Mountain Democrat. [volume] (Placerville, El Dorado Co., Cal.) 1854-1860, 1858-05-08
A6venturerR

The new American Encyclopedias has the
following: Adventures are persons lacking
the necessary discipline and balance Of mind
to submit themselves to the laws of society,
while at the same time they are devoured by
the ambition Of distinguishing themselves, of
making fortune or sensation. They stand
in the same relation 10 the cherdlier d. induS-
trie as the pirate to the pickpOckct, while to
men of genuine ambition they compare as
cox-com6 to man of the world, or poachcr
to fisherman.
Adventures are rarely without redccmng
love of glory, and if they are successful they
become heroes, like Napoleon. On the other
hand, they seldom listen to the appeals of
conscience, and il they are unsuccessful they
become Scamps like Gagliostro. In the his
torical records Of men of brilliant fame we
find many adventures are persons of in
famous repute in the police returns. They
are to be found daily in the walks of private
life, e well IS in the realms of action
Micawber, in David COpperfeld, would have
been Q great advcnturcr if he had not been
destined TO become the great Micawber. He
was always waiting for something to turn up"
This peculiar state Of expectation is, in fact,
the normal state Of mind Of an adventurcr-
As long Is this state Of suspense lasts he keeps
wisely in the background, ransacking Garth
and heaven, his brain aching with thought,
his heart swelling with hope, his very soul
bursting with ambition; but as all the while
his pocket is empty, and as he docs not per-
form any honest labor for the purpose Of filling
it, his life is that Of an outlaw. His name
nay, his very existence, is utterly unknown
except to his unfortunate family and his mis-
cradle creditors.
But of sudden his corrOdinE ambition is
Rratifed, the dreams Of his life are realized
Something has turned up. He jumps into
some conspicuous or notorious position. The
fact Of his existence is like a new revelation
to mankind. His name falls like a bomb upon
the public ear. "WhO in the world is he?"
ask thousand voices, and echo answers -
IAN sdventurer."
Ifhe is person Of q military turn, he be-
comes fillibuster, like Lopez or Walker. If
an energetic, semi-intrigueing nature, he be-
comes rsjah, like Sir James Brooke, of Sara
wax. II his predictions are of the financial
order, he becomes q railway king, like Hud-
soD, or colossal swinder like Law. If of a
religious disposition, he becomes prophet,
like John Of Leyden or Joe Smith.
The word adventurer is derived from the
Latin Gduenire. The. knights-crrant were
called adventures, and the poets Of the mid
die ages exalt the "Dame Bventuire, a. she
was called, to the dignity Of . goddess, and
represent her as q woman of angelic beauty,
possessed, like Gyges, Of the power Of making
herself invisible by putting on a mysterious
ring, which enables her to travel incog. all
over the world, and to observe, without being
observed. the doings Of mankind In order to
make her divine Paul Pry mission more com.
Portable, she carries staff in her hand, which
has the magic power Of helping her over land
and sea.
FemaIe adventures are also pretty numcr
GUS. Nell Gwynne, Lady Hamilton, Madame
Dc POmpadOur, Lola MOntez, all come more
or less under the category of adventures. In
Italy, female adventurcrs abound among the
sprinossses and highest nobility. In Europe
and America they occasionally make their
appearance Is gOvernesSes and teachers Of
foFeign languages