The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1858-03-12
ADyENTrJRERs

nv XIV ONnROs
Adventures, persons who lack the peces-
snry discipline and balance of mind 10 submit
themselves 10 the laws of society, while, at
the same time, they are devoured by the am
bition Of distinguishing themselves, of ma.
king fortune or a sensation. They stand
ia the same relntion to the chepalier d'iadustrie
as the pirate to the pickpocket, while to men
Of genuine ambition they compare as cox
comb to man of the world, Or poacher to
sportsman.
Adventures are rarely without redeem
ing love Of glory, and II they are unsuccess-
ful they become heroes like Napoleon. On
the other hand, they seldom listen to the ap-
penls of conscience, and if they nrs unsuc-
cessful they become scamps like Caghostro.
In the historical records of men of brilliant
fame we find as many adventurers rs persons
Of Infamous repute in the police returns.
They are to be found daily in the walks of
private life, as well as In the realms of fiction.
Micawber, in David Copper6ed, would have
"Ss' " S'S"s "uNCutusci u u0 VUu UOb UceU
destined to become the great Micnwber.-
lie was always Whiting for something to
"turn up" This peculiar state Interpretations
is In fact, the pormal state of mind of an ad
venture. As long as this state of suspense
nsts he keeps wisely in the background,
ransacking earth and heaven, his brain aching
with thought, his heart swelling with hope,
his very soul bursting with umbiiion but as
nl the while his pocket is empty, and as he
does not perform any honest labor for the
purpose of filling it, his life is that of an out
law. His name, nay his very existence, is
utterly unknown, except to his unfortunate
family and his miserable creditors.
But of a sudden his co,roding ambition is
gratifed, 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 new reyela-
ton to mankind. His name falls like bomb
upon the public enr. "Who in the world is
he?" ask thousand voices, and echo an
swer, An Adventurer"
If he is person of military turn, he be-
comes tilibuster, like Lopez or Walker
II OF an energetic, semi-intriguing nature, he
becomes rajal, like Sir james Brooke, of
Snrawak. If his predictions are of the f.
nancial order, he becomes railway king,
like Hudson, or a colossal swndler, like
Law. If of religious disposition, he be-
comes prophet, like John Of Leyden, or
Joe Smith,
The word adventurer is derived from the
Latin adrenire. The knight-errants were
called adventures, and the poets of the mid
die ages exalt the "Dame Adventurer," as
she was called, to the dignity of goddess
and represent her rs women 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. ull over the world, and 10 observe
without being observed, the doings of man.
kind. In order to make her divine Paul Pry
mission more comfortable, she carries n staff
in her hand, which has the magic power OF
helping her over land and sea.
\ 4
Female adventures are also pretty numer.
Gus. Nell Gwynne, Lady Hamilton, Mad.
anne de Pompadour, Lola Montez, all come
| more or less under the catepory of advantu