Litchfield enquirer. [volume] (Litchfield, Conn.) 1829-current, 1832-09-27

remarked, that the most laudable DEEDS are
achieved in the shades of retirement ana
to its truth, history testifies in every page.
An act of heroism or philanthropy, per-
formed in Solitude where no>undue feel
ines can affect the mind. or$bias the char
acter, is worth to the eye of an impartial
observer, whole volumes of exploits dis
tilayed before the gaze of a stupid and adj
mifing multitude. Ii is not long since a
gentleman was travelling in one of the
counties Of Virginia, and about the close
of the day stopped at public house TO OBJ
tain rcfreshment and spend the night. He
had been there but short time before an,
old man alighted from his gig, with the APP
parent intention Of becoming fellow
guest with him at the same house,. AS
the old man drove up he observed that
both shafts of his gig were broken, and
they were held together by withs formed
from the bark of hickory sapling. Our
traveller observed further, that he was
plainly clad, that his knee buckles were
loosened, and that something like negii-
gence pervaded his dress. Conceiying
him to be one of the honest yeomanry of
our land, the courtesies of strangers passed
between them, and they enteredthe tavern.
1t was about the same time that an addi-
lion Of three or four young gentlemen was
made to their number, most, if not all of
them, of the legal profession. AS soon as
they became conveniently accommodated,
the conversation was turned by one of the
latter upon an eloquent harangue which
had been displayed the bar. 1t was re-
piled by the other, that he had witnessed
the same day degree of eloquence no
doubt equal, but that it was from the pull
pit. Something like sarcastic rejoinder
was made to the eloquence of the pulpit
and warm and able alteration ensued, in
which the merits of the Christian religion
became the subject of discussion. From
six o'clock until eleven the young champi-
ons welded the sword Of argument, addu-
cling with ingenuity and ability every thing
that could be said pro and con. During
this protracted period the old gentleman
listened with all the meekness and nodes
ty OF a child, as if he was adding new in
formations to the stores of his mind or
perhaps he was observing with pllilo-
sophie eye the faculties Of the youthful
mind, and how new energies are evolved
riotic emotion, he was rejecting upon the
future destinies of his country, and on tile
rising generation, upon whom these desti-
MES must adeyolve; or most probably. with
sentiment OF moral and religious feel
ing, he was collecting an argument "''ch: (
characteristic Of himself, no art would be
able to elude, and no force resist. Our
traveller remained "a spectator and took no |
part in what was said.
At last, one Of the young men, remark
ing that it was impossible to combat with !
long established prejudices, wheeling round
and with some familiarity exclaimed, well
my old gentleman, what think you of these
things If. said the traveller, a streak of
vivid lightning had at that moment cross |
ed the room, their amazement could not
have been greater than it was with what I
followed. The most eloquent and unan- !
swerable appeal was made for nearly an
hour by tho old gentleman, that he had
ever heard. So perfect was his recollec-
ton, that every argument urged against
the Christian religion was met in the or
der in which it was advanced. Hume's
sophistry on the subject of miracles, was,
if possible, more perfectly answered than
it had already been done by Campbell.-
And in the whole lecture there was so
much simplicity and energy. pathos and
sublimty, that not another word was ut
tered. An attempt to describe it, said the
traveller, would be an attempt to paint the
sunbeams. II was Immediately matter
of curiosity and inqniry who the old gem
tleman was. The traveller concluded him
to be the preacher, from whom the pulpit
eloquence bad been heard. But no, il
was John Marshall, the Chief Justice Of
the United States.
A Magnificent Road.-Willis in his
10th Sc First Impressions Of Europe" gives
the following beautiful description ofthe
road along the borders of the Mediterra-
mean from Nice to Genoa.
at is impossible to conceive a route of
more grandeur than this famous road a.
long the Mediterranean from Nice TO Ge-
noa. II is near hundred and fifty miles,
over the edges of mountains bordering the
sea for the whole distance. The road is
cut into the sides of the precipice, often
hundreds Of feet perpendicular above the
surf, desceading sometimesinto tho rayines
formed by the numerous rivers that cut
their way to the sea, and mounting immcdi-
ately again to the loftiest SUBMITS. II j. a
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