Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1881-04-26
For the SPECTATOR,
Letter from MIddIebrook.
MIDDLEBRooK, AUGUSTA Co., VA,
April 18th. 1881.

MIDDLEBROOK, AUGUSTA Co., VA, I
April 18th, 1881.
MEssRs. EDITORS All day the low.
ering clouds have hung their garnered
fulness down, giving Us April showers
and sunshine by turns in delightful
confusion. "But we take no note OF
time, save when the sun is shining" )"
What variable month Is blue-eyed
April, one moment dazzling bright, and
the next, Niobe-like, all batbed in tears.
Was there ever more cOnsummate Co
que-te? How rapidly mother earth is
donning her robes OF green, and very at
tractive she appears in her fresh Spring
costume! Is there any thing more
beautiful than the country in Spring
No wonder that poets. in all ages, have
delighted to talk of its unsurpassed
loveliness. and we, the happy denizens
of this broad valley, where the grain
fields and the meadows and the SUNNY
farms are walled in by glorious noun
tain sides. not obtruslvely near. but
'just near enough" need no other in
spiration. Here are mountains, whose
noble and wOndrOus outlines give an
hourly changing feast to the eye, whose
lofty peaks seem steps to Olympus; here
are hundred streamlets, winding like
silver thread through fertile fields,
and here, In one grand centre, is every
most loved ineament of nature. The
air is redolent with the softest perfumes,
the birds are singing their sweetest
songs, the cattle are grazing on q thou
sand bills, and every thing betokens the
enjoyments of country life.
If ever write poetry, 1t shall be pas
toral, for nature is the goddess to whom
l shall pay my devoirs.
"Peeping at the world through the
loop holes of retreat" however, may
not be the best way Of preparing us for
Its busy, active scenes, but it is highly
favorable, "for holding converse with
the mighty dead" Far from the spien-
did varieties OF city life, the dazzling
brilliancy of it's spectacles, &C., we can
read to our hearts content, and so, dear
SPECTATOR, we somewhat resemble the
Hermit of Parnell:
"Aa yet by books and swains the world he
knew,
Nor knew if hooks and swains report be true"
How delightful then to give the reins
to fancy, to imagine ourselve in mod
ern Utopia, dream-land magnificent
with Spanish castles, and morally grand
with hero hearts and deeds but In this
land of buckwheat, sauer-kraut, and
common sense, we do not often indulge
in such flights. Semi occasionally,
when 1.-THE fairy web of night and day,
commonly called twilight, p has clad ali
things in its sober livery, we give our
selves up to the romantic pleasure of
building air-castles-of course, rainbow
hued and turreted-but such pastime is
altogether too enticing for the inhabi-
tants of this mundane sphere. Life is
real, life is earnest" !" and 80 highly favor.
ed are we, whose lines have fallen in this
Christian land, that shudder to think of
our great responsibility. Was there ever
time when the seeds of infidelity were
so widely disseminated, or when vice
appeared in so many attractive forms?
Bob Ingersoll lie widely read, the cage
of Reason" freely circulated, and the
names of Huxley, Darwin, and Spencer,
have become household words. What
q commentary on the weakness and in
stability of the human intellect!
Some of our most popular magazines
are advocating the observance of
strictly French principles. Sunday ex
cursiOns are considered necessary re
creation for the poor, theatre-going
is not Objectionable on that day, &C.,
&C. 0 temsp0r0, 0 ms0ress How nee
essary for the press to be constantly on
its guard, and to use its influence in
stemning the tide of skepticism. But
am on dangerous ground and will de-
sist. So wishing you kind goodbye,
Mr.. Editor. am
Your friend truly,
DAISY DEANE.