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Sift WLifiUtn* IIARPERS-FERRY, VIRGINIA, APRIL 15, 1326. VOX.. 3 CTO. lO PURLISHKI) KVI.1IV SATl ItUAV EVEMXR, BY JOHN S. O U.I.AIIKi:, At the Office of the I'irginia Fret Pnx$. TF.KMS.—One dollar and fifty cents per annum, payable quarterly in advance ; or one dollar and twenty-five cents, to be paid at the time of sub scribing. Payment in advance, from distant sub scribers, who are not known to the publisher, will invariably be expected. Should payment be defer red to the end of tile year, £2 will be required. I he postage on all letters and communications must be paid, or it will be charged with the sub scription. THE StEPOSZTO£tY. I'ASHION Alii.K WATKK1NG l’i.Ari.S. BY A Vil.f.A(;K UEAU. A person ol taste may spend a few davs very pleasantly at a genteel watering place. The com tinual succession <ji new laces ; the interesting variety ol character, and the harmonious inter mixture of grades exhibited here, arc such, that the mind of desultory man, however studious ol change cannot fail to he amused. 1 say no thing oi the beauties of the landscape, tlie invi gorating breeze ol the country, or the medici nal virtues of the mineral fountain—because the last may be imitated in perfection by a bung ling apothecary. and the others are easily pur chased by the fatigue of a morning's ride from the most crowded metropolis. These vulgar enjoyments wliicli are within the reach ol' the whole, human race, are properly disdained by persons of fashion. Much also is said of the keen appetites which are. found at these health ful places of resort. Portly gentlemen, and pale faced ladies, exult equally in the quantity of fish, flesh and fowl, which the talismanic cf foots of the. sou breeze, or the chair heate draught enable them to consume. But tins is surely lids,; taste. \\ hat can he more ungonteol than eating, or rather devouring flesh and r egetuhles tike so many locusts of Egypt. or the h an kiiie of Pharaoh :' Can that he styled a polite em ployment which is common to the philosopher ami the savage, the belle and the washer yeo man:’ Eating is certainly a vulgar occupation —and 1 cannot hut marvel that wits ami beau ties—‘the curled darlings of the nation'—should hie to Long Branch or Balston for the purpose of gratifying that voracious propensity which gives celebrity to the boa constrictor, and the man who swallows tallow candles for a wager! 1 lii‘ preacher condemns the epicure w ho • fares sumptuously every day;’ and physicians live by repairing the inroads of the cook. Besides, we certainly know that the literati of e,erv age, have deplored the appetite for food as the most impertinent and vexatious of the human propen sities. 1 hat it has caused many an honest gen tleman to turn author cannot lie disputed ' and that it has peopled Parnassus with gaunt forms and hungry aspects i> equally unquestionable. Gentlemen therefore w ho w rite for bread, should not go to watering places. For my part ! have always viewed this subject with the eye of a philosopher, and have never ceased to deplore file inflexibility of that ordinance of our nature which bestows the best appetite upon those who are least able to supply them. Physician* de ploy a most unfeeling apathy to the sufferings ol their fellow creature's, w hen they inconsider ately atlminister provocations to the palate of ev cry one who fancies himself deficient in v ot'a «'it\ . w ithout inquirin'; into the ability of the patient to sustain and cherish the newly aw a kern d sense. If I was a practitioner of the healing art. 1 would ask my patient if tie was a poet, and if he answered in the allirmative, I should congratulate him upon the delicacy of Ins appetite, and positively forbid the exiiibi lion ol tonics. I would conscientiously regulate the appetites of those w ho had the loitune to he placed under my care, by the dimensions of their purses. Thus my patients would he rated like ships nf war. by their metal; he who could compass three full meals a day. with a launch at noon and a hot supper at midnight, should ruralize, at Bedford or Saratoga, and have hark and wine to his heart's content; a less plethoric purse should he placed on allowance; and where the income was in a low state of debility, mea gre diet and nauseous draughts should he pre scribed. But as it seems natural that the force ol reason should forbid men from pursuing that which vilien obtained would be burthensome, I am in the habit of believing all the visiters whom I meet at watering places to be persons of fortune, who purchase pleasure with their su purlhmus wealth, or seek appetites -because they have wherewithal to gratify them. Hut a watering place lias other uses and at j tractions. Dashing Made' mav lawfully result tliillier to sport tlieir equipages. and beauties to display their charms, .'southern gentlemen lintl the tlavor of a mint julap greatly enhanced by the retreshing emdness ol the mountain spring, and city ladies hlooni like wild flowers in the sa luhrious retreats. \ our wati ring place is moreover a notable school lor good manners, for as the parties are for the most part strangers to each other, till are free and eiptal; and I thence result that absence of restraint and | ease of manner, which are so much admired in i high life. There is no herald's otliee kept lieio. ■ Here is no balancing of straws and weighing i of feathers—no tossing of heads and winking. and whispcimg to find out who is who. One ! gentleman may wear blue and another black, hut‘a man's a man fora’ that'—and as every 1 man may place his ow.u name on the In oks w ith whatever title or addition he pleases, lie has on I ly to choose his ow a rank, and he passes current I accordingly. Misery, it is said • Inings us into i strange company'—so does misery's opposite.— I lere are singular eomhimitions. not to he e\ plained by any of the established rules of aflini ty. attraction, or cohesion. To the lover, this is a congenial climate. Is it not strange that a sympathy should exist be tween the palate and the heart? W ill tov fair and gentle readers believe that love and hunger, the one a gross, vulgar appetite, the other a genteel, delicate, sentimental passion, may he awakened and invigorated by the same stimu lants'? It is even so. The air of the country is alike salubrious to a feeble frame, or a debili tated attachment. The sight of hay-stacks and waving corn, and flowery meads, create a sweet delusion around the intoxicated senses of the lover, and people the fairy scene with nymphs and swains, ami all tin- behtrhiiul paraphernal nl pastoral love. .Mineral water is as unttitioU' tn tlie lieart. as it is im i^oratm;; to the liody Why IS it that the y mm; lady. Whose soul blx the ctipi l neiei taught to stray licyotai the coxcombs that biles! llroudxxav, no sooner e-cts to lialsfon than her ami itit n soars to nohler objects, ami she, who a tew davs hel’ore submitted |iatientlv to the atlilress of a iIiiikIij. now aims at the subjugation of a manly heart.’ Noxxizard ever inxented a l.ive inspir ins? potion so potent ns the medicated fountain ; lint to whieh ol the eh mi nts that enter into the composition III the ehalvheate clraii/ht. this ef feet is to he atfrilniteil, I am at a loss to deter mine. II I were a chemist. I eonhl nceonn! for the phenomenon, heenuse a clu-micnl genius is never at a hiss for a theory. and dives into run ses with an expertness which I' no means do petals upon any prey ions or present knowledge of the subject, lie who deals in retorts ran solve any question—though not alway s hv thu ril/'ii cmirteinix. I once, indeed, attempted to philosophise open this matter myself, and achieved a moral analysis ol the manner used and approved hy the chemical professors. I carefully examined the various properties of a celebrated sprint;, and in a few n.mutes arrin I at a conclusion, quite as satisfaclorv as tin- n suits of ordinary experiments. ‘ I lore is a may nesia,’ said I. • which corrects acidity, and which, hv a sympathetic influence upon the mind, converts a sour old maid into a well eon ditioneil miss, ami neutralizes the acerbities nl (lie bachelor's temper, h axes hi- mental sy-p m ill a healthful stale, well suited tn the rein plain ol soil and agreeable impressions. And here is sulphur, wliieli comhined wnh x illainons -ah pet re. commits such havoc in the world, umli r the name of gut'.pnxvder. ( an ladies, who i: nine me Miipinir water atm trimpowiter tea Ii otherwise t’i,-in inflammableis i: :mv wondi r then. lir.it maidens \\ Iw> t;ik<* in i•• ■!i crjiitl>tis!. Ill'- materials should ‘ e'n nil' with nut spaih with whum she comes in eoutuct. I’in :i In • is iron—un-rev pn serve tin1 dear trial'1 what .1 eollertion of mortal f-iioi 11 • ■-1 what fatal m.jl ments of i!rs(mctinn an I. • r<• assembled! ai, nr?i!k'i'v Htieer tnmlil t.c cuilo ;il Inline in sue!, ;i matta/ino of ordnnnee -tores We Inn e nnh to I'cno-il tins iron into -leei—let it net me ehnnienilv upon (lie llintv lieurt of the Itniv. timl is it am umnler tlmt Cutiiil should -tiike lite^ or I ! ■. men lie!i! n nuileliSuch was niv then IT. ittul I w ill voueli it to lie e- eort ‘ et a- main of the ■■.terns in v. i,ie!i toe -eientilie repn-e in plieit I,mil. It it In - not more rood see-i- than the them v o( -peciue j;r:iiia . I will forfeit tin eat—[tfo'. iil'-tl a future ;«vneiatinn In- allouei! to decide the ijiie-tieu. tint v.heiher I am ; iv 1 t or wrone. | shall -till e\i l.dm. • if mineral na ter lie the lien! o! lore, drill It on I' and ile.t it , , will. I think. In' -a!i'lltetoti!\ proveil In t! e f.,|. lowin<e little historv. I lane -u|;p;essitl the real names of partii hot the farts will lie in stantlv reeollerled by those of mv readers. w ho have been in the hr. lot of v i-itin.' the eelehr .ted spot w here tliey ccr tirrei I. Mi" Simper appeari .1 at Saratoga in an 1 in trant suit of salile. she Was said to he lrl rteitirn in" for her father, an opnli rit hrol-r r in Haiti more, recently deeeaseil. (iriefhail wasted In t health, and weeping had washed away le t ’.(>•( <