Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1851-04-02
MISC CE l. l. A n Y .
CORINNE AT HON L,
REnr1NIsCENCE OF 1916.

Our esteemed friend w. B. B., whose poetical
,efusions have often enriched our columns has fur
nished us the manuscript of the following article
which originally appeared in the 'Home Journal,
of New York, in January last :-EDs. OF SPEC.
MONSIEUR MAURICE, the worthy Mayor of Ge-
neva had given us note OF introduction to Mad
anne de Stae and we set out, in cOit"rp de PidcF,
we had engaged for the purpose, to visit her at
her chateau of Copet, some nine or ten miles from
town. My companions were the very oPPosltes
ofeach other "a free and easy, unposhed, though
talented Kentuckian, and reserved, elegant and
highly accomplished lordling Both were young,
neither having yet arrived at mans estate IS but
how different in every particular OF manner, sen-
timent, and condition.
The American was a fair specimen Of native
spirit with all its wild conceitS standing out IN
bold relief. and exulting in independence which
set form at defiance, and sccrned It's trammels-
To the air. tone and manner OF the Englshman,
might be applied the t0tpS ierfS dffDe rei'nt@s OF
the poet for there was not the slightest asPerity
perceptibe in either. The first, errlng rather
through ignorance of etiquette and the rules po
Eteness than disposition to contemn them, was ell
ther brusque or too civil The last was the pertec-
ton of good breeding, which is felt rather than
seen, and cannot be defined for it consists in I'M
obtruslve exercise of courteous actions and inten-
tions forming delightful aggregate, but having
no prominent tsQture for description to embody.-
As have said, both were young; alike IN years,
but differing widely in maturity of intellect and
feeling. The American was man. The Briton
a boy-elegant, accomplished, inteihgent,-but
still boy and residing at Geneva for the compile
ton of his studies The world was new 10 him.
Nature still held dominion over him; and though
habit, association and circumstance had given ease
i tO NJ
evident he was yet child in his sensibilities and
his perceptions. There was nothing about him OF
that precociousness of manhood so usual with our
countrymen, but which in his is neither desired
nor approved. He was what in England is called
lad-a condition unknown to American youth.
The other had acted, struggled and Suffered
His mind had already become alabouring faculty;
his heart had thus early, been shaken to its foun
daton, and was experienced in affection, at an age
when its pulsations should only 1ibrae to antlcl-
.pations of delight. He had killed, in a duel, got
up frolc by his college associates, his friend
and classRate; and had fed from his native land
to avoid the legal consequences Of this unfortunate
act; accidental, and unprecedented, too as he Of
ten assured me, for he had never fired pistol be-
fore, and he and his antagonist cut their names to-
gether on tree, encompassed by heart, before
they exchanged shots. This terrible circumstance
IN the outset of life, had given to his mind natu-
rally of poetic caste, a colouring OF melancholy,
though, Exc that Of Jaques, humorsome and play
iul in its sadness and this with kind OF socable
disposition, with genius to say the least OF it,
amusing in its eccentricities, had made him many
friends in his exile. The Englishman had, in all
probability, never known a pain beyond the least
of those ills the most favoured flesh is heir to-
His beautiful exterior showed no symptoms of
physical infrmity; his placid countenanCe bespoke
mind as yet untasked but by his alma mater--a
heart hexercised but in the discharge Of its a
greeaole functions. He was developing gradually,
like some iavourec exotic which Art is dressing to
fair proportions for future fruitfulness while the
Indigenous shrub is left to accident and storm and
though not retarded IN growth, is often marred In
symmetry and grace, and not unfrequently dis
torted to useleSsnesS. Where are these nlants
of different nurture now1 Mark the sequel: The
scion of nobility is nourishng stately tree, arrived
at full and venerable maturity. The stranger stands
on the grave Of poor =, or reads his humble
epitaph, unconscious that beneath him lies the VIC
tim Of ardent generous brilliant, bat Prematurely
exercised endowments.
1t was q lovely day in June, and our drive al
forded us all the qualification we had anticipated
from Swiss scenery, and the novelties OF nte, Gus
toms and manners, to which our attention was
continually directed. We, however, c0nVersed
but little; for the Englshman was reserved, more
from difidence than hauteur, and my countryman
was, in all likelihood, sharpening his wits for the