Mississippi Democrat. (Carrollton, Miss.) 1844-18??, 1846-07-22
From the s. Carolina Temperance Advocate.
THE BOOK OF EXPERIENCE.


Yes grief will have wayi but the fast falling
tear
Shall be weighed with deep excavations on those
Who would bask in that apirirs meridian
And yet have it thus lonely and dark at its
close
Whose vanity few round him only while fed
By the odor OF his fame, in the summer time
gave;
Whose vanity now, with quick scent for the
dead,
Like The gboul Of the East, comes to feed at his
grave.
O, tsickens the heart TO see bosoms so hollow
And spirits so mean in the great and high born /;
To think what long line OF titles may follow
The relics Of him who died -lriende. and
alone
LINES on The death Of Sheridan, by Moore.
Who has not heard Of Richard Brinsley
Sheridan, the Dramalisl, Poet and Orator,
before whose towering genius, Irish tho
il rdS,) the whole people Of Great Britain,
including even royalty himself, bowed in
profound Difference, and admiratonl Who
has not almost coveted his Game2 Yet it
is lame obscured by blot, which all the
waters Of time can never wash out: he
lived and died a drunkardl In his G5lh
year, after % years of confirmed drum.
kenness, he died neglected and destitute,
in the heart Of the metropolis of Great
Britain, and in the neigbborhood Of austo
cratic wealth, beauty and fashion, who had
hung delighted upon his super.human elo.
quence on the trial OF Warren Hastings.
That a man, Of whose eloquence The youn-
ger Pit, political enemy, would say, it
surpassed all the eloquence of ancient or
modern tunes, and possessed every thing
that genius or art could furnish TO agtate
or control the human mind, should have
been drunkard, and should have so died,
is indeed a sad commentary on the weak
ness Of human nature!
II seems, however, that he was first in.
toylcated by praise, and afterwards by the
bottle. But if he had not by fashionable
indulgence contracted The habit Of drink,
The latter would not have been necessary
TO take the place Of The other. The love
Of virtuous praise, is a great incentive to
right action! 1t never can in a sober man,
lead to vice. But in man, whose brain
IS on fire from the influence Of intoxica.
ting drink, it may well be as it was in the
case OF poor Sheridan, when Senates cea-
sed to applaud, the bottle was necessary
10 make him still think, he was the same
Godhke man, who with an angels Tongue
told the story Of The suffering Begums!
The foundation Of Sberidan's ruin, was
that he was the loved wit, who could set
the table in a roar, and who was the cher.
ished and sought companion Of every idle
sprlg Of arislocracy, from the Prince Of
Wales, downwards. In such society, he
acquired the habit Of temperate drinking.
His first glass Of wine was the beginning
Of the many days aud nights Of social in
diligence, which at last ended in flood.
tide of Drunkenness.
Mooney, who has lately published a
most interesting History Of Ireland, and
which ought TO he 10 the hands Of every
one to whom the story Of lreand's wrongs,
suilerings, ancient fame, and surprising
merit may be in any degree interesting,
says of Sheridan: "Thc life Of this extra
ordinary man is perhaps the most striking
evidence in history Of the dreadful evils of
intemperance. Here was, indeed, noble
mind oyerIhrown by alcohol! Nor was it
all effected at once. Sheridan was at first
a moderate drinker, by turns tho hosplla-
bic host, or welcome guest. lie drank TO
make others happy around him, 10 increase
mutual pleasure. Fatal disposition! At 80
wears Of age, he was, as we have seen,
the first literary man in England, -" Ora
Tor, Dramaiisl, Minstrel, and all, "--bless.
cd with wife, the paragon of conlugal
love, one who was gifted with the highest
musical talents, and other kindred attain.
ments calculated TO hcighlen the happiness