The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1832-06-12
From Blaokwood's Magazine.
STORY OF THE PLAGUE AT
GIBRALTAR.

GIBRALTAR.
The spots that are canopied by the
serenest skies, where the air is the purest
to the vision, and the most genial to the
feelings, where nature, too, has been
most lavish of her charms, are those
where the visitations of pestilence are
the most frequent, and the most desiruc-
tive coming, as if in mockery OF the
Judgment of man, TO show him, that spots
which seem to him the Edens of the
world, are, like the Eden of old, gardens
where death lies in ambush. This OBJ
seryation may well be applied to atmos-
phere; where, spot of earth upon
which nature has so outpoured her riches,
decorating the gigantic rocks with a
thousand odoriferous flowers thus
strangely mingling beauty and sublimity
and stfewing every accliyity with the
broad-leaved and venerable iig-tree, the
yellow-tufted and fragrant acacia, the
golden-speckled orange, and the bright
blossomed geranium, that in its infinite
varieties trails over the ground, and
hangs in every fssure. Yet plague and
pestilence, in their most horrid forms,
have been yisiters here; and the c!e-
ments of disease and death have been
borne on the same breeze that waited
the odors of thousand flowers. The
disastrous story that arm about to mar
rate, is connected with the memorable
visitation Of 1S-, and its details will
not / think, possess less interest, be-
cause they belong not to the dominion OF
fiction.
l received commission on the medl-
cal staff of Gibraltar, the winter before
the plague broke out and in the month
of March, / arrived at that celebrated
station. The D regiment of infantry
accompanied me from England, and the
officers were my messmates in the Thetis
frigate, during the voyage. Among their
number was Edward Courtenay, with
whom-singularly cnough-I had been
on habits of the closest intimacy ever
since childhood, and who was, indeed, to
me, as younger brother. He was n
fine noble-minded fellow +; his like have
never seen before or since, and often as
we sat OH deck during the glorious even
lings that set over us as we sailed south
ward, we talked of the pranks Of our
youth and imagined scenes of manifold
enjoyment, during the four years that it
was supposed we might be stationed at
Gibraltar. "The brightest of my an,ici-
pations," said Courtenay, "is the renew
al of my acquaintance with Caroline
Lorn." Now this was the only antici-
patton that gave me uneasiness knew
of the prediction of my young friend
for this fascinating girl, before her fa-
ther obtained civil appointment in
Gibraltar and well aware of his enthu-
siastic turn of mind, ] could not but fear
1.-The influence which foresaw despotic
Ipassion might exert over his intellect
and his actions.
We were soon domesticated in Glib
lraltar, and began to realise the pleasant
fancies we had pictured on our voyage
and the bright anticipation of Courtenay
was fully answered. Mr.. Lorn, we found
Iinhablting one of the sweetest of those
little villas that dot the neighborhood of
the town it stood upon one of the south
western slopes which are terminated by
the moles and was embowered in thick
ct ofsweet-smelling and Towering shrubs.
This was the daily resort of my friend,
and truly the household goddess was
well worthy to receive his alterations.
Let me say few words Of Caroline
Lorn. She was four years younger than
Courtenay he was twenty-five, Caroline
was only eighteen; but her figure, as
we'll as her mind, had somewhat out
stripped her age the former, cast in the
most perfect mould, added to an almost
infantine ightness those graceful contours
which belong to maturer years and with
the artlessness Of childhood, her mind
was already rich in those indescribable
and nameless elegances and perceptions,
which are rarely the accompaniment of
even ripper age. wish l could de-
scribe her countenance but this is inn
possible. can onlyEsay that it was
radiant with beauty, youth, and gladness,
and that the expression of fcontemplative
Thought that sometimes shadowed it, but
Increased its charm as the thin cloud,
yelling but not obscuring the sun-beams,
throws upon the earth softer and more
mellowed light. ! often saw Courtenay
and Caroline Lorn together; it was evi-
dent that they were bound by no COM
mon attachment and if, from promise,
human reason ever dare predict future
felicity, it might there have INDUCED its
augury for happiness had already un-
folded her fairest blossoms, and they had
outlived the hour when frost might have