Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1833-06-13
RANDOLPHIANA.-No. II.
fr,om the New York American ]


delightful. Z" But alas!" he used sometimes to
say, g The days Of her glory are past: o!d vir-
I. GINA is M more. The title Of Virginia gen.
I" tleman, which used, in my young days. u oe
s. our buast, has almost become Obsolete Tor
which We have to thank the repeal OF the s"od
8. old English laws Of prmJgeniture. Ii was
:. great mistake, Sir. made by our politicians to
:. break down our native aristocracy. Ii gave
..us.an ascendancy in the councils of the Ma.
:. ton, which we are now fast losing the glo-
nv of Israel has departed y
His three greatest living favcrites were Natha-
MEL Macon, (whom he always called "Unce
Nat,'') Judge Marshall. and MIR. Tazewell;
even when playing at whist. it any contest arose
on the rules Of the game. he used playluliy 10
eYclaim-" I'll leave it to Uncle Nat and 'Faze.
well-their decisions are laW with me-"
Ia speaking of authors, found that he was
great admrer Of Milton, but he did not like
Young, Thomson, Johnson. or Southey. Ills
classification Of modern poems was very curious.
8. SIR, 1 place first on the list Tom Cribs me-
mortal to Congress- next : The two penny post
8. bag and third, 'Childe Harode's Pilgrim
=. ase;' but | can't go IA favorite expressIon)
4" Moore's songs-they are too sentimental !"
In looking over his bonks one day, | discovered
FANNY Mr.. Hallrck's very amusing salirica
poem. ~ dW SIdUs SItu bat Npu "" Hoh
- prescribe Yankee poetry as well as Yankee
" Goldfish" mo SIR" said he, 81 always adj.
:. mire talent, no matter where it comes from;
:. and consider this little work as the best spe
:. cimen Of American poetry that has yet been
{" given to the world. shall take it to England
With ne and present il to the LADY, whose talents
e." and conversation shall most admire" When
afterwards met him in London, recoIlected
A. al b W.lI Mr. Ran
.. du!ph, who got Fanny:''' "Your country
" woman, Miss EJseworlh-s has no compe-
I" titor, in my estimation"
But, to return To our voyaSe-he proposed
that we should read Fanny together, to which
l willingly consented, and here | must regret
that | cannot do justice to bis readings-but my
memory is at fauIt-whenever he came to any
allusion in the poem, either personal or political,
up went lis spectac!es ard down went the book,
and he introduced some anecd"te TO tho point. or
told some story of his first visit 10 New York;
and in this most entertaining way we took three
mornings to get through Fanny | wish
could embody the " context" which he gave to
the "text" as we went along; all | can say, is,
that II was worthy of the poem, and am sure
that Mr.. Haleck would have been hattered to
have had such an able commentator.
strange medley about horses, slaves, eptaphs.
pieces cut out OF newspapers, receipts, congress
sonal anecdotes, quotations, Sc. &c. He also
kept regular diary, aad could tell at whose
house he dined every day iu Washiugton-who
the company were-and the leading topics of
conversation. Pointing to 8 particular date he
said, :. Sir, l shall never forget circumstance
that occurred al Mr. Is table. There
was large company, and amongst them
IS hoarv headed debauchee, whose vices had
{. brossht him to the verge OF the grave-he had
" the audacity. Sir, to cali in question the ex.
g istence of the Deity-presuming, l suppose,
{" that there were some kindred spirits present.
/" happened TO sit opposite to him. and was SO
" disguised by his impiety, that | could not
" avoid excIamng-'I think, Sir, you might
" better have been silent on that subject; tor,
Judging from appearances, in very short time
{" you will have occuiar proof of the power OF
g that God whose existence you now question
" He turned pale with anger, and trembled. but
{. made no reply, and the company soon after.
.. wards broke up, but | never again noticed
" him. Perhaps was wrong, Sir, in correcting
" him; but you know am hair trigger | go
" of at half cock.'"!
When speaking Of his younger DAYS, he used
to say that whatever mental advantages he pos
sesscd, we're owing to the assiduous care Ut his
mother-and he used to speak Of her in the most
glowing terms of fiia affection, never using her
name without the exclamation oil {" Nj Mother
Z" God bless her."
He made US we'll acquainted with his favorile
slave "Juba," whom he daily cited for some
good quality or another. He has not half the
- talents of my man Juba. Sir" was frequent
expression, when discussing the merits Of poll'
tican whom he tlishked.
His knowledge Of the most important light
houses, points Of land, latitude and longitude OF
places, was very great. and aston,shed even our
Captain, with whom he made several amusing
bets on the subject, which, by the way. he al
ways won. Two or three days before We made
the land, We were sitting on deck, whilst the
Captain was taking an observation at noon
" Pray" said Randolph, 80 what is our latitude
:. and longitude no"i'' The Captain told him.
:. How do we head by the co,npass" This also
was told him. "Now, Captain, continued he,
-" can you tell me off the book what land we
8. shall first make if we continue in our present