Alida Part 44

How shall we mourn the glorious dead?

What trophy rear above his grave, For whom a nation's tears are shed-- A nation's funeral banners wave!

Let Eloquence his deeds proclaim, From sea-beat strand to mountain goal; Let Hist'ry write his peaceful name, High on her truth-illumined scroll.

Let Poetry and Art through Earth The page inspire, the canva.s.s warm-- In glowing words record his worth, In living marble mould his form.

A fame so bright will never fade, A name so dear will deathless be; For on our country's shrine he laid The charter of her liberty.

Praise be to G.o.d! His love bestowed The chief, the patriot, and the sage; Praise G.o.d! to Him our fathers owed This fair and goodly heritage.

The sacred gift, time shall not mar, But Wisdom guard what Valor won-- While beams serene her guiding star, And Glory points to Madison!]

CHAPTER XIX.

O, glorious prospect, see the smile benign, Of heav'n-born peace, refulgent spread its rays; To peace and concord, may the world incline, And these our later be our happier days.

Some length of time had elapsed since the parents of Alida had taken up their residence in the city for the winter, when the news of peace reached New-York. The cries of peace resounded throughout the city at these joyful tidings,--and the evening of this day was celebrated by a splendid illumination. Transparencies, emblematical of the liberties of the country, were exhibited at all the public edifices. The fine and melodious music in the Park, drew the people together in crowds within the inclosure, till scarcely another could enter,--and although the snow had fallen profusely, and the walking was extremely bad, yet it seemed as if all the inhabitants, generally, were out, parading on foot, to witness the general rejoicing.

In the mean time, a visible change for the better took place almost immediately, and these happy effects shed their benign influence throughout all ranks of society, and among all cla.s.ses of the people.

Those who had been in despair on account of the times, had now the charming prospect before them of returning happiness and prosperity, when the active scenes of life would again impel the mult.i.tude to the exercise of laudable industry, whereby they might ultimately realize the success and proceeds attending on an honest perseverance in business.

The country that had been unwillingly drawn into combat had been victorious, and its inhabitants left in peaceful possession of the warrior's field. An honourable peace had been concluded, and happy tranquillity was once more the fate of the American nation.

The miseries and unhappy grievances occasioned by war, were again at an end, and happily terminated. The cheering consequences of peace again communicated their happy effects among the people, awakening to their imagination new hopes and prospects, filling their minds with exultation, and antic.i.p.ations the most sanguine.

The painful, unpleasant effects of discord, animosity, and contention, were now changed to the exercise of those better qualities and dispositions, more pacific and praiseworthy. The scenes of fury, terror, and confusion, were succeeded by those of placid serenity. The hours but a short time before spent in moping melancholy and sadness, in individual discouragement and wo, were now pa.s.sed in listening to musical serenades, in scenes of mirth and festivity. The people whose independence had been gloriously won, nearly half a century before, by the superior prowess of a renowned hero,* who, as a general, marshalled the peasant into a veteran, and supplied by discipline the absence of experience, and through the vicissitudes of a protracted conflict displayed a magnanimity that defied misfortune, and a moderation that ornamented victory.

[_Alida_ page 58 (chapter VIII), quoting _Alonzo and Melissa_ (itself quoting an earlier text):

he wooed the silent and solitary haunts of musing, moping melancholy....]

[* Was.h.i.+ngton.]

[Phillips: Speech on Was.h.i.+ngton:

As a General, he marshalled the peasant into a veteran, and supplied by discipline the absence of experience;]

[Phillips: Speech on Was.h.i.+ngton:

through all the vicissitudes of her protracted conflict, displaying a magnanimity that defied misfortune, and a moderation that ornamented victory.]

America, already revered in the annals of fame, now saw her rights again secured to her by the charter of her liberties. With the view before her of witnessing again the subsequent advantages of free trade and commerce; while her swelling canva.s.s shall be spread over the seas of distant nations, and her star-spangled banner shall proclaim to them her liberty--glory and honour shall kindle in the bosom of the patriot at the name of her Madison. While the wealth of her commerce, the renown of her arms, the fame of her philosophy, the eloquence of her senate, and the inspiration of her bards, shall cause her to emerge from her horizon, and s.h.i.+ne with splendour over the vast expanse of the universe, claiming from remotest regions the respect due to her superiority. Happy America! thy freedom is once more ensured to thee, and thy hero has turned upon the vanquished only the retribution of his mercy.

[Phillips: Speech on Was.h.i.+ngton:

and glory rekindle at the urn of her Was.h.i.+ngton.

now rivals the wealth of their commerce, the glory of their arms, the fame of their philosophy, the eloquence of their senate, and the inspiration of their bards!... that mighty continent may emerge from the horizon....

and turned upon the vanquished only the retribution of his mercy.]

CHAPTER XX.

Charmed by returning pleasure's gentle voice, Each waken'd sense with new-born rapture beats; The adverse heart the welcome stranger greets, And bids each trembling nerve again rejoice.

[_NY Weekly_: To Emma, lines 1-4:

Charm'd by returning Friends.h.i.+p's gentle voice, Each waken'd pulse with new-born rapture beats; My lonely heart the welcome stranger greets, And bids each quiv'ring, trembling nerve rejoice.]

The patriotic feelings of Alida's father partook in the general joy and satisfaction of the community, and he soon turned his attention to celebrate the event of the late peace with tokens of rejoicing. Numerous were the company that collected at his house on the day set apart for this purpose. The dwelling was illuminated, and the guests a.s.sembled at an early hour in the evening on this joyful occasion.

[_Lives of Signers_: Wilson of Pennsylvania:

it was resolved to celebrate the event with tokens of rejoicing....]

[_NY Weekly_: Extraordinary Adventure of a Spanish n.o.bleman:

which was finely illuminated on this joyful occasion....]

Unaffected pleasure enlivened the scene, and presided throughout the a.s.sembly; light-hearted wit broke forth in a thousand brilliant sallies, while unfeigned joy heightened the flush on the cheek of youth, and smoothed the furrows on the brow of age. Nor did the sprightly fair ones, with the gay young gentlemen, fail to exert themselves to enhance the present felicity of the company. The gaiety of the scene, the flow of general joy, the sight of so many happy people, the countenances of the happy parents in witnessing the innocent mirth of their children, with the benevolent looks of the n.o.ble bestower of the entertainment, formed altogether a scene which failed not to fill the heart with sensations the most pleasing and satisfactory.

[_NY Weekly_: An Account of a Melancholy Transaction ...

Unaffected satisfaction presided in the a.s.sembly, light-hearted wit broke forth in a thousand brilliant sallies, while joy heightened the flush on the check of youth, and smoothed the furrows on the brow of age: nor did the sprightly fair one, who was just verging upon sixteen, fail to exert herself to enhance the hilarity of the company.]

[_NY Weekly_: A Rural Picture:

the gaiety of the scene, the flow of general joy, the sight of so many happy people, the countenances of the enraptured parents, who seem to live anew again, the sprightly season of youth in their children, with the benevolent looks of the n.o.ble bestowers of the feast, filled my eyes with tears and my swelling heart with a sensation of pure, yet lively transport....]

Mr. Bolton was occupied in attending the ladies generally, while a genuine witticism occasionally mingling with his discourse, gave one no mean opinion of his understanding, and increased their admiration of his talents. He was well calculated to please; there was something remarkably graceful in his exterior, and he exerted himself this evening particularly to a.s.sist Alida to entertain the numerous visiters.

Bonville endeavoured in various ways to attract attention. He was extremely humorous and gay, and the whole party was enlivened by his vivacity. He described the folly of some of the prevailing fas.h.i.+ons of the town with sarcastic pleasantry, and related many anecdotes of the gay world and fas.h.i.+onable life, interesting to those who had lived in retirement. Alida could not but listen with some degree of pleasure to his amusing conversation, and the pleasing allusions he frequently made gradually drew the attention of the whole company.

Albert selected from the rest an interesting young lady, to whom he directed the most of his attention, while she, pleased with his politeness, exerted all her conversational powers to entertain him. His father was much pleased to see his son endeavour to make himself agreeable in ladies' society; he thought it augured a good sign, and would be conducive to meliorate and refine his manners. He had long wished him to close his affairs of business in the city, and settle himself on the paternal estate. He was anxious that he should seek out an amiable companion, of pious principles and exemplary manners, of genuine goodness and benevolence, in whose deportment was mingled the rays of mildness, amiability, and cheerfulness; well-meaning towards all, blended with an unaffected ease and politeness, joined with the usual accomplishments to complete the character of a lady.

[_Alida_ page 128 (chapter XVI):

He had imparted to his son his wish for him to close and settle his mercantile affairs in the city, (as the times were dreary,) and return to the paternal estate.]

[_Alida_ page 206 (chapter XXIX):