| | 1 | Author: | Sedgwick
Catharine Maria
1789-1867 | Add | | | Title: | Clarence, Or, a Tale of Our Own Times  | | | | Published: | 1997 | | | | Subjects: | University of Virginia Library, Modern English collection | UVA-LIB-Text | University of Virginia Library, Early American Fiction, 1789-1875 | UVA-LIB-EarlyAmFict1789-1875 | | | | Description: | Pedrillo's detention at Trenton was protracted
day after day, and week after week. His inflammatory
constitution, and impatient temper, acted reciprocally
upon each other ; and a wound, that
with a tranquil temperament would, by the process
of nature, have been cured in a week, produced a
suffering and languishing sickness. So surely and
dreadfully are physical evils aggravated by moral
causes, that those who would enjoy a sound body,
should cherish a sound mind. “Sir,—As duelling is, in my estimation, a viola
“tion of the immutable law of God, and can never
“be a reparation, or an atonement for an injury, I
“should in every supposable case avoid giving, and
“decline receiving, the `satisfaction of a gentleman,'
“in the technical acceptation of that phrase. Any
“other mode of satisfaction which a just and honor
“able man may give or require, for real or fancied
“injuries, I am ready to afford you, and shall de
“mand from you. “My dear friend—It is almost cruel of you to
“enforce your kind invitation with such glowing
“pictures of the variety and excitement of a winter
“in New York, and quite barbarous to ask me if I
“do not begin to feel the ennui of country life, when
“I am obliged to confess that I do. Since my return
“from Trenton, I have felt a craving that `country“contentments'
do not satisfy. I used to go round
“and round in the same circle, and experience nei
“ther satiety nor deficiency. I read and study as
“usual with my father, but the spirit is gone. I
“used to find amusement in the occasional visits of
“our simple village friends, and could, without
“effort, manifest the expected interest in the suc
“cess of an application for a new bank, or turn
“pike-road, or the formation of a new `society.'
“I could listen with becoming attention to Col.
“Norton's stories of the revolution, though I knew
“them all by heart—to good old Mrs. Wyman's
“graphic details of her anomalous diseases, and
“even to your friend Mrs. Upton's domestic chro
“nicles. I have ridden half a dozen miles to find
“out whether our pretty little busy bee, Sally Ellis,
“or her bouncing notable rival obtained the pre
“mium for the best flannel at the fair, and—dare I
“confess it to you, Mrs. Layton?—I have been as
“eager to know which of our rustic friends re
“ceived the premiums of the Agricultural Society
“—premiums for rich crops and fat bullocks—as if
“they were the crowns decreed in Olympian games.
“But, alas! it is all over now—these things move
“me no longer. I have not opened my piano since
“the Marions left us, and my drawing, my former
“delight, I have abandoned. It is too indissolubly
“associated with the sad memory of Louis Seton.
“If you love me, my dear Mrs. Layton, spare me
“any farther raillery on this subject—I cannot
“bear it. I have known nothing in my short life,
“so painful as being the accidental cause of suffer
“ing to a mind, pure, elevated, and susceptible as
“Louis Seton's, and certainly nothing so perplex
“ing to my faith, as that such a mind should be
“doomed to misery! My father, who is my ora
“cle in all dark matters, says these are mysteries of
“which we must quietly await the solution—that we
“are here as travellers in a strange and misty
“country, where objects are seen obscurely, and
“their relations and dependencies are quite hidden.
“But we are safe while we fix the eye of faith on
“the goodness of Providence—His perfect, illimit
“able, and immutable goodness. This is the bea
“con-light—the central truth of the moral universe.
“I am announcing high speculations in a very
“metaphysical sort of a way; but I am as the
“humble cottager who receives through her narrow
“window a few rays of light—few, but sufficient to
“brighten her small sphere of duty, and to preserve
“her from either faltering or fear. “My dear Madam—I have just received a letter
“from Mr. Clarence, who was a particular friend
“of my father.” Ha! ha! Gertrude, love plays
strange things with chronology—Morley is full five
and forty, which I take to be half a lustre in advance
of your father; but allons! “He recommends a
“friend of his, Mr. Randolph Marion, for the office
“of—, and says, what may be true though flatter
“ing, that my influence will decide who shall
“be the successful candidate. Nothing in life
“would give me greater pleasure than to oblige Mr.
“Clarence, but I am unfortunately in a degree
“committed to a very zealous and useful member of
“our party. If however your fair friend, Miss C.
“is interested in Marion, (I do not mean en amante,
“for I understand there is no interest of a delicate
“nature in question,) I shall make every effort and
“sacrifice to oblige her. Will you assure her of
“this, after ascertaining her wishes in the most re
“cherchée manner imaginable. Your sex are born
“diplomatists. Oh that you, my dear Madam,
“would vouchsafe to be my minister plenipoten“tiary
`dans les affaires du cœur!' “Respected lady: `If a man would thrive, he
“should wive,' therefore, as agent, and acting for
“my son, (John Smith,) I have the satisfaction of
“proposing an alliance (matrimonial) between you
“and him, (that is, my son.) He is a remarkable
“genteel young man in a drawing-room, (John is)
“—quite up to any thing, but as that is where you
“have seen him, (chiefly,) I shall say no more
“about it, only observing that my son (John) always
“goes for the first, (he can afford it,) i. e. Wheeler's
“coats—Whitmarsh's pantaloons—Byrne's boots—
“&c. &c.—which is, (I take it,) the reason he has
“made you, valued lady, his choice; you being
“the first match in the city (at present). John
“(my son) has been a healthy lad from the egg,
“and cleanly, (his mother says,) thorough cleanly.
“A touch of the intermittent, that he is taken down
“with, (this evening,) makes nothing against it (i. e.
“against his constitution). As I have found pro
“crastination (in all kinds of business) a bad thing,
“and to strike while the iron's hot, a safe rule
“(without exceptions), and as the doctor says my
“son (John) may be down for a week, I concluded
“(knowing his mind) not to delay, for fear of acci
“dents. As I have not writ a love-letter since I
“married my wife, I hope you will, ma'am, excuse
“all mistakes and deficiencies. As soon as I re
“ceive a punctual answer, (to the above,) we will ar
“range all matters of business, (there I'm at home,)
“to your, and your honored father's wishes. (Er
“rors excepted,) your obedient servant to command,
“ma'am, “Dear girl—I hope you will not deem my ad
17*
“dress to you at this time premature. I assure you
“the sentiment that prompts my pen was begun in
“esteem, and has ripened into love. I declare to
“you upon my honor, Miss Clarence, that I have
“never seen a lady, whom my head and heart both
“so wholly approved as yourself; and I feel very
“sure that no change of circumstances, or fortune,
“could ever make any difference in my feelings, but
“that in all the vicissitudes of this sublunary scene,
“I should show you every attention which man
“owes to the weaker sex. “My dear child—I have just received your last
“two letters. I trust no evil will ensue from the de
“lay of the first. “My dear Pedrillo,—It is with infinite pain that
“I find myself compelled to announce to you, my
“daughter's unconquerable aversion to yield to
“your wishes, and her father's prayers and com
“mands. It is in vain to contend longer. I have
“done every thing that the warmest friendship and
“the deepest and most heartily acknowledged obli
“gations could exact from me. Her mother too has
“argued, pleaded, and remonstrated in vain. But,
Vol. II. 18
“console toi, mon ami, even Cæsar's fortunes yield
“ed to fate, and there are others as young and as
“fair as my ungrateful girl, who will be proud to
“give you both heart and hand. You are too
“much of a philosopher to repine because the wind
“blows north, when you would have it south—shift
“your sails, and make for another port. “My dear sister—Last Tuesday evening invest
“ed me with the right to address you by this en
“dearing name; but no rights can add to the gra
“titude and affection your Emilie has long borne
“to you. “My dear friend—You conclude your last letter
“with a request that I will write you a `womanish
“epistle, full of feminine details; such as, what
“house I live in, how it is furnished and garnished,
“whom I visit, &c. &c.' I have quoted the pas
“sage, that if I answer it à la lettre, you may re
“member that you called forth my egotism. Mr.
“Roscoe was so fortunate as to be able to repur
“chase his father's house, a fine old family mansion,
“not far from our beautiful battery, and command
“ing a view of our animated bay, which, if equalled,
“we the untravelled believe is not surpassed, by the
“happiest combinations of land and water on this
“fair earth. The house is somewhat old-fashioned,
“but we have given it the most modern and conve
“nient arrangement of which it was susceptible,
“without an entire and therefore, as we think, sacri
“legious alteration. | | | Similar Items: | Find |
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