent TO the pillow Of the slumberinc
infant were not more secret fatal than are the in
snuang batteries of the we'll bred hypocrte to tn,
bosom OF the woman who listens md loves. Editl
loved, and with the untamed enthusiasm of our earl,
days, she loved she knew not why, and cared mo-
wherefore Had her understanding but asked In,
question her heart would have Indignantly reicctc,
IT. suggestions, and appealed to her lover Cor synpa
| thy. But he alas had no heart.
The voice Of the doceiver was as sweet Co Edith
as his snares were fatal Often, as she stood at h
side watching the evening star trembling ON IN,
bosom of the lake, did she listen with undoubtnr ten
derncss TO the well told tale of his love- and az often iii,