Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1842-02-17

my sense bI Jnsllcc hs kecNiy uIVc to 'neH
high claims on every man who loves Gods
image--wilh oil my energies as fully bent
on Judging for myself, and speaking out, and
telling in my sphere the truth. as do now,
when you rain down your welcome on my
head.
\ Our President has alluded to those writings
which have been my occupation for some
years past; and You have received his allu.
sions in a manner which assures me-if
needed any assnrancc--lhnt we are old
friends in the spirit, and huve been in close
communion for long time.
II II il no, easy for a man to speak Of his
own books; dare say that few persons have
been more interested in ,nine than ]; and IL
it be a general principle IN nature that g
lovers love il blind, and TINT mothers love
Is blind, believe it may be said Of an au.
thor's attachment to the creatures OF his own
Imagination, that II is perfect model OF
consistency and devotion, and 10 the blindest
OF oil. But the objects aud purposes have
had in view arc very plain and simple, and
may be easily told. | have always had, and
always shnll have an earnest and true desire
| TO contribute, as far ns in me lies, TO the
common stock OF hcal,hfnl cheerfulness and
| enjoyment. ] hav0 always had, and always
shall have, an invinciblc repugnancc to that
mole eyed philosophy which loves the dark
ness, and winks and scowls in the light. |
believe that virtue shows quite as well in
rags and patches, as she does 10 purple ana
/ fine linen. ! believe that she and every
beautiful object in external nature, claims
some sympathy ~ the breast OF the poorest
man who breaks his scanty loaf Of daily bread.
believe that she goes barefoot as well as
| shod. believe that she dwclls rather often
er in alleys aud by-wuys, than she does in
courts and palaces; and that it is good and
pleasant md profitable, to track her out aud
| follow her.
\ believe lha; to lay ones hand upon come
Of those rejected ones whom the world has
too long forgotten, and too often misused,
and say to the proudest and most thought.
less, these creatures have these elements and
capacities Of goodness as yourselves; they
are moulded in The same form, and made Of
the same clay; and though ten times worse
than you, may, in having retained any thing
of their original nature, amidst the trials
and dIsiresscs of their condition, be really
ten times beiter-I believe that to do this Is
q worthy and not useless avocution. Gentle
men, that you think SD too, your fervent
greeting Sufficiently assures me. That this
| feeling Is alive in the old world as well as in
|
| II, who have found such wide and ready
sympathy IN my own dear land. Tha, in cx.
pressing 1t, we are but treading in the steps
of those grea, master spirits who have gone
before, we know by reference To all the bright
eXomples IN our literature, from Shakespeare
downward.
i There is one other point connected with
the Iabors (li | may call them SOY that you
| upl "A upu Pst In
cannot help adverting. | cannot help ex.
pressing the delight, the more than happiness,
| It was 10 me to hnd so strong an interest
awakened, on this side OF the water, In favor
of tina, little heroine Of mine, to whom your
/ president has made allusion, who died IN her
youth. ] had letters about TINT child, in
England, from the dwellcrs in log houses
| among the morasses, and swnnps, and
densest forests, and deepest solltudes Of the
tar west. Many sturdy hand, hard with
the axo and spade, and Drowned by the snm-
mer's sun, has taken up the pen, and written
to me a little history Of domestic joy or
sorrow, always coupled, am proud to say,
Of interest in that little tale, or some comfort
or happiness derived from it; and the writer
has always addressed me, not asa writer OF
books for sale, resident some four or five
thousand miles away, but as friend to whom
he might freely impart the joys and sorrows
OF his own hresidc.
Il Many n Mother-l could reckon them,
| now by dozens, not by units-has done the
/ like, and has told me how she lost such child
AT such time, aud where she lay buried,
and how good she was, and how, in this or
| that respect, she rescnbled Nell. ] do as
sure you that no circumstance Of my life has
given me one hundreGth part OF the gratIt.
cation | have derived from this source. ]
was waveriDg nt the time whether or no TO
wind up my clock, and come and see this
country and this decided Inc. | felt as if it
were positive duty, us if were bound to
pack up my clothes, aud como and see my
friends. And even now ! have such an odd
sensation IN connection with these things,
that you have no chance OF spelling inc. ]
| feel as though we were ngrceing-as indeed
we are, il we substitute for fictitious charac-
ters the classes from which they are drawn /;
about third parties, in whom we had n com
mon interest. At every new act Of kindness
on your pnrt, ] say II to mysclf-thal's for
/ Oliver-l should not wonder If that was
meant for Slnlke-I have no doubt that it
Il is intended 10: Nell and SO ] became q
much happier, certainly, but more sober
| and retiring man, than ever was before.
II oeHtItNth' 'o'n'S W NY HV"oS !" "a
nerica, brings me back, naturally and Of
course to you. Coming back to you, and be-
| ing reminded of the pleasure We have in
store in hearing the gentlemen who cit about
me, arrive by the easiest, though not by
the shortest course in the world, at the end
of what ! have 10 say. But before ! sit
down, there is one topic on which am de.
sIrous to lay particular stress. 1t has, or
should have, strong interest for us all, since
to its literature every country must look for
one great means Of refining and improving
its people, and one great source Of national
| pride and honor. You have in America,
great wrIters-great wrltcrs-who will live
IN all times, aud are as familiar to our lips as
household words. Deriving (which they ali
do IN greater or less degree, IN their scve-
raj walks) their inspiration from the stupcn-
dous country that gave them birth, they dii.
fuse better knowledge Of il, and a higher
love for It, all over the civilized world.
H | take leave to say, in the presence OF some
OF those gentlemen, that hope the time is
not i,r distant when they, IN America, will
receive Of right some substantial profit ana
return in England from their lsbors and
I'LL