The Daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1845-1850, 1850-09-07
MY Childhood's Home.

The table, manris seated holding book in
his hand. His figure is tail, his limbs robust.
He still retains all the vigor Of youth. His
forehead is open, his eye blue, and his smile,
at once firm and graceful, displays to view
row of teeth like pearl. Some remains of his
original costume, his hair especially, and GER
tain military stiffness of attitude, proclaim the
retired officer. If any doubts are entertained
on this head, they are speedily dissipated by
the appearance Of his sabre, his regulation
pistols, bis helmet, and The guilt plates of his
horses bride, which shine suspended by a
nail from the wall at the extremity Of a little
cabinent which opens off the apartment. This
manis our father. So za,l tsa. l96s
On couch Of plated straw, occupying an
angle formed by the fireplace and the wall of
the recess, is seated woman who appears
still young, although she is already bordering
onher thirty-fifth year. Her figure, tall also,
has all the suppleness and all the elegance of
that of young girl. Her features are SO del
icately formed, her black eyes have look SO
open and penetrating, her transparent skin
permits the blue veins and the ever changing
color, called up by the slightest emotion, to be
so clearly visible beneath its snowy surface
her jetrblack but fine and glossy tresses, fall
in such wavy folds and graceful ringlets
around her cheeks, and rest upon her Shout
ders, that it is impossible to say whether she
is eighteen or thirty years of age. No one
could wish 10 strikeaoff from her age one of
those years, which have only served TO perfect
her physiognomy and ripen her beauty.
This beauty, although pure in every feature
| if they are examined in detail, is peculiarly
apparent in The ensemble, by its harmony, its
! grace, and above all by that radiance of in
ward tenderness, that true beauty of the soul,
which lights up the body from Wilma ra-
dance of which the loveliest face is only the
outward reflection. This young woman, hall
reclining on the cushions, holds little girl
asleep in her arms, her head resting on her
i shoulder. The child still rolls between lis
fingers one of the long black ringlets of its
mothers tresses, with which it had just been
girl rather olderi is seated on stool at the
foot of the sofa; she is leaning her fair head
on her mothers knees. This young woman
is my mother; these two children are my two
eldest sisters. Two others are in their re-
pective cradles. .nta H. q53
My father, as have said, holds book in
his hand. He reads aloud. l fancy still
hear the manly, full, nervous, and yet flexible
sound of that voice, which pours forth in
broad and sonorous streams, interrupted at
times by the gusts of wind against the win
dows. My mother, her head little inclined
to one side, listens in dreamy mood. |, my
face turned towards my father and my arm
resting on one of his knees, drink in every
word, anticipate every story, devour with my
eyes tile book, whose pages unfold too slowly |
for my impatient imagination. What is this
heard at the entrance into ife, teaches me
what book really is, and opens to me, so TO
speak, the world of emotion, of love, and re-
verie?
ms BOOK was Inc JeruSutonl Iet3UeTeU llle
Jerusalem Delivered, translated by Lebrun,
with all the majestic harmony Of the Italian
stanza, but purified and refined by the exquis-
lite taste of the translator from those gar-
ing defects of affeciation and false Or
nament which sometimes sully the manly
simplicity of Tasso, like gold dust which
would tarnish a diamond, but which the
Frenchman has blown awhy. Thus Tasso,
read by my father, listened 10 by my mother
with tears moistening her eyelids, is the first
poet who has stirred the chords of my imagi-
nation and my heart. Thus does he form part
for me Of that universal and immortal family,
which each selects from every country and
from all ages, 10 form the companions of his
soul and the society Of his thoughts.
~ have kept as precious relics the two vol
nmes. y I have rescued them from all the vi
.cissitudes which change Of residence, deaths,
SUGGESTIONS and divisions, bring upon family
libraries. From time to time, at Milly, in the
same apartment, when ! return there alone, !
open them with pious reverence. ! some-