wholesome. Can you forbear smiling, my friend? Now I know there is nothing of literature in all this, unless the chemical disquisitions of my wretched husband may be so considered; but nevertheless I flatter myself you will give me a place in your Messenger, because many a victim of dyspepsia may look into this mirror, and see himself. BELINDA. PICTURE OF OLD VIRGINIA. Look here upon this picture-and on this, Virginia had been beautiful And owned a lovely land; And sent her name in accents sweet, But lately she had fallen off; Her younger sons were heard to scoff- And that she weakly lagged behind That all her days were spent, forsooth, In one eternal chime About her deeds of early youth— Naught could be said and nothing told "More devils than vast hell could hold”- And strangers* did her land deride--- Her houses were untenanted The foxt had manned her walls; Her moral strength and physical,‡ Or with the mighty dead, did sleep But far! oh far beyond all these, She on volcano trod; She could not get of nights her rest; Virginia roused herself one day, And took her picture down; And as she gazed, was heard to say Am I thus hideous grown? *See Col. Benton's description of Virginia, done into verse, beginning thus: "As Benton jogg'd along the road, 'Twas in the Old Dominion, His thoughts were bent-on finding food For preconceived opinion," &c. "The fox peeped out of the window, and the rank grass waved around his head. Desolate is the dwelling of MoinaSilence is in the house of her fathers."- - Ossian. Man's strength is gone, his courage-zooks! And am I stupid-lazy-blind- There lies outstretched my glorious land, With sail and pennon gay; "And lend enchantment to the view," I'll hie me straight to Richmond town, I have a friend, who'll make some stir, That Messenger went gaily forth And there found many men of worth Would shed-of ink-their latest drop The land which he went out to sift * And Moses sent them to spy out the land of Canaan. And they came unto the brook of Eshcol, and cut down from thence a branch with one cluster of grapes, and they bare it between two upon a staff, ***** and they told him, and said, we came unto the land whither thou sentest us, and surely it floweth with milk and honey, and this is the fruit of it. No want of food, for beast or man, Find better bacon!-greens!-who can ? Her Tuckahoes, 'tis true, are slim. But then he found the Anakim The women look'd so passing fair, No wonder that it should be said No foxes here, peep'd windows through ; They're seen to brush the glittering dew, Her "hounds are of the Spartan breed"— * In old Virginia, stint of food Houses are fallen-fences down And men are now much scarcer Wild beasts in multitudes are known, Flee gravel-grit-and heartless clay- No heartless clay you'll know there.-Benton. †The yellow Iachimo.-Shakspeare. (Cymbeline.) In short, all zealots are run mad What! colonize old coachman Dick! My more than mother, when I'm sick! Virginia husbandry and that depicted by Virgil contrastedploughing-horses, and manner of driving-gear-mules-the ox-pastures-harrows, skimmers, &c.-crab grass-shepherdssheep-rogues-runaways-wolves-hounds-milk-milk-maids fence rails-watlings-invocation-address to Arators-shallow ploughing-clover-gypsum-cowtail-Sir Humphrey Davyyear begins-clodhoppers-overseers-hiring day-bonds-distribution of labor-grubbing-effects of leaving stumps-old fences— hogs, &c., &c., &c. I sing the tillage old Virginia knows, Which cheats with hope the husbandman who sows; Not such as Maro sung in deathless strains, To piping shepherds and Italian swains. With "crops immense”* no “barn here ever cracks ;" No well-fed bullocks drag the glittering plough, * Immensæ ruperunt horrea messes.— Virgil. |