From the Lycoming Gdztite fy Chronicle.
In laying before the public the following beautiful
and impressive poetic efTimons from "tho pen of a
young lady ofthia boro' Miss Juliet, daughter of
the Hon. Ellis Lewis, itniaytidtbd 'unliicrciting to
utato the facts connected with their production.
'Somo time since, it was ngretd between Miss Lewis
and another young Lady 'of this place, whom it ia
'hot ncc'esVary to name, that each should select from,
the indcr of Mm Hbmass' works, a subject, 'and
' -Without reference td her article write an original es
say upon It. "llio fcno chosen for this purpose by
Miss Lewis, is of a peculiarly solemn nature, and wo
appeal to every unprejudiced mind to say whether it
is not ably and eloquently 'Handled. To illustrate
more fully the perfect originality of thought, and the
dissimmilituilc of style, we insert the article of Mrs.
Hcmans, at length, immediately following it, the.
"6nc above alluded to. Lovers of good poetry, will
no doubt, bo delighted by a careful perusal.
Itlusic Ht aDcatn tied.
II T MRS. HKMANS.
faring music! stir the brooding air '
With an ethereal breath!
Bring sounds my struggling sohftb bear
"Up from tho couch of death!
A voice, a flute, a dreamy lily,
Snch as the southern breeze
Might waft at golden fall of day
O'er blue transparent seas!
'.Oh no! not such! that lingering spell
Would lilto me back to life,
When my wearied heart hath said farewell,
And passed tho gates of strife.
Let not a sight of human Idve
Blend with the song its tone";
Let no disturbing eclio move
'One that must die olono!
Rut pour . solemn strain"
yiiicd with tho soul of praycr;
Let life's conflict, fear and pain,
And trembling hope be there.
Deeper, yet Deeper! in my thought
foes more prevailing sound,
A harmony intensely fraught
With pleading rridrc profound;
X passion imfo" mOsic given
A sweet yet piercing cry,
A breaking heart's appeal to heaven,
A bright faith's victory!
Beeper! Oh! may no richer power,
Be in those notes enshrined!
Can all which crowds on earth's last hour
No fuller language find!
Away! and hushr the feeble song,
And let the chord bo stili'cf.
For in another land ere long,
My dream shall be fulfilled.
Music at a Death Bed.
ST JULIET U. LEWIS, (aGZI) 14 YKiHS.
6h! sing" to me sweet sister, Bing
The- sorrg.I loved to hear,
And when I'm go'rife, oh sing it still
And think I'm lingering WCdr;
Oh! let me hear beforo I leave
This world for yonder skies, ,
The trembling tones of hy rich voice,
On sighing zephyrs rise.
ftwhiUt wo've wafche'd the weary sun
BefiinJ the mountainrfjmfcj
Casting his soft, and parting light
On Susicxnut9Aii's tide,
And standing by our mothers side,
Or by our father's knee,
That song has risen on the breeze;
Oh! sing it mow for rile
in fancy then will rise" the" sccn'cV
Of my loved childhood's home;
Again I'll pluck my favorito flowers,
And through' my loved' haunts r'oaW.
Tnb fom of those hr childhood dear,
Before me I shall sec,
And present sorrow'll bo forgot;
Then sing that song for mo.'
'The deep rich" tones so sweetly roso
Upon tho evening air;
They seemed to stay the hand of death',
And angels lingered there.
The song now ceased the wall of grief
Succeeded 'tli'at s-wect lay;
tot. with tho loved antf dyhrg- strains
Ilcn SPIIIIT PASSED A WAT.
NARATfVEv
Of an Aerial Voyage from Fair Mount,
Baltimore.
I must be permitted to prelude this hasty
Sketch with' a defensive remark against any
imputation which might be thrown out on a
seeming departure from the more delicate
iiutios appertaining to my sax. Chance
having made mo repeatedly a witness of
aeronautic dijplay both irr this Country and
Europe, I imbibed an ardent desire to' par
ticipate in the pleasures which seemed to
me peculiar to such a mode of travel, 1
wished to look down upon our fair earth
from' such an eminence as this means only
could command you may say it was curi
osity if you will,, for that is said to be a char
acteristic of our sox .however, in tills Jtl;
stance, I trust it was a pardonable one.
All opportunity piiyrua lur mu iiiimmciu ui
. . rr rv.irti . f
,jmy long cherished design, iiHhe fall of '2(5,
when I contemplated a journey to-the skies;
! but one of those accidents agains. which it
Was impossible' to provide, frustrated my
Jliopea tlio balloon burst almost at tne 111
felait of inv intended departure- XMortincti
11. (jnrl, a VAttlllt n nitpnn vi npml thflt lllC mill
titudo without the gates was highly incen
sed I determined it should not be for the
want of nn importunate appeal, if I did not
avail myself of the first opportunity to grntify
my own desires, and convinco irly 'fri6fids
thht my MiVfctt'lons were sincere, though
doubtful my success. This opportunity did
not occur until Thursday la?t, which day
Mr. Michel had 'appointed for an ascension.
Tho day was fair, the atmosphere scarcely
moved by a breeze, and but a few 'fleecy
clouds checkered the face of the sky The
balloon was'partly inflated, when 1 reques
ted Mr. Michel to allow me to take his
place; he was incredulous I assured him I
was in earnest, and after much solicitation
he 'consented to leave the point to the deci
sion of tho assemblage. The dissentient
ibices (if any) were lost in tho shouts of as
sent, and the car being attached; I prepar
ed for the voyage.
At about twenty minutes before 5 o-clbck,
the cord wa3 severed) and the balloon arose
to the height of about 100 ft of. Elated
wilh the novelty of my situation, I failed
to perceive that I was descending, till on a
level with the top of the Medical College,
when I attempted to cast out ballast, but
loo late to avoid coming to tho earth, and
the car pbsdritly rested on a cloathes line,
in a lot adjacent to the enclosure whence I
departed. I now deprived myself of the
barometer and thermometer, and a Quanti
ty of liallast, retaining but twenty-five
pounds for the emergencies of the expedi
tion; and desiring the gentlemen to release
the car, the balloon moderately ascended,
and was borne in a direction almost central
over the city.
At a height of about 4000 feet, I attempt
ed to liberate a pigeon, which had sd fat1
been my compagnon dit voyage, but the'
poor bird seemed reluctant to part company;
it perched on the hoop, arid gazed with"
apparent consternation into the abyss be
low. I took it again in my hands and cast
it into die air'. It fell like' a stone, and I
have since been infoimcd by those who
perceived it, that the bird appeared to have
lost its self possession till within one 300
or 400 feet of the earth, when it made' use
of its wings to some purpose; for to keep
out of such a scrape in future', it has not
been seen at its old quarters since.
I was now alone beyond the' reach of the
world, its praises or rebuke, and I deter
mined io "see what was to be seen."
Casting out more ballast, the balloon rose
rapidly, and presently encountered a cur
rent of air, which carried me over Federal
Hill,- and now rcelrnrng trpori the' edge of
the car I enjoyed" in no ordinary degree' the
pleasure of that inimitable scene, sketched
in skilful m'i nature below, yet gorgeously
sublime in the magnitude of its excess.
The city had dwindled into Lilliputian
dfmc'ntions', and the' anipitheatre which I
had lately left seemed to occupy at least
five square feet. I could pcfc'elvc that it
was deserted; turning to look from the oth
er side, in an instant a film came over my
eyes; I rubbed them, but to u'o purpose; I
could sec nothing but the car and its con
tents, and h'c'aT nothing but the rustling of
the balloon as it seemed to struggle with
some invisible' antagonist in upper air. A
moment's reflection taught mo' that I was
enveloped iif a cloUd, from the feathery edge
of which I emerged just as I became aware
of my situation, and again that picture of
th6'lair and lovely earth, from' which I had
isolated myself, burst upon my viow, beau
tiful in its indistinct minuteness, 10,000 fret
bolow the point from which 1-gazed. I now
felt the breeze increase, and as I still rose,
it became more southerly, and ciossed the
basin, passing over Fort McIIenry ta the
Lazaretto, continucing that course for about
fifteen' miles, unconcious of an incident not
worth recording, when a slight hissing in
the air made me start to my feet; it jncrea
scd' and scarcely had I secured the end of
the valve cord in the wicker of the car,
when- a flaw 6f wind struck the balloon"
and its motion became rotary, the car ca
rccring rather more' rliari' was pleasant in
its prompt efforts to follow in the etherial
waltz; it lasted about thirty soconds,- and
having become some what more tractable,
upon referring to' the sun, I found that the
wind coming from N. W. and knew that I
was rapidly nearing the bay, though unable
to distinguish land from water at the eleva?
tion 1 Had attained, wlilcii l suppose was a
bout 20,000 feet; 1 therefore thought i
imost pfildcnt to' retain the gas, (as f hud
i now no ballast to dispose of but the grap
nols,) till considered it probublo thai I gai
ned sufficiently upon the opposite shore of
the bay, to allow for tho action of tlio eas
terly breeze I conjectured "would bo blow
ing rather brisk licar the earth. I was for
tunate in the calculation I had made for up
on discharging gas, my descent was not so'
rapid, but that J was carried due west for
the last fifteen minutes of my voyage, di
rectly in aline over a narrow strip of wood
lamiin which tho anchor secured itself at
abont ten minutes after 0 o'clock; in this
situation I was observed ty a negro, who
was, as he said, in search "op some pig ting
dat he seen Might on do treess"."
Perceiving me as I leaned from the car,
about to ask aid, he exclaimed, "Gorry
mighty", if dere balnt a wax figgcr in de
b'iopn, may I nebcr." I assuicd him that
tho figure was. composed of flesh and blood,
and as ho was casting about which Way1 to
help mu down, a number of gentlemen had
come up, to whoso courteous assistance I
am deeply indebted for the facility of my
descent, and the complete security of the
balloon and its appendiges; effected by the
promptness with which several trees were
felled by the negroes at the suggestion of
the proprietor.
The spot where I alighted was ori the
property of the late Benjamin Ricaud, Esq.
of Baltimore, hi the vicinity of Chestertown,
Kent county about five miles from Rock
Hall, and two from the shores of the Ches
apeake Bay.
In concluding this lengthened statement,
I would avail myself bf tho opportunity to
return my sincere thanks to the hospitable
inhabitants of that vicinity for their kind at
tention, and also to Captain Kenny, of tho
steamboat Governor Wolco'tt, for a pleas
ant passage home.
JANE WARREN
Baltimore, Sept. 10, 1837.
Ancicnt not superior to Mo
dern Eloquence
BY THOMAS BOWMAN, ESQ.
Reverence for antiquity is natural to the
Kttman mind. We love to contemplate that
which is ancient. The Fancy associates
with it, a fsj6sty and gnuideur which arc
always delightful. Time throws around it
his venerable garb, aird it becomes consecrat
ed. Hence the astonishing celebrity which
the productions of ancient genius have ac
quired: and, hence also; tho erroneous idea
that, the world, instead of becoming wiser
ltd better, as it has grown older, has been
constantly degenerating; that the human
mind has been shorn of its s'fength, and has
lost all its former glory; that the genius of
eloquence, especially, has long since been
buried in the common mausoleum of Time,
arid has cC'as6'd forever to inspire the hearts
of men.
That such aBontiihcnt shoufd have exist
ed in the middle ages, is not at all surpris
ing. During the decline of learning, men
caught, through tho gloom which surround-
ctl them,-the' dim outline of the Spirit of
Eloquence which once breathed on the
lands of Greece and Rome, and arraved it
wrth a thousand charms, which it never
possessed. As the mariner amid the dark
ness and terror of the storm', gazes wilh
more' intense interest upon the beacon lights
from which the tempest has driven him;
and, in imagination, surrounds his" peaceful
fireside with a thousand delights, of which
it is, in reality, destitute; so, during the Dark
Ages, when Ignorance swayed her sable
sceptre,- arid" the storm of human passion
blasted every thing beautiful and lovely,
the world gazed with a kind of adoration
upon the glimmering glory winch it had
lost, and clothed it with a brightness, much
of which was entirely imaginary. Nor
was it to have been expected that this delu
sion should be dissipated at tho revival of
letters. Amid the vast and impenetrable
shroud of darkness which then o'crhungthe
intellectual horizon, ancient literature pre
sented tho only bright spot, and to this the
nations looked, as the day-star of their glo
ry. But' that this unqualified preference
for the ancients, should atill prevail, at this
period of light and knowledge, may well
lead us to suspect the justness of the con
elusion, and the solidity of tho fdundation
on which Wrests". I would not disturb the
ashes of the mighty dead: I would rather
strew them with never-fading laurels.' But
let us not refuse to pay a just tribute pf re
spect to tho illustridtis spirits of our own
days; let us not. pluck the chnplot from tho
brow of the meritorious modern, to place
it upon those already crowned. I would
not detract the thjip of a hair from the just
anil weii-oarnod lame of those ancient ora
t6r of renown, who, through their produc
tions, still speuk to tho world in tho true
accents of gciiiut,; but why, in raising them
to 'the skies, should we, drug othors down?
TV. ilin nhsnlnffi merit 6? the' ancient ora-
tors wo concede all praise. We are willing
to admit, thai, tljcy attained all their .cir
cumstances would allow. But that tlioy
were superior to their Wodern successors
we cannot grant. For why, in the nature
of things, should this superiority exist?
Is no the human mind, in its grand distin
guishing features, tlio "same in all ages?
And had the ancients any facilities for de
veloping it, which we do not possess?
Had they republican institutions to secure
the rights and foster tho qeriius of their citi
zens? Wo have a constitution, in compari
son with which, theirs would dwindle into
utter insignificance. Did they possess a
greater variety and extent of territory than
wc; and 'did it abound more largely than
ours, in the sublime and beautiful of nature,
to awaken and enliven their mental ener
gies? Did they offer greater and more ho
norable rewards to eloquence than wc pro
pose? No! in all these respects the ad
vantage lies with us.
Compare the specimens of modern with
those of ancient eloquence, and see if they
will not bear a comparison. Do they dis
play less extensive learning, less power
of comprehension, less clearness and co
gency of argument, -less depth of thought,
less brilliancy of fancy less sublimity
of cdiiccptibn?
But, wc are triumphantly asked, is not
much of the beauty and force of the dead
languages lost in a translation ? True; but
it is a beauty of the style merely, a force
of words, and not of thought, and every
one, who has cvr-r studied a foreign lan
guage, knows that tho most common
thought appears more striking, when pre
sented in a foreign dress. Therefore we
most strenuously maintain that no man,
unlets tho classic tongues are as fainiliar to
him as his own, unless they arc tho lan
guage of his very thoughts ami dreams, is
capable? of deciding impartially on this
point. No! This is but a flimsy and de
lusive effort made by the devotees of an
tiquity, to wrap their deify in a veil of mys
tery, and thus palm upon the world the fu
tile idea that ho is immaculate, and cannot
bo approached by the degenerate men of
modern days. And, unfortunately for the
world, the manoeuvre has not been without
its effect; Multitudes', impressed from
childhood with the thought that there never
have been, and never can be, orators equal
to those of Greece and Rome, have been
content to set down' in listless inactivity, &
drone away their existence in ehaunting
ther praises. Nay; in their enthusiastic de
votion, they erect their intellectual Jugger
naut, ami multitudes more, in the blindness
of their worship, cast themselves before
his massive car, and are crushed in hopes
and spirits forc'vcT!
But we are called to another and still
stronger test, and we are significantly ask
ed, did not the ancient orator produce great
er effects, than have been produced by
moderns? Let the French Pulnit answei!
Let the English Parliament reply! Let the
American Senate thunder forth its negative!
Tho truth h, the history of the last century
is replete with proof that eloquence has lost
mine of its omnipotent energy. It is true,
a Cicero could exasperate Ronrair Senators',
accustomed as they were to be swayed by
passion, and arouse to a pitch of frenzy the
rabble multitude of Rome, against the vile
traitor of Catiline, who had plottcif the ruin
of the State; but a Sheridan could excite' to
such a degree, the indignation of a grave
and philosophical House of Lords, as abso
lutely to deprive them of reason; and that
too, against the governor of a' mere distant'
province. A1- Demosthenes, also, when tho
Macedonian conqueror hung upon the Gre
cian frontiers, and was' about! to burst upon
them with all the destructive fury of war,
could arouse the fickle Greeks, and nerve
their hearts for battle; but, a Henry could
excite to rebellion, a calm, reflecting and
quiet people, when tho cloud of oppression
appeared but a' speck in the horizon'
Consider the subject, then, as we will,
there is no reason for elevating ancient a
bove modern eloquence. And I rejoice to
behove that tho world is beginning to view
the question m its true light. Truth must
ant! will prevail. As well might men at
tempt, by stamping on the ground, to check
the heaving earthquake; or with the hand
to veil the sun and shut out the light of day,
as to fetlor Iho progress of Truth. It is
a plant natural to all climes, and of an irre-
pressiblo, indestructible growth. It will
strike deep its root in the most barren, ami
inntlanipimtci anil A 1 .1. .1.-
r"""" "" u uiuugn uiu germ
from whieh it springs, may be-, deeply bu.
lied beneath the dust and rubbish of Er
ror; yet its branches will .shoot forth in
strength and beauty and rise high towards
icaven, aim uounsu in pcuiiiai bloom and
fragrance. Like tho mountain torrent, as
from rock to rock it leaps and foams ia
madness, it may be checked, for a moment,
but only o gather increased strength, anrl
hear away wilh a more irresistible power
the feeble obstacles which oppose it. I re
joice to believe, therefore, that the time is
not far distant when Justice shall resume
her throne; when die wrongs which those
master spirits, have suffered, who have
conferred an lioiior and dignity on their
race, and upon whose lofty accents aston-
shed nations have hung entranced, shall
be repaired; when a hitherto ungrateful
world, convinced of its error, shall trans
late llicm to a place in the skies, where
they shall form a galaxy, resplendent with
brightness; beaming on the world and light
ing up the path of man 'o fields of beauty
as yet untrodden by human feet, and to
prospects of felicity and glory as yet un
seen by humaneyc. Their fame shall nev-
er
pcrish. Their name.?, durable as the
everlasting hills, shall survive the wreck of
systems, and the decay of empires. In
character bf living light, dioy arc written in
tile heavens; nor shall the foul breath of
prejudice ever pollute, or tho withering
blasts of Time ever deface them.
S.mili:s. "Modesty to the female char-
ictor, is like saltpetre to beef, imnartinir a
hdiah while it preserves its purity."
The above is" orily eqiialled by Ollqpod,
who saw:
'Female lips arc but the glowing gate
ways of so' much beef and cabbage."
A Nic-i: Distinction. In a cause' re
specting a will, at the Derby Assizes, 'evi
dence was given to prove the testatrix (an
apothecary ,s wife) a lunatic and, among
other things, it was disposed that she had
swept a quantity of pots, lotions, potions,
&c. into the street as rubbish "I doubt,'
said the learned judge, 'whether sweeping
physic into the street be any proof of insan
ity." "True, my loid' replied the coun
sel, but sweeping the pots away certainly-
A Second Elizabeth It is related of
Queen Victoria that having expressed a
wish to appoint to' one of the highest stations
about her person, Misg Jenkinson, a daugh
ter of the late Lord Liverpool, who had
been a personal friend of her Majesty from
earliest youth, it being intimated that tho
young lady was not of rank sufficiently ex
alted' to be entitled to the honors, the Queen
said with energy; "Then I will make her
so.
The Tortland Times thinks (hit somo
folks' hearts in that vicinity would make'
good lap sloticsl
A village is like that subteranus cave,
called the car of Dyonisius; nothing passes
in it or near it, but it is instantly known.
Vanhce Coilrtship Jonathan Dunbat-
fcr saw Prudence Fcastall at meeting.
Jonathan sidled up lo Prudence arter mee-
tnig, and she kind a sidled off. Ho wont
closer and asked her if she Would accept'
tliA1 i.: or ...
m.u u lu.i uiuuw. one resolved she
would, and plumped her arm richt round
this. Jonathan felt alloverish, and said ho
liked the text; "seek and ye shall find."
was purty good rcadin. Prudence hinted,
that "ask and ye shall reccivo" was better.
Jonathan' thought so too, but, this axing
was a puzzler. A feller was apt to git into
a snarl when ho axed, and snarlin warnt
no Am. Prudence guessed strawberries and
cream was slick. Jonathan tho't they
warntso slick as Pru's lips. "Now dont,"
said Pru, and she gave Jonathan's arm an
involuntary hug. He was a leetel started',
hut thought his farm Avantcd some female
help to look1 artcr the house. Pru knew
now to make rale good bread. "Now
dont," said I'm, "May bo you would'nt,
" and Johailian shuck all over, and Pru
dence replied, "Ifyoubo comin that game,
you'd bolter telt foythcr." "That's jist
what I want," said Jonathan, and in threo
weeks Jonathan and prudence were "my
old man" and "my old woman."
Why in the evening tho best timo to'
take up a bill! Because it then falls due
(dew.)
N'hv is alovc-lellor HLn n '
give it up? Because it is a Warrant of a
-i i "
' lacnimni.
I