The Columbian fountain., 1846-11-04
A TALE OF THE FEDERAL CITY.

after modest and, appropriate Introduction
The Dedication is in verse; Parts of il are
quite beautiful. As, for instance, the follow
ing lines: ~ ~
Give me the pillow of thy breast, ,s
And in the softness Of the beam ,|
Of thy dark eye I'll sink to rest;
'a Give to thy voice gentle tone,
Such as its sweetness had of yore, .a@
And aslitgdes in beauty on a a.1
III live in happy youth once more ass
Then, towards the close, a
'My buried youth here retrace, .s,a., .aa
\, And linger Ger each feature wild, a.,
AS one would linger Ger the laugh
4 81 Of happy children in its home,
Which is our manhood's epitaph Fs""
n. Inscribed upon our boyhood's tomb 'aa
Now comes the story 1t opens with some
remarks concerning our city which we give TO
our readers because we consider them truthful
and interesting. l'is3 aga vtrt t.sa @ y1
M The Metropolis of our blessed Union is a.
city for which Imagination has done more than
reality; tor, over its vast surface is a vacuum
which the lapse Of thirty aud odd years has not
entirely filed. Notwithstanding its old title 10
reverence, this heightened space is beginning
to be annihilated by the spiritot rapid improve-
ment which is burying in its progress the
green fields on all sides. Over these fields
are now rising many monuments, some Of
costly marble and massive granite, which re-
cord their departure from among u.s.. Around
the secluded old houses Of plain brick and NOR
tar that stood amidst these fields, almost haun-
ted in their loneliness, new buildings have
gradually been built, and now they present the
appearance of sociable old neighbors. They
have the prejudices Of age, however, some Of
these old houses, and they wear among the
new ones an antique air Of superiority. The
most Of them have adhered TO their ancient
style Of ornament, while others again, like old
bellies and beaux, not willing to be numbered
with the times that have passed, are keeping
up with the changing fashions of the day
This actual transformation from age to youth
is the advantage which old houses have over
those who once inhabited them. Could the
years which have built them up to old age be
replaced by youth, as the old bricks can be re-
placed by new ones, how different would be
the condition of their tenement .u.Ms
Who says that is not very pleasant COM
mencement2 But description then follows
which we think not so well Of; and so, thro'out
our friends book, thereis much interesting, and
some rather, to us, unuseful matter. But tits
so with all novels, so far as our very slight
acquaintance with this class of literature ex
tends. Were it not for the fact that we are
quite unused TO noticing. books of this class,
we might indulge largely in reviewing the
work before US. But our space, and the occu,
pancy of our time otherwise, will not permit a
full notice of our young authors production.
II may suffice for US to say-perhaps more
than this will not be expected Of us-we have
no doubt the 'Protege' will be, or has been,
(for we are late with our notice. read with
pleasure by those peculiarly fond Of works Of
fancy J. E. T. has the ability of good wri-
ter. This book, in many parts, shows il. The
style of the work, aud so far as we are judge,
the plot is entertaining. Some expressions are
rather too exciting, and according 10 our COM
prehension, not the best. Still, we interdict
not our young author. The truth mixed up
in the fiction, if rightly applied, might do vast
good The danger in such matters is, howev-
er, that few minds gather the real gems of a
work. Instead of winnowing well, the great
majority Of readers are careful to save the
chaf of novel and neglectthe wheat that lies
beneath, after the pufs have blown off the ligh,
stuff
Our, ciizens have no doubt rendered due
encouragement TO the author of st, Clair, OF
the Protege A Tale Of the Federal City, We
make these remarks for the benefit of our read,
ers, and as a mark Of affection for ]. E.. II.
or Politicians says Dow Jr. go for their bread
and butter, and for nothing else'