Mountain Democrat. [volume] (Placerville, El Dorado Co., Cal.) 1854-1860, 1858-03-06
Letter FrOaa :. A XVIid trl.hAlAaM. +"

Tor tue PICK. Agatn renew my correSpOoo.
ence with the DENocRAr. | had thought Of
making these letters Of mine hebdOmOdal, but
think they will turn out "munth's minds.
lind 40 proceed with them the stiffness Of
my introduction wearing away. Already feel
somewhat ct ease, and warm TO my friends Of
the DEMocRAT. vet still enough If ditfdencere-
mains TO reader these illusions less fluent than
they might be, less interesting than they may
be. One cannot sit down - unless " use doth
breed habit in him B" - and write with the
same facility 70 any respectable ag-
gregate, as he could to his intimate friend
It's this sense Of utter freedom ffOm restraint,
this free and easy manner and bOisterUuS style
that lends such charm and IN interest to pri.
waite letters. But perhaps when my friends Of
the DEN0cRAT and grow better acquainted
il l may anticipate the pleaSure-I may pre-
sumo on the strength oft, snd assert the right
Ofa friendly miDglng Ofmy ndtiUe mOdeety with
fair show Of splendid assurance. Then l
shall write letters that will astUund you. PO-
litical ones that the politician will applaud
Scientific ones that will surprise the Swans;
and love and sentiment I will ~ weave as shall
prove an exquisite delight TO those whose
brightest enjoyment dwelIs with the sensitive
feelings Of the heart. And ! shall write love
letters, and the lsdies-the young Ones-will
begin to ask, "where is ldleville and who
is "A Wild Irishman'?" In the mean time
remain q solitrry mountainecr. l love the
mountains. l was graded in them. Beautiful
Wicklow! How often in my bOyhOOd have | en-.
Enthusiastically wandered in thy wild hnunts. /
love the memory Of thy cloud capped noun
tains, thy historic glems. thy romantic wales,
enchanted lakes and limpid streams. Saint,
Bard and Rebel have shed q halo of interest
around thee.-Stiil, eveRL- would humblx pre-
sent this loving tribute to thy wild and pictur-
eSquc beauty.
Those who love the mountains will forgive
this slight episode to my bUyhood home. But
l often lire Of the mountains, and when want
excitement, variety or books, know you what
do? visit, like q true FL Doradoun, your
famous little city. generally walk there, for
what are twenty miles to fleet foot and
mind bent ON excitement. 1t is Nprctty tore
noon walk. After dinner | play the man
around town, and rub oil the rust OF the noun
tains by contact with your city Refinement
As | wander around notice improved stle
und new buildings. 1t may be that since
". there before, u lire had swept over the city.
But what IL tire conf Jared To the energy and
spirit Of progress that animutcs this people,
Talk Of your sturdy Briitainers, aud your go-
uheadativc ErasIcrn Americans. Pshaw They
are nowhere compared with your dashlng
Californians. eat fruit from the stalls, lounge
in the billiard roUms, aud sip my brandy ut the
bars. look in ut the COURTHOUSE, hear some
lawyer in furOre raising u tempest in tea
w.,
Judge, given in clear language and pleasing
tones. Then visit Davis II kuy's and pur-
chase some books, and always an interesting
romance IL read returning home. In the even
ing gO to the theaIer. l ain lover OF the
drama. Nowhere do l find finer entertain
ment than in the temple where the immortal
will prcsdes. Everything is exciting and
captivating Tie brilliant stage and Lifting
PLAYERS, tile noisy orchestra aha 5 lent thIohg,
n, Il l,fn adj n
and gallant men, " rything j, scinatng.-
Brightest Wit and Lncst sentiment, .haI hing
music and magic song. But il the play is nul
good or the actors indifferent. then 1 have "
large field for observation. Though MT repu-
dating Gall, or asl,crsing FOW Ter, yet am by
taste rather dicipe Of Lavatcr, and hnd III
The diver stiles Of the human c0untcnanCe de-
lghtful source Of interest. But would not
have it for II moment supposed that the young
man from the mountains looks On the radiant
cOuntenanccs and flashing eyes OF your city
bellies with mere phySiOgnOnlist eye. No, no;
he is NOT near so cool as that he eN cs beauty
with indifference. Is it not enough TO say that
he was educated half an artist aud wholly an
Irishman, TO relieve him Of any unjust sus-
piCions On this score. This about finishes my
day in Plucerville.
ext morning start for the mountains
When l have u g''od trail and few distractions
l take out my novel. and then begins II jour
ney Of ease und pleasure. read, Saunter,
muse, alternately, indulging in the luxury Ut
the most delightful distractions, rising high
above the dull round Of common life. There
is great prejudice against novel IeadiDg. !
can scarcely consider it an intelligent one
Yet surely do not favor the trash that comes
to us bound in yellow covers. We arc not Mt
cesSitated to read this stuff, for our language
is rich in fine rOmances How many People
NAV thank this beautiful form Of liter alule fOI
gaining tAAte for intellectual enjoy ment Ut
all. We can oil name authors whose works
abound, not only with splendid dclimeations Of
scenery, passion and character, but with inf0r-
nation Of high order. Romance is the very
wine Of intellect. LabOring under some
misfortune, disappointment or prOstrat;On Of
mind often have found comforting solace in
the pages Of eloquent fiction. But oil this time
l am supposed ~ be walking and reading; yet
what am / reading! Well, It may be Hcnriet-
to Temple. that most beautiful and interesting
love tale. know not where the critics place
D'Israclias q novelist. would place him high
on the list. Bulwer, suppose is the greater
writer Of the two, has more imagination and
sustains his tales with greater dramatic effect.
But for clear and brilliant writing, for the en-
tranciug music Of his sentences, for the exqui-
site grace Of his style, for his vivid description
Of scenery, and picturing the impetuous dispO-
stions Of men. know Of few authors to conf
pare with the keen and caustic dcbatcr Of the
House of Commons. And ii there is some
satire, there ia also fine vein of genuine feel
ing running through his works. Mark that
overwhelming scene where Ferdinand Armine
is leaving home for the first time. Witness
that mothers feariMlly passionate love, how
she ycarnS over her boy, with fond violent at
tachmcnt. What wild fears has she, lest the
world will spoil his wild nature and he would
grow cold in his love for his mother. When
read that scene first, l could not restrain my.
Feelings. But am told this is sickly senti-
ment. Well, let it be. / am very sick. and
want none Of your healthy sentiment that has
neither sigh nor tear for any tale Of misfortune.
Still wander along over hills and dales, ra-
vines and gulches. Although il is winter, the
prospect is very beautiful. The last piles Of
pine clad mountains, looking dark as wine, be-
meath the blue and luminous sky. What fine
scene IA that where the river comes fOaAing
down the mountain gorge, tumultuous with the
force Of its contention with its rocky inipcd'-
ment. See that solid wall Of rock, hundred
feet high on either side, speckled with the
spray and flashing in fhe sunlight. How
threatening look those gray granite boulders,
piled in fantastic shUpe over the uountan side,
and vet how rich among this rocky dissolution
seem those spreading live-Oaks, and Those dark
nut-pincs. BY evening arrive at home, pleas
ed with my journey, pleased with the scenery,
pleased with my book, but above all, pleased
with a. WILD FRESHMAN.
lDLEvILLE. February 2i, 1858.
~
M. r. ELsTNER, x-Collector Of FL Do
RADIO county, entered upon the perform