Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1830-06-26
Fran HE Lon Ton Netc EonthIy hGg0>me tor 'fdy'
NoNOS AND DIAMONOS-A LEGEND.


[ am English BY birth, anu my carry years
,ror, nassed IN ,sss. | had neither brothers nor
,,stsrs. my brother died when was in the era,
die: and found my sole companioh' tu'"'' anu
,J,ypate in nv father. He was younger bro
r. oT , noble and ancient house: what induced
I;u, to f,rsake his country and his friends, to
hnre all society, and to live on rock, Is story
- ;t.elf ohich has nothing 10 do with nine.
A. rho Lord liyeth, believe the tale that
shall tell YOU will have sufficient CLAIM on your
attention, without calling in the history oil aho-
,h.r 70 nre6ce its mast exquisite details, or to
f',trsst 70 i, mos, amusig events. SAID
p. f,tber lived ON a ro> k-the whole country
rnnnd seemed nothing but rock wastes, D!eak'
hIa,l. dreary; trees stuuted, heritage Oiasteu;
caverns. through which some black ana wiz
stream THAT never knew star Or suniiSh'' out
tbro, rare and hideOus chasms OIL the hu- s'oues
ab,ye it,l went dashin4s and dowlng on us press,
II cmrSe: vast cliffs. covered with eternal
sno,ys where birds of prey lived. and sent IN
screams and discOrdance, grateful music l"
81 heavens. which seemed too cold and barren
90 ,,ear even clouds upon their wan. grey, com
G,rtle.s expanse: these made the charaeIeEs So, VI
. carts of 80. relieves the nine months OF WIN
Tor with three months Of an abrupt and autumn
loss SIMMER, never seemed TO vary IN the gentle
ard sweet region in which nv home was placed.
perbaps. for brief interval, the snow IN the
y,IIeys melted. and the streams swelled, and
hlue CHA ,tly, una ura kind Of vegetation, seem
oil Mere and there 10 mix with the rude hchen, or
.cotter a rrin smile over minute PARTICLES OF the
universal rock; but to these witnesses OF the
CHANGING season were the summers 1t my boy
hood confined. Nv father was addicted TO the
sc,ences-the physical sciences-and possessed
lint a moderate share of learning IN any Thug
else; he taught me all he knew; and the rest ii
my education, Nature, IN savage and stern guiae,
,nsti,Ied in my heart by silent but deep lessons.
She TAUGHT my feet to bound. ana my arm 70
snite. she breathed life into my passions. and
.bed darkness over my temper; she taught me to
cling 20 her, even in her most rugged and unallur-
inc form. and 10 shrink from all else--frOm the
connonionship of man, and the soft smiles of
woman. and the shrill voice of childhood: and
rho ,ies. and hopes. aud socialiiies. and objects
oc human existence, as from torture and a curse.
E,aa in that sulen rock. and beneath that unge
NAL skv. | had uxuries unknown 10 the palid
t,s,es az cines. or to those who WOO delight III
an air of odours and in a land ut roses. What
we're those luxuries? They had myriad OF va
rieties and shades of enjoyments-thev had but
:, common name? What were those luxuries?-
Soh'ide!
Nv father died when | was eighteen: was
transferred to my uncle's protecuon, anu re-
paired 10 London. | arrived there, ssunt and
stern. giant in limbs and strength. and to the
tastes of those about me. SAVAGE IN bearing and
in mood. They would have laughed, but awed
them: they would have altered me, but changed
them: | threw darap over their enjoyment and
n cl,ud over their meetings. Though said lit
tie. though | sat with them, estranged, and ST.
lent. and passive. they seemed to wither beneath
INV presence. Nobody could 1--we with me. and
DE happy, or at ease! Ifelt it, and | hated them
that they could not love me. Three wears pass |
ed was of age-I demanded my fortune-and
scorning social life. and pinIng once more for
Loneliness. resolved to journey into those un-
peopled and far lands, which. If any have pierre
ed none have retured to describe. So | took my
leave of them all. cousin and aunt-and when
came to my old uncle. who had liked me. |
les than anv, / grasped his hand with so
friendly griDe, that, well ween. the dainty
and nice member Was but little inclined to its or
binary functions in future.
/ commenced nv pilgrimage--l pierced the
Burning sands-I traversed the vast deserts
,,,,a into the enormous woods ut africa, where
human step never trod, nor human voice ever
startled the thrilling and intense soemni'y that
,roaIs over the great solitudes as i brocded over
me chaos before the world was!-Ihere the