Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1828-06-05
From the Boston Journal.
OWEN FELTHAM.


The works of Owen Feltham, who lived dL-
ring ne reign Of James Is, are full of sentcn-
,iouS wisdom He is strangely in love with
conc,its ard pointed expressions, $50 that the
efassst sentiments sometimes appears ludic>
rous BY tht d.ess u which il is presented. His
style to- ) ,e(y much o. poetical involution,
ard som, I, mes Of S'norous Toundness. But
there is every where SO much Of strong cons
ceoi,9n, ard clear, discriminating Thought, tina
one always finds the book a valuable moral
treasure. OF time he g :. slime 10 like ship
which never anchc,., lie ain aboard, had
better do tn .lags that may advantage me
at my lsadiUg, han practice such as SHALL cause
my commitment when come to shore" ave
see the tnines we aim al, as travellers do towns
in billy countries, We judge them near at the
ewes end, because we see not the vallies and
the brooks that interpose." "1is much safer
to reconcile an enemy than to conquer him.-
Victory deprives him of his power, but recon-
citation of his will; and there is less danger
in a will, which tViH not hurt, than In power,
which cannot" "When two friends part, they
should lock up one ano,her's secrets, and in
terchanee the keys" "Lei no man slight the
scorns and bate Of the people. The sands Of
Africa, though they be but barren dust and
hghtness, yet, angered by the winds, they bury
>irtuous men as it is with spices, and some
kind Of fragrant herbs. Their bruising by con
test tells us all about how rich their odour is.
Owen Feltham wrote an exceedingly humor>
Gus Character Of The Low Countries" from
which we extract the following:
"'rhey are general ses-land, the great bog
of Europe; there is not such another marsh in
the world, that's fat. They are an universal
quagmire epitomized. They are the ingredi
ems Of black pudding, and want only stirring
together; marry, 'ris hes, making ont in dry
summer, else you will have more blood than
grist.
"Says one, il affords the people one commo-
dity beyond all the other regions; If they die
in perdilion, they are so low, that they have a
shorter cut to he'll than the res, Of their neigh
bors And for this cause, perhaps, all strange
religions throng thilher, as naturally inclining
coward their centre. 1t is an excellent coun-
try Tor oespairing lover; for every corner af-
fords him willow 10 make garland Of; but
if Justice doom him TO be hanged on any other
nee, he may, in spite of the sentence, live long
and confident. Ii he had rather qaench his
spirits than suffice ate them, so rather choose TO
feed Holsters than crows, tits but leaping from
his window, and he lights in a river, or sea-
Ills singular place 10 fat monkies in; there
are spiders as big as shrimps, and think as
many. No creatures; for sure they were bred,
not made; were they but as vencmous as they
are rank, 10 gather herbs were to hazard mar
iyrdom. They are so large, that you would al
most believe the Hesperides were here, & these
the Dragons that did guard them. Their ordi-
nary pack-horses are all of wood, carry their
brides in their tails, and their burdens in their
bellies. A strong tide and stiff gale are the
spurs that make them SPEEDY; when they 'ras-
el they touch no ground, when they stand still
they ride, and are never in danger but When
they drink up too much of their way. The iin>
ing oftheir houses is more rich than the out
side; not in the hanginys, but in pictures, which