Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1845-01-23
COMMUNICATION.
ZION THE SprcrAroa.
TO S. N. S.

My Foung Friend While many of the you,l
| OF our country and even of our own neighborhood
are drinking with eagerness at the flood of intox
icating fiction, which the city presses are con.
stan'iy pouring forth. it gives me much pleasure
10 hnd you seeking for something more subs,an.
.'ai. In compliance with your request, l will
venture 10 recommend one two books for YOUR
perusal ; not tina, suppose any value will be add
cd 10 them by any praise l can hestow, but that
you may perhaps feel more safe in PURCHASING
them. You will read "Dr. Durbin's Obserya,
tons in Europe" with deep interest, and think
WIN much profit. Some persons think il very
strange that the accounts of the same countries.
given by different travellers vary so much from
one another. Some even GO so far as to dscredit
much OF what has been written by travellers be-
cause they have no, written the same things a,,out
The same places. But, allowing ia each a h,t,e
play OF the inagnaton-a little room for embeI-
lishment, there is still room enough for Crea,
variety OF truthtruth in the sirictest sense OF the
word. You find that one man admires the snbli-
NIFTY OF Milton, while another reads with the biob.
est delight the history of Tom Thumb. One is
mute with astonishment at the adventures of the
genius of Byron, when
''Hc laid his hand upon 'thc oceans name,
And played familiar with his hoary locks;
Stood ON the Alps, stood on the Apenaines,
And with the thunder talked, as friend frcnd'
Another is more highly pleased to find, that he
Then turned, and with the grasshoppcr who sung
His evening song beneath his feet convcrscd."
The Hood Of satire. poured upon the .Engish
bards and Scotch Reviewers" is richer 10 the
taste OF some than any thing else 10 be found in
the whole field of literature. The prices-current
occupy place of the highest Importance in
e"spaPer, when read by one, while another looks
10 the "Pocts corner" his chief source of
pleasure and amusement. But certain class
read with The deepest interest, the various items
under the head of Married" And yet writers
vary no less in their tastes, than readers-and
writers Of "Books of Travels no less than other
writer's. While the devotee Of classic lore would
read on each toitering pillar or fallen stone amonp
me ruins oil once proud Rome some record of The
history ot departed genius, another would demol-
lsh the same pillar or break the Same stone, 10
learn something Of The geology of that country;
another would look at its commercial advantages
another feel most deeply interested in the present
literary and religious condition of its inhabitants
DR.. Durbin's travels were confined principally
to France and England. Manyahings are view
ed by him in light different from that in which
most other travellers have looked upon them
The condition of affairs in every country is con.
s'antiy undergoing changes and notifications;
and Intelligent travellers often take more correc,
view OF the influence which these changes and
notifications exert than do those in the midst OF
whom they have taken place.
The description given by DR.. d. of Paris and |
us magnificent Notifications. Is highly interest |
ing. OH VIII he interested with his visit to Ge- F!
neva--a city, whose history, in modern times
has been closely linked with That of the Reforma
lion. But need not tell you what is interesting
In this most interesting book. 1t will afford you
much more pleasure 10 find that out by a pernsal
OF It, l had intended noticing another work, but
must defer it for the present.
Yours, SC. LEGULUS.