Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1829-10-22
COMMUNICATIONS.
THE CLUB-No. III.
Meus quia OPTIC

shall make M apology for Introducing my
self 40 The public. The compliments. polne
nessrs. fif NAV be allowed the EXPIRE ssion) and
Euie c,yili,ies Of the world, are by me estima,-
ed a, their true value; and as II is general
characteristic Of human nature 10 Judge every
body by ones self, | shall take II for granted
tha, nv readers can dispense with them as well
rs can.
Most great men have had their biographers,
and some, difident perhaps Of the justice OF
pos,eri,y, have undertaken that Office them
selves. OF his latter class / am fam TO con-
fess myself one, and accordingly, before / usher
nv productions into the world, will favor the
public with short history OF my birth and
education
The place &c my nativity is moi OF much i'm
pottancs: sufh e it, that he green banks Of the
posomac were the scenes OF my early gamhois
and her broad and glorious stream furnished
the first ,iuctures Of romance to my youthful
imagination | was nurlured with all The care
that nv doing grandmother and three maiden
aunts could bes,ow upon The only child IN the
family. These are the premises-e, my read
ers drew their own conclusions. But, not 10
pu, their logical faculties to that test, in hne,
became whai is now ,a-days called spoiled
child. That my bnyhood should not improve
much upon this, was necessary inference
Inc irdu.gences of childhood are apt 10 be ex'
pecIed in youth; and The propensities natural
TO that age, when gratifed 10 excess, often SHE'D
, ban,fui ioauencs On The repose OF declining
lite. Sns IS my case----But mus, proceed
with nay history
Notwithstanding al my childish peccadilloes
were overlooked and all my little foibies gra-
lifted. my father was man Of too much good
s,n,s o neglec, my education. ] evinced no
dist clination TO learning; on the contrary, my
progress was rapid During the intervals OF
study, would often wander out and give reias
To NV fancy was poet from my very child
hood if my definition Of poet be The correct
one | Was one who could hold communion
with Nature a, all umss-who could GO ouI
mo The green fields, and wonder beside he
sunny brooks, where the earth was smiling in
her yerGan, livery, and Nature laughing out
with very ioyuusness al the tranquility oil her
own beau,y. For hours have | lain beneath
the shade OF tree wi, my Virgil, coming
over the charms of his heroic lore, and al
times watching the thistle down as ii noa,ed in
the air as slow and as beautiful as the angels
thai of,en ghded OH b. ea,hings Of happiness
tn ugh my dreams.
Frora having all my caprices hnmored BE-.
came hayward in my habits and inollna ions.
] was Looked upon a. prodigy by my three
maiden aunts, and by one and al designed for
the pulpit. Ny father, wiser than they, con-
templated making me physician. l had q
liking for ,hc-will YOU believe n!-yee, had
alikiug Tor the stage. II was my ruin--l never
mall any hing.
A deceu Income, left me by the best OF ia.
TIERS has supported me- thus Far. am i ba-
cheinr, aid have time anG Inclination 20 s>s;er
al The propensi,es hat were sown IN my
youth, III, chief one OF which is having my
owa wsv in everv thing. NV study, which,
did wish To inform my readers with my rue
character from observation, would introduce
tt-m, is an ind. Y 10 nv amnsenenis and occu-
pat,nns: M as | could adni. no one INTO this
my saaefum saaciorum, W. houi erasing The in
s.,ip,ioi aver the door, which is " PRocUL. O
PsocuL ESTE pRoFANI!' hey mus be ontented
wrh small TASTE" as my Lord Coke hath
il Among learoed trea'ises on the law Of te-
rurrs. aud sage essays the properties and
functions of The blood, are 10 b. found The last
az sir Waller, and our own charming Cooper
Lying in heap with Paley, Hooker, Lay, and
Lo, Ike, you may all the newest poems and
novels Moslca, magazines, new songs, soma
ias for The German flute, sc. figure largely
among notes on Chemical lectures and aar he
NAUTICAL iucn3rauons. NV mantvl piece is gar
= nIsnrd with figures in plaster Of Paris among
which Bonaparte, Lord Weiing'o on, Genera
ia kson aud a Greek Indian In Tie drapeIy
OF nature" stand in mos, amisb,e tsie a tete. -
The fine arts-pain'ing, sculpture, &c have
also coupled portion oil ny attention, and
no inconsid-rabe one Of my purse; white ar
chitectuIe, topography, and as,ron omica al STU,
dies, have received share Of my time.
In enumerating the contents Of my Library
would no. be supposed to be very monk il
learning and study; far from i'll have b., n q
vo,ary of pleasure with as much assidui,y as
the most infatuated bestow upon il. drank
deeply, in my young days, Of her infection.
chalice II tasted the lees The charm yahish,
ed, but its rf'c's are yet experienced Hare
Laie,i isihdi,s drundo
said tn, WAS a hayward child-way'
wardness is a leading trail in the character o
my mannood-i, is exempl'hed in the diversi,!
Of my studies. Poetry is the principal solacs
Of my life, and 10 my future writings l,erar,