The Columbian fountain., 1846-01-15
SCELLANEOUS.
Adventures Of a Basilful Man.

Adventures OF a BaSilful Man.
My father was a farmer Of no great prop
erty, and with no other learning than what
he acquired at charity school; but my
mother being dead, and | the only child, he
determined to give me that advantage which
he fancied would have made him happy,
viz, learned education. | was sent to a
country grammar school, and from thence
to university, with view of qualifying
for holy orders. Here, having but a small
allowance from my father, and being natur-
ally of timid and bashful disposition, |
had no opportunity of rubbing off that ma
tive awkwardness, which is the fatal cause
Of all my unhappiness, and which | now
begin to fear can never be amended. You
must know that in my person ] am tall and
thin, with a fair complexion, and light flax
en- hair but of such extreme susceptibility
of shame, that on the smallest subject OF
confusion, my blood all rushes into my
cheeks, and appear full blown rose. The
copsciousness Of this unhappy falling made
me avoid society, and | became enamored
of a college life; particularly when re-
flected, that the uncouth manners of my
fathers family were little calculated to i'm
prove my outward conduct; ] therefore had
resolved on living at the university, and ia
king pupils, when two unexpected events
greatly altered the posture of my affairs,
viz, my fathers death, and the arrival of an
uncle from the Indies.
This uncle had very rarely heard my
father mention, and ii was generally believ-
ed, that he was long since, dead; when he
arrived in England only week too late to
close his brothers. eyes. | am ashamed to
confess, what believe has been often ex-
perienced by those whose education has
been better than that of their parents, that
my poor fathers ignorance and vulgar Ian
guage had often made me blush to think
was his son; and at his death was not in
consolable for the loss of that which was
not unfrequenly ashamed to own. NY
uncle was but little affected, for he had been
separated from his brother more than thirty
wears, and in that time he had acquired a
fortune which he used TO brag would make
a nabob happy; in short, he had brought
over with him the enormous sum of thirty
thousand pounds, and upon this he built
his hopes Of never ending happiness. While
he was planning schemes of greatness and
delight, whether the change of climate az
fected him, or some other cause, know
not, but he was snatched from all his dreams
of Joy by short illness, of which he died,
leaving me heir to all his property And
now, behold me at the age of twenty-five,
well stocked with Latin, Greek, and Mathe-
matics, possessed of an ample fortune, but
so awkward and unversed in every gentle
manlike accomplishment, that am pointed
at by all who see inc, as the ,cealthy learn
ed clo1cn.
| have lately purchased an estate in the
country, which abounds in (what is called, J
fashionable neighborhood; and when you
reflect on my parentage and uncouth man
ners, you will hardly think how much my
company is courted by the surrounding fam
lilies, especially by those who have mar
riageable daughters.) From these gentle
men have received familiar calls, and the
most pressing invitations, and though !
wished to accept their offered friendship, |
have repeatedly excused myself under the
pretence of not being quite settled for the
truth is, that when | have rode or walked,
with full intention to return the several Wis
its, my heart has failed me as approached
their gates, and | have frequently returned
.homeward, resolving to try it again to-
morrow. a.
However, at length determined to con-
quer my timidity, and, three days ago, ac-
cepted of an invitation to dine this day with
one whose open, easy manner, left me no
room to doubt cordial welcome. Sir
Thomas Friendly, who lives. about two
miles distant, is baronet, with about two
thousand pounds year estate, joining to
that purchased. He has two sons and five
daughters, all grown up, and living with
! their mother and maiden sister Of Slr