Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1829-08-27
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From the Boston Palladium.
TIE SHAKERS.

II.
r., establishment of the Shakers at Ms
~ Instant from the city of Albany
.;,bt miles. You have only TO ride
.,I HE city to It's northern limits, and,
.a,,s;og the venerable, embowered man
5,r,eof the Hon. Stephen Van Rensse-
,o. ,urr from the river. To he lett, INTO
.,,,ry. The road is gooj, INT solitary
,rno.t lost in the gloom of the .',F, umbra-
mines. The verdurc of the country, as
r..,rrr, itselfon either side, is remarkably
~, and the strong color of green is refresh
,,o,bc eve. Is we prroach the Shaker
/ -r.,,a,t the nature of the soil appears to
! A, changed sand is displaced by deep
nm and the pines give wayto young, vlgor-
1 b, and diverifed forests We approach the
4 ,lo,cr, from the southeast the road runs
,r.,,y through the landed property of the
,;,,I socirty which consists OF about two
.r,,rd acres. There arc four villages or
,.;I;es- one on the left OF the road, and
MO-, q, the right. aud the distance between
,cb or,bes, settlements is generally from one
4 .rrb toa.alfamilc. We turned short to
100 rob,, and entered the first viliage-the
,ry embSm Of neatncss and good arrange
,c., |, was near night; the nightingale
S VA, mourning pIaintivc song through an adj
|i,ccu, grove. and the sun was low over the
taes,crn hills, little north of the range oil the
E C;,,kimouataius, and the strongly defined
shadows of approaching twilight lent q deep
tranquility to every object around. We rode
10 the Trustees house, found no one present
\ 20 answer our inquiries, and proceeded onward
,,l! we came To an enclosure, beyond which
food three or four large dwellings. AT the
door one of them we sa!utCd venerable
man and benevolent looking woman; we in
Ouired for an early friend who was COW
member of this community; an answer was
ri,cu in tones Of kindrNSs With look of
goat tranquility and sweetness the woman
,.s.. .au haaw hnr?" He was
|Mah,roo, ina v,.la.s past the grove, on the
left b,nd ,ilr OF the road twas a beautiful
ride 10 the place. We could not help obser-
wing The neat appearance of the fields and
the grove oil our left Every unsightly, or
dccoyiagtrcc had been carefully converted
into fuel, and nothing remained but the vigor-
Ou>ond hcallhiuI. We soon saw the desired
village and took our FREUD of other days by the
Rand
Ii Is Impossible 10 describe the air of tran
guilty anicomlort that diliuscs itself over a
NOSSr settlement 1t is no matter what the
enemies OF such peaceful, unofiending COM
munIucS may say about them. The acute OBJ
server OF human manners will testify for them
'hatthey do not live after the manner of the
world We have seen the Nuns of the Black
Nu,m Montreal in the only impressive cerc-
uouy oi the year in which the eyes of the
PorGIlce can be permitted 10 rest upon them
tev were the pale victims Of cclibacv, and
@cr coun'cnances discovered traces of the
'7'lre non intercourse of conversation with
ne other sen: their minds we've lonely and
herr looks lonely.
II IS not thus with the Shakers the two
'-XcS together bear the burden, if burden it
nav be, Of ccljbacy they cnliven its dull
.e>> by the amen,ty of their intercourse with
''l o'hlr-ant this intercourse is, indeed
"aea less restricted than is generally suppo-
sell \ stranger may not intcImeddle wi tn
"'''' aiieciou'tc friendships and pure platonic
ya''@ents that may spring up, under what
1e world, perhaps falsely, calls an over
" n',.n'fs obstacle to earthly happiness -
IN, m''n Of these people, their uniform
4''H9SS to each other and the singularly be-
e''.ent and tender expression of their coun-
..4.c1S' speak 4 stronger language than
l@r professions
We were hospitality entertained in their
'"aad plain dwellings. Tea was taken "a
me- Tut the honors of the tea table were done
one OF the sisters Of the community, whose
equent visits to the table aad kind offers of
f'iee showed an anxiety that the guest
o%d be we'll accommodated After plea
nj night rest, and lone breakfast, at the
mus OF the iair benciactress Of the tea table,
c departed
FROM cursory examination of their dwell
iSS, gardens, and modes Of life, we are pre-
'red to speak decidedly favourable Of their
aus OF worldly management and thrift -
0ey have steam engines to aid in the me-
ahlcal trades, and the cutting of their fuel,
hich Is done nv a circular saw attached tn a