Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1828-1831, 1829-05-19

deductions, although ut variance, gave color !
TO their minds and accelerated their fate.
Jessie could not comprehend what APP
peared TO her the folly OF, her sutton. She /;
rclshed not his sickly sentiment; and as all
womanbind ever did so, she scorned COO
ing lover. The bard was driven to despair,
ana, summoning up an unwonted energy of
mind, departed, and left his adored TO her
youthful alterations.
Soon after this period, the song of "Jes-
sac, the Flo.rer Of Dumblane," together with
the music, was published: it became pub
lie tavori:c; it was sung every where, in the
aires and at parties; world of praise was
showcred upon IT from womau's fattcrinp
lips, and men became mad 10 know the
adored subject of the lay. In a short peri
cd 1t was discovered. Jessie Monteith, the
pretty peasant of Dumblane, was the favor
cd one. From all quarters young men and
bachelors flockCd to sec her, and her own
sex were curious aad critical Many pro.
missing youths paid their addresses to her,
anu experienced the same reception as her
first lover Nevertheless, at last poor Jessie
became really enamoured. 4 rakish spark.
from Mldlothians, adorned with education,
being OF polished manners, and confident
from wealth and superiority Of rank, gained
her young affections. She too crcdulouslv
trusted in his unhallowed professions. The
ardour of first love ovorcamc her bet
ter Judgment, and abandoning herself to
her love OF passion, she made an imprudent
escape from the protection OF her parents,
and soon found hcrsolfiu elegant apartments
near the city of Edinburgh.
The song of neglected Tannahill was 10
his Jessie both glory and curse: while
1t brought her into notice and enhanced her
beauty. il laid the foundation for her final
destruction Popularity is a dangerous Gle
vatlOn, whether the object Of il be Il peasant
II prince: temptations crowd around it,
AL snares arc laid on every hand. Who
Wou' DC eminent, said Il distinguished child
OF popularity, if they knew the peril, the
N ~ odd distraction of mind to which
poSedl
When the poet heard OF the fate Of his
beloved Jessie, his hcert almost burst with
mental agony, and working himself into tho
enthusiastic frenzy of inspiration. pourcd
forth torrent of song more glo.ipr and
energetic than ever before dropt in burninc
accents from ms tongue. Ii is TO be iamen
ted, that In mt of disgust, he afterwards
destroyed those poetic recorcs Of his pas
sion and resentment.
Ere three years had revolycd their trinIe
circuit after Jessie left her fathers home
she was a changed woman. Her paramount
had iorsa ken her. She was destitute in her
splendid habltation. Her blue ewes looked
pitiul on all things around her; her oval
cheeks were mdented by the hand OF mise
! ry' and her face and person presented the
picture OF an unhappy, but amiablc being.
How changed was the figure clothed in silk
which moved on the banks of the Forth, from
the happy, lively girl in Dumblane, dressed
/ tIp arls of, II
Is subject too painful to dwell OIL: let Us
hasten TO the catastrophe.
II was on an afternoon in JULY. a beauti f.
fuI sunny afternoon, the dir was calm and
pure: The twin islands of the Form. iiio
vast cmeraldS set in lake OF silver, rose
spiendldly DER the shining water, which now |
ana then gurGicd and mantled round their
bases. Fiicshirc was spread forth like a
map, her hundreds Of inland villages and
cots TRANQUILITY sleeping in the sunshine. The
din Of the artisans hammers in Kirkaldy
and QueensteTy smote the still air; and
Dumfcrmline's aproned inhabitants scatter
cd forth their whitencd webs beneath the |
noon-tlde sun. On the opposite shore, Leith |
dlsgorgcd her black smoke, which rolled /
slowly in volumes to the sea. Edinburgh
Castle, like mighty spirit from the ''yasty /
deep" reared her gray bulwarks high in air;
and Arthurs Seat rose hugely and darby in |
'he back gTouuti Tie :!o!@ssc. c. &c
fishermen, like hymns to the great spirit of
the waters, assembled over Newhavcn: and
down from Gra;nsmouth, lightly BOOMING
DER the tide, hoated the tall bark. The
world seemed stepped in happiness. But
there was one, a wandering one, an out
east, wfctchcd and desparins, amidst all this
loneliness; her bosom was cold and darI;
no ray could penetrate its depths; the sun
Shonc not for her, nor did nature smile
around but to infict a more exquisite pang
on the unfortunate. Her steps were broken
and hurried. She now approached .hc wa.
tor'5 edge, and then rcccdcd. No human
creature was near to disturb her purposc-all
was quietnesS and privacy; but there was
an Eye from above who watched all. Jessie