Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1829-01-15
A MANUSCRIPT FOUND INA MAD
HOUSE
BY THE AUTHOR OF PELHAM.


noble in birth, and eminent for wealth. My.
brothers are a vigorous and comely race,-my
sisters are more beautiful than dreams. ny
VIA, fatality was il tina, alone was thrust INTO
this glorious world distorted, and dwarf Ike,
aud hideous,-my limbs a mockery, my coun-
teuance horror, myself biackness Oh the sur.
face OF crration,-a discoId 10 the harmony OIL
nature, q living misery, an animated curse!
am shut out from the aims and orJccts OF my
race;-with tie deepest source oil ahectioh I'D
INV heart, / am doomed to find no living thing
on which to pour Them. Iove!-oui upon Inc
world--I am its very loalhing and abhorrence:
friendship turns from me in disgust; pity be-
holds me, and withers 10 aversion. Whereso.
ever wander, ! am envompassed with hatred
as with an atmosphere. Whatever attempt,
am IN the impossible circle OF dreadful and
accused doom. Ambiion-pleasure- phlIan'
thropy-fame.-the common blessings oil soei'
ial intercourse-are all as other circles, which
mine can touch SUIT in one point, and that point
is torture. / have knowledge to which the
wisdom Of ordinary sages is as, dust TO god,-
| have energies 10 which relaxation Is paih;-l
have benevolence which sheds itself IN Charity
and love over worm! For what-mercitul
God!-foi VIVA. are these blessings OF nature or
Of learning?- The instant employ them mus;
enIer among men: the moment enter among
men my being backens into an agony. Laugh>
ter grlns upon me-terror dogs my steps; tx
list upon poisons,a my nourishment is scorD.
At my birth the nurse refused one suck; my
mother saw me and became delirious: my faith.
er ordered that | should be slifled as monster.
The physicians saved my lfe-.accui sed be they
for the act! One woman-she was old AND
childless-iook compassion upon mt: she reared
and fed me grew up-I asked for something
10 love; loved every thing; The common rarth
the FIRE sh grass Tie living insect--the house
hold brute;--irom the dead stone lrod on, TO
the sublime rountenance Of man, made 10 be-
hold the stars and scorn me,-from the noblest
thing to the pre,tiest-lhe fairest 10 the foulest
III love them nH kIelt to my mother, and
besuught her 10 love me--she shuddertd !
fed to my fathfr,- land he spurned mel The
loves, minon of the human race Ilia, had ils
limbs shapen and its counienance formed, relo-
sed 10 consort with me;-lhe very dog only
dared 10 seek out one that see n,ed more rugged
aud hldeous than its feii"ws,) the very dog
dreaded M snG shrunk away! grew up lone
" and wretchtd; was the reptile WHOSE plis-
on is the stones heart --imnured in The e.
leInal penthouse Of solitude 10 which the
breath Of fellowship never came; girded with
a wall Of barrenn-ss, and flint, and doomed to
vepelale and batien on nv own suffice ating aud
poisoned mediiations. But while Iris WAS my
hearts dungeon. they could no. take from the
external se<.ses the sweet face of the Universal
Nalure;- ..They could not bar me from COM
mune with the voices OF ihe mighty Dead Ear h
opened TO me her marvels, and the volumes OF
the wise their stores. / r.ad-I unused Il ex>
amined-I descended into the deep we'll. Of
rru,h--and mirrortd in my soul the holiness
of her divine beauty.
The pas, lay before me- like scroll; the mys.
presen, like clouds; even Of The dark future,
expt rience shadowed forth something Of 10
ken and sign; and over he wond, RS of the
world, hung the j. ioxic ting and m ng ed
spells Of poe y AID OF knowL Gse. But | could
no, without struggle live in world Of love,
and be The onlv thing doomed to haired. ~
will lravel,' said /, 'to Other quarters Of The
globe. All ear'h's have not The proud stamp
Of angels aud of gods and among is inf, lite
variety may End being who will not sicken
al m self took leave of The only one who
had rot loa'hrd me--Ihe woman who had Civ.
en- mr. food and reared me up to life. Sh. had
now become imhecilr, and doaiipg, and biind;-
So she did no, sd,in to lay her hand upon my
dis orled head, and 10 bless me. But better,
she said even as she H. s,rd me and ~ despite
6I ntT uOtdStI--"OclleT indt you mae ptTlSntQ
in The womb AID ] Laughed with loud
laogh when heard her, and rushed from The
hosse.
One evening, in my wanderings, a. issued
from VOID, came abruptly upon the house
Of a village priest. Around il, from thick
and lofty fence Of shrubs which the twilight OF
summer hathed in dew, the honeysucklr, and
the sweet briar, and the wild sent fo' tn
those gifts of fragrance and delight which were
not denied even unto me. AS walked slowly
behind the hedge, heard voices Oh the oppo>
site side; they were the voices OF women, and
paused 10 lis'en. They spoke of love, and Of
the qualities which should c,ea'e it.
NO" said one, and the words, chrd in a
tone Of music, thrill, d my heart -"no, i, is
nc, beauty which require in lover; it is the
mind which can command Others, and the pas
sion which would bow that mind unto me i
ask for genius and affection. I ask fer nothing
else"
Butt, said the other voice, you could no,
love monster in person, even il he were mi.
racle of int leet and Of love"
could, answered The Fl, ST speaker, ftrvcnt
ly; 'if know my own heart, I could. You re-
member the fable Of a girl whom monster