Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1844-02-15

at the iunatc Asylum al tnat place, ana
which, in imagination, they picture the
almost happy scene there described
Let them contrast it for a moment with
the misery and despair of many unhappy
beings of the same desert ription, now
wretchedIy existing within the borders
Of our State, and then ask themselves il
these things should be &C Are not the
people of Rhode Island as able, in Pc
cuniary sense, to provide properly for
their insane poor as the citizens of other
States Or are they behind their neigh
bors in the attributes Of humanity aud
benevolence If not, then let them
awake to the subject, and embrace the
present favorable crisis-now that the
erection of an Asylum for the Insane is
in agitation, and remedy the crying in
justice done to this long-neglected class
"a class of unhappy fellow beings, some
Of whom are now chained in dung cons,
shut out from light and air, and exposed
without fire, to all the rigors of the pre-
sent lnclement season and who, hem.
med in on every side by the frosted walls
and floors Of their rocky dens, can barely
keep alive the vital spark by the most
violent exercise Of their tortured limbs
Fair at lhe Lunatic Asylum
The little community whom the munifi-
cent benevolence Of the State of New
York has located in the suburbs of our
pleasant city, has been wholly engros-
scd for some weeks past, in preparation
for Fair. la this they have followed
numerous OF their sane neighbors, and
with uccess that would seem TO indi-
cate that the Asyl ylum is tho most suita-
bic field for such enterprises. On
/ Thursday afternoon, the arranp eme ut
having been completed, the Asy
was opened to visitors, and the .opportu-
nifty Of witnessing the novel display OF
an imC,ense variety Of articles nanufac-
tured exclusively by persons in whom
the fancy has attained perfection delri-
mental to the other faculties Of the mind,
was embraced by many hundred persons
from this city and the ne ghboriHg towns.
The table was spread in the lower
hall of the eastern wing and extended
about two-thirds Of its entire length,
which is some $50 feet Most of the
patients rooms on that floor were thrown
open and all the inmates Of the Asylum
who were in sufficient health, were per-
mItted to mngle with the gay and busy
thropg from the outer world. which
crowded The hall. Among those active
y engaged in the management of the
Fair, the distinguish female philan-
,hropis,, Miss DIX, who in the prosecu.
lion Of her benevolent labors has been
for come weeks a visitor at the Asylum,
attracted much attention. II would be
Of course impossible 10 cnumerate even
the classes of the endless varieties of
articles exposed for exhibition aud sale,
and alnGst vain to attempt description
the particular ones. Every one was
surprised at the beauty OF the fabrics,
and The skill and ingenuity displayed in
'HelT nanuIhclnff.
We caDnot do better Than give a
specimen of the correspondence carried
on through the post Office
SONG OF ToM-A-BEDLAM
! know more than Apollo
For Oft when he lies sleeping,
| behold The stars
AT mortal wars,
A,,J I'll, -,
The moon embraces her shepherd
And the Queen of Lovo her warrior
While the first does horn
The stars Of thr morn,
And the next the heavenly farrcr.
With heart of (urious fancies,
Whereof am Commandor;
With burning spear,
And horse of air,
To the wilderness wander;
With knight of ghosts and shadows,
! summoned am To tourney,
Ten leagues beyond
The wide worlds cnd
Melhinks It is no journey.
Nor never sing any food and feeding,
Money, drink, or clothing
CUme dame or muid,
BE not afraid,
For Tom will injure nothing,
There were n multitude Of drawings
scattered over the table like Sybiline
leaves and inscribed with scraps of poe
try in illustration of the pictures. One
Of these has come into our possession,
representing a fleet courser whose rider
has experienced a fate similar to that Of
Absalom, being inextricably entang led
in the branches Of an over hanging tee.
There is u dim outline Of hdeous mon
sier, one OF the powers Oft air, appa-
rently uttcrng terrific shrek at the
catasirophe Of the Jockey. In tho cor
ner we have this stanza
"Long life 10 Matty Van
lie lsa worthy man
| In spite of my plan
| lie for candidate ran "
A most beautiful and perfect model of
the Asylum, Q nr 10 feet long, made by
Mr.. David Jones was placed at the end
Of the ball where il attracted the atten.
ton of all the visitors. \ baud al mu.
sicans, composed of patients, from time
to time favored the assembly with lnstru-
mental music.