Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 182?-183?, 1832-06-08

short time, we become well acquainted will
all his personages, as various, natural, anC
yet original group as we have lately seer
brought together in the "select crcles' o
| fiction.
There is Mr.. Francis Meriwea;her,
substantial planter, most respectable ant
courteous gentleman, and great admirel
OF Virginia, for whose honor he feels bound
touphold State-rights, and improve the breed
OF her horses. "My cousin Lucretia, %
Mrs. Meriweather,-is an unexceptionable
model ola wife, who stakes her reputation
on her domestic economy, is withal "thera-
peuilcal in her constitution" and rises early
10 administer "death-routing decoctions'' &c
| the youngsters. Ned Hazard is a new and
droll specimen of lover,-whose effect we
| shall be curious 10 know upon lady-read-
ers; and MIR. Club, the family tutor, is a
queer miracle, OF his own sort Then there
is Harvey Riggs, with his odd, subdued
humor and Mr.. Philly Eve beg his par.
don,) Mr.. Philpot Wart, the foxhunting
| county-court lawyer, such character as
every body has seen, though no one has tho't
of painting him before. We cannot find
general epithets descriptive of the lady-ac-
tors in the scene the romantic Prudence,
the placid Catharine, and the thoughtless
yet fanciful Bell. The two last, by the way,
are the daughters of Mr.. Isaac Tracy, a
neighboring proprietor, long engaged in a
lawsuit with the Meriweather family, the
history of which law suit, and of the freak
OF "my great uncle" Mr.. Walter Hazard,
in which it has its origin, is no bad speci-
men ofthe humors and quiddities ofMr. Wal
ter Shandy. OF the subordinate characters,
Mike Brown the merry blacksmith. and the
mischievous urchin, Rip, have very par
ticular twangof originality.
A chain OF light incident connects and de-
velopes these characters. Our author has
not aimed at novel or plot; but Ned
Hazard and Bel Tracey are, we presume.
the hero and the heroine and every fair and
romantic reader will compassionate the he
roine who, with Almost sentimental penchant
for preuX chevalier, had so inveterate
jester for lover, who puns in the very act
OF declaration, and actually laughs when up
on his knees.
Was ever woman in thishumor wood?
Was ever woman in this humor won:"
AS TO the latter point, we must not antici-
pate the catastrophe
In contrast with the light ard humorous
sketches, which, with some charming de-
scrlptIve writing, compose those two agree
able volumes, is the story of Abe, a very
melancholy tale, told with great vigor We
are much mistaken if the style of this author
does not meet with particular commentator,
as itch, racy and easy, and especially dis
tlnguished by its playfulness. 1t is scarcely
necessary to say of writer who discrimi-
mates his characters so perfectly, that his di-
alogue is eminently happy.
-'sSs--
NICHOLAS WOOD, the GLUTTON
One Nicholas Wood, of Harrison in the
county of Kent, yeoman, did eat with ease
whole sheep, Of sixteen shillingS price and
| that raw, at one meal Another time he
eat thirty dozen of pigeons. At Sir William
Sedley's he eat as much as would have suf-
feed thirty men. At Lord Wotton's, in
Kent, he devoured in one meal cighty-foul
rabbits l.; at another time eighteen yards o
black pudding, London measure He once
eat sixty pounds Of cherries, and said they
were but wastemeat. He eat whole hoe
and afterwards swallowed three pecks O
damsons this was after break fast, at which
he had taken bottle of milk and pottage
with bread, butter, and cheese
He eat in my presence" saith Taylor
the waterproof, six penny wheaton loayes
three siX-penny veal pies, one pound of fresh
butter, one good dish of thorneback and q
silver of a peck household loaf, an incl
thick, all within the space of an hour; the
house yielded no more, he retired unsatis.
fed
One John Dale, of Lehman, laid him wa.
ger, he could fill his belly for him with gooc
wholesome victuals fortwoshiIlings HetooB
this wager and said when he had finished
the two shillings worth, he would eat up {
surloiR of beet. Dale, however, brought siS
pots OF mighty ale and twelve new penny
white loaves, which he sopped therein, th,
powerful fume whereof conquered this gIut
tonous conqueror, and laid him asleep before
he had finished his meal, whereby the roas
beef was preserved and the wager lost.
Wood spent all his estate in provender fol
his enormous stomach, and, although land
ed man and true laborer, he died very
poor.
Old IHeg There is most consummate
scoundrel in this region called They. He i,
at the bottom fall mischief, and delights ir
abusing the good people whom he happen.
10 fall IN with. No scandal is uttered, bu
They is given as the author. Theg said SC
and so. Two young people cannot look al
each other in quiet friendly manner, but
| Ihey takes up the subject, and forthwith Tn.
two are pronounced TO be engaged, and if
marriage does not ensue, why THEY say II,
or She IS faithless wretch and has broker
terrible promises. A merchant can't lool
sober few minutes hut Tney say he is 90
ing to fail, and all his creditors are set on
with hew and cry and forty bum bailifs I,
boot, because They say he is insoIvent. III
| Iaa a L III