Clarksville chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1857-1865, 1859-01-07
TERMS OF ADVERTISING.
J L s s Y
A TALE OF OLD LONDON BRIDGE.

cnaracterlStlcs essentially dinefent IRON
those that distinguish it in the presen
day. Gone are the palaces and garden,
which, from Whitefriars to Westminster
adorned its banks; the six cared, canopiec
barge has given place to the smoky steam
boat; the waterman's occupation, by the
erection Of SO many bridges, like Othel,
los, "is gone" the spirit of romance has
fairly vanished from the now impure, gas.
eous and tortured stream J" in word
everything has succumbed to the march Of
triumphant utility. T tL 81 Y
Things were not always SO. AS still
on the waters that wash the marble pala
ces of sea-born Venice, music nightly
sounds, and love breathes his sigh, SO in
the good old times that shall never
come again, did the gallant, gliding over
the unpolluted stream, WOO his mistress.
Love assignations were made there. The
high and the noble did not consider IL de.
rogatory to their dignity to touch the gui-
tar; the woman's silver voice was heard,
making yet more smooth the unvexed aad
transparent bosom Of "gentle Father
Thames" N
The moon shed food Of light upon the
single bridge, which, spanning the noble
river bore onits granite shoulders hun
dred houses long shadows were cast east
ward; the tide, rushing through the arch
es, created slumberous sound the Globe
Theatre, on the bank-side, where Shaks.
peare personated his own immortal crea-
tions, has closed its doors, when an indi-
vidual, who had lately stood within the
walls of that temple Of Thespis, proceeded
to the nearest stairs, and, springing into
his wherry, rowed leisurely out into the
stream.
The gallant whom we are about to des-
cribc, though on terms Of familiar greeting
with Essex, Raleigh, and the choice wits
of the day, did not belong to the aristo-
cratic class; yet on his person and bear
ing natures nobility was stamped. The
lofty forehead spake intellectual superior
ity; the eye, though subdued and some
what down-cast, through the minds ab-
straction, had that searching glance which
can read mems souls the brows were
drawn from their natural arch almost to
straight lines, and gave to his physiogno-
my an expression Of sternness, which,
however, was redeemed by the humor that
lurked around the thin Tipped handsome
mouth the jetty beard was short and
peaked; conical hat with single feather
adorned his head his doublet was slashed
aud of the finest broadcloth his ruffles
were of rich Flanders lace, and the hilt of
his straight swOrd-a present from the
Queen-was set with rubies. And this
was the deer-stalker of Stratford on Avon
this was Shakespeare.
The great dramatist was now in the sum
mer of his days, and if we may be allow
ed the metaphor, the aloe of his renown
had began to put forth those leaves, the
beanty and freshness of which have en-
dured for three centuries, Genius, as re-
CARDS its alteration of the sex, is some
times content to feed on dreams or ideal
beauty, But at this period of his life the
Bard of Avon, would seem, was not sat
is6ed with worshiping fantasy. Petrarch
and his platonics afforded nothing to suit
his temperament, and he yielded to the
passions that will cnthrall ordinary men
Love for an object warm, breathing, living
had kindled the FIRE in his heart. Cold
seemed the features Of his plastic fancy to
this lovely incarnation of all his poetic
dreamings-this sweet palpable shrine Of
the immortal spirit and to pour forth hi:
loye.vows, and to press the lily hand of his
sweet Jessy, did Shakespeare, ON the nigh
in question, urge his Nherry down the
Thames.
Jessy was the daughter Of the despiseC
people who regard Abraham as their grea
progenitor' Her father was an usurer anC
jeweler, and hung out his sign on the Ok
London Bridge, 1t was just above tn,
third arch from the city side, ere on,
Dutchman Morris had erected his wate
works, that old Manasseh dwelt. Their
wore but twt things in the world dear un
to him--his mspey and his daughter
From her extreme toveliuess, Jessy hat
obtained the soubriquet Of the "Beauty o
London Bridge" Many of the illust.l
'M