Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1857-09-16
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Ghitrtss's 9spattmsnt.
10 ths Readers Of the ace.

To the Readers of the age.
My place has been vacant, for a long time,
at the intellectual feasts prepared from time
to time, for your entertainment at the festive
board of the Spirit of the Age. You have
lost nothing, because my feeble efforts to ca
ter for your pleasure have been Withdrawn,
but | feel that | have been greatly the loser,
while denied the privileges Of your sociaFte-
te-a-tetes and intellectual communings.-
Happily, the sombre clouds that shut me out
FROM the sunlight Of your c-ountenances, have
been dispelled, and with a grateful heart to
Him who doeth all things well, l take my
accustomed place among the Contributors to
the Age, hoping to be able to interest my
kind readers, in the small space I shall oe-
eupy.
And propose furnishing you with sketch
&c from my note book, made during a recent
trip to the mountains of our good old State,
of which the Editor has written such glowing
descriptions. / do notpropose giving a regu-
lar account of my travels, but rather the jot-
tings down of thoughts and impressions, in
cidents and reflections, as ! entered them
in my diary.
First day.-Arrived at Salisbury at noon,
weary in body and distressed in mind be-
cause Of the increased illness of the loved in
valid for whose health we had "taken to ira
vel" The Hotel where we are stopping pre-
sents a barren prospect Of enjoyment for the
weary traveller. I have seen no lady manager,
and / am prepared to expect poor accommo-
dations. / learn the landlord and landlady
are away, and congratulate myself with the
consolation-"blessed is he that expects moth
ing, for he shall not be disappointed" Next
morning found us willing fugitives from this
gloomy Hotel de Bachelor.
Our second days travel was pleasant. but
for the most part was passed in reading and
m editation. A locker 10 to our carriage
would have declared that "Hervey among
the Toombs," or the Night Thoughts" or
the Sorrows of Werter " were our let
tered companions. Ard thus we travelled
on, 30 serious and sad. And there came on
a soft melancholy rain, which wrapt the lof-
ty summit Of the distant mountains in such
a veil Of thick clouds, that the nearer we
drew the less we saw Of them. Wrapt in
meditation, | past by many beautiful land
scapes with scarcely a thought of their mag.
niRcsnce and by elegant farm places with
: out their exciting those bright images o
happiness and tranquility they were 50 vel
calculated to inspire. But as l beheld tn
solemn and melancholy grandeur of the loft
dark mountains and abrupt hills, that ros
on either side, my fancy was at once at worl
and I began to people their gloomy cells an
gorges with those vindictive clans that use
to make such fatal incursions of old, anon
the narrow cells Of the towering Ben Lon
ond. In my imagination l saw Bruce an
his faithful few ascending in his forced fig
from Bute-a train Of departed heroes seer
ed to pass in grand review, on the clout
that enveloped the mountain tops, the pr
cession closing with the notorious Rob Ro
riding up the Loeb side with the lady
forced away, and the twenty men in order
who make such a figure in the ballad. III
never seen a mountain before, and it was l
singular that with its sight should have be
associated ray first impressions of one, VIII
in childhood 1 read of the highlands of Sc
land.
The evening shades began to glover, a
I was awakened from my reverie by ia
our dusky driver. who announced-"Yon,
Mass Henry's house, now" We were 81
welcomed to the hospitable and elegant m
sion Of our relative and friend. Here we
to spend several days, perhaps two or tn
weeks, and l anticipate great pleasure in
raj sports and in delightful freedom from
restraints and stiff formalities of convent
al life. Glorious respite.
After a bountcous evening meal, of sv
fresh butter, and all the ct ceteras of a
filed larder, we assembled on the balloon
be famed by the delightful breczes
came dasbing down from the distant mt
tains, and to plan for the enjoyment of
coming morrow and the morrow. A
upon the tranquil bosom of the beau
eYadkin-a visit to the famous Pilot that
its proud head in lofty grandeur over al
hills around-and then to Soratown anc
Piedmont Springs, where deep down il
mountain cove bubbles up the mil
draught to give life and strength to tn
valid, and in whose sylvan shades all
find rest from the busy scenes of life.
now to sleep-'nature's sweet restore
and then for gay and happy scenes.
lThis is enough from our dull diar
this time. If we think it may interest
who may read, we will probably con
our extracts.-EDITREss.
The Voice of Mourning and Pie
The following extract from a letter
heloved friend thourh intended only