Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1840-12-24
From the southern Literary Msssongc
The Cottage in the Glen.

U
-, by The post road, you may observe cart
path leading directly into thick wood, where
the trees tower IN niaJesiy and beauty to the
very clouds, aud look as If they bad thus
stood ever since the day when "lhe heavens
and the eaith were finished, and all The
host of theni." Were 1t not for this same
cart path, with lis three ridges OF bright
greensward, and IT'S four lines o. dusky
OIown, You might doubt whether The silent
grandeur OF the forest had ever echoed 10
the voice OF the ioustep ot man.
There Is something truly grand aud I'M
prcssye IN forest scenery. The lofty trees
stretching hugh toward heaven; the grace
ful and majestic waving Of branches, breath
lug natures own soft music, winch scarcely
removes The Impression vi profound sIleDcc-
or which, to parody the words of Milton,
"Just makes silence uu0blc )" the deep aud
seemingly 'boundlcss conilguliy OF shade"
and TIE awful solitude, make man shrink into
himself, ana irei that hc is III the presence of
The Eternal. The weak splnl OF II creature
HAL aS man, Is soon oserpUwered, IT II give
itself 10 10 the Impressions naturally pro.
duced by contemplating, IN solitude, the gran.
dcur vi creation. The first feeling Is de.
llght,-DcAt admiration, then won cr,-theu
awe, and then oppression ;-7-and when II
arrives at tins point, the sight OF sucl
n lIttlc cart path as ] have mentioned
Is great relief to the feelings, for II shows
that being having PisslOns, aud feelings
and sympa;hlcs like his owu--as short lived
as dependent, as insignificant as himself, Is
or has been near. The deep shade has been
penetrated; the solitude has been Interrupt
ed; and an unbroken aud eternal silence has
not forever relgncd IN the forest.
H II the reader wishes, We will follow tbs
path, aud see whittier II viii conduct Us. Its
course Is lllllo devious, probably To avoid
the trunks OF The trees, for not one appears
TO have been icled 10 shorten the distance,
winch Is about three iOurths OF mile, under
the unbrokcn shade Of the same noble wood
land. Now the path begins to descend a
little, and by almost lmperceplble degrees,
you arrive IN valley lying between two
I lofty ridges, that become more and more
abrupt as you advance and when you have
proceeded about the fourth ot mile, they
seem nearly perpendicular on either side.
And their suuIntS being crowned by the
lofty trees OF the same far stretching forest,
cdds much TO the apparent depth Of the val
ley, and you feel as II verglng towards :he
centre of the earth. That little ripping
stream in the valley, beside which we have
been walking, now begins To widen, aud
presently expands itself into u mlm,c lake,
restrained Oh the one hand and Oh the other
by the mountain side, leaving Just room
enough OH the left for the unbrokcn cart
path. Your car is now assailed by the sound
Of rushing waters, and a roof appears be-
yond the lake-so that habllallon Of man
Is near. No, it is a mill ; the dwelling house
Is sixty rods below: there il lies, on bead
iiful swell IN the narrow valley, made, II
, would seem, on purpose Tor its stC-and the
again diminished stream is softly nurn'urne
by It's side. That is The Cottage in the Glen
/ II you please, we will descend, and take on
station in iront of 1t. Before we turned tha
! angle TO attain tins spot, you were about L
! exclaiin "1'hls is the very home of solitude
I shut out from the rest Of creation" Bu
look straight down the valley, and iar-la
of, see the picturesque and busy village o
-, and the sparkling waters Of the riv
er. The valley is so straight aud narrow
! and widens so gradually towards its mouth
aud the banks on either side are so prcclpI
/ tous, that 1t produces the same effect on The
| scene beyond, that tube does III viewing
/ u picture. Is il not beautiful ! Now IT you
will climb with me to the foot Of that tree
4 that stands part way up the bank, we will be
seated IN the shade, aud will give you ;
sketch of the Inhabitants of the cottage.
/ Mr. Kirkwcod, a native Of Massachusetts,
aud head at the family, Is now upwards q
scvouty-hve years OF age and until ycrglni
towards sixty, was decidedly man OF th
world. lie was educated at Harvard Uni
verslty, and at tie age of twenty cish
when hc married, was Il good scholar,
iinisic Ieitlema1, aud successful law
yer.
j. "Thcrc IS n tide in the affairs of men,
whch, taken ut the Hood, leads on to fortune"
MIR. krkwood seized the favorable moment
and his wealth rapidly increased. lie wIshct
TO be rich; not to hoard his wcalth--but tha
he might Dc enabled 10 procure all the ndul
rcncIes and eleganclcs Of life, aud move a
the head of society. Ills wish was gralIiied
lie became rich lived IN splendid style
and hls house was the iayorite resort Of Ia,
wealthy, the elegant, aud the fashionable
HIS wife was model OF good bouscwiieTy
property aud politeness; aud his only chill
a sop, was all that the heart of man Of Tia
world could wish. Highly gifted by nature
aud favored with every advantage for til
cultivation of his talents, young Kukwoo
was ushcrcd into society, elegant III person
elegant IN miud and correct IN morals.
was generally conceded that whoever ot
tanned him, would gam first rate prize
the matrimonial lottery. Of course. ,ber
was no little competition among mother
who had daughters To dispose Of; aud youn
LADIES' who wished To dispose OF themselves
But the lovely, well educated, aud rrtirn
Mary Bust, engaged hls affections wihou
seeking them; aud IN winning her heart
aud securing her hand, hc insured his ow
earthly felicity. Gentle by nature, pollshe
aud enlightened by education, unblemlshc
: ~ reputation, aud thoroughly well prnciplet
i through the as,lduous care and unwcafie
l instructions nf wise aud Irous parents, -sh
D was al man could wish for as a wife, cou
panlon and friend all he could wish for
j. The mother of his children. The sons cho,c
rave perfect satisfaction 10 his parents ~
when ~ the course of n few years, the youu
wife gave succcsslvcly 10 tue arms Oi In
hu. baud. three sous sud n daughlcr,- the
o seemed TO be around this family. conf
i eoce Of all that Constitutes the felicity
- earth.
But, alas, N the tide of mems affairs, the
u an ebj as well ~ food; and this The Kr
wood family now began turApcricpcc. II
elder k,tkwood had jos, began 10 dscoy
!, that hls affairs we're ~ some confusion, wh'
hs wife was suddenly sna'chod away
death. IL was heavy blow, aud hc ielt