Oh, blessed day! kindly as the sweet dew And raising softly up each blade and flower, Dost thou revive, with gently soothing power, Earth's hapless millions, whose bent brows are wet In many a sadden'd bosom, where the low Sweet voice of Hope is stifled by the press Of more than life's full share of daily woe, As silently as twilight's shadowy dress Thy calm and cheering influence finds access, And softly as the sighing zephyrs play With summer leaves, bends every feeling to its gentle sway. 'Till from its aching birth-place, where 'mid sighs And gloomy doubts, to giant strength it grew, Despondency assailed, reluctant flies; And Hope returning like the dove that flew Far o'er the sunny waste, presents to view And back on the dark present sheds the hue And here thine influence, blessed Sabbath day! The kindred spirits, that, in feeling one, Then upward soared, to meet that Saviour's blest "well done!" New York, September, 1842. T. WATERBURY ELLIS. A FOOL OF THE NINETEENTH CENTURY.* FROM THE GERMAN OF ZSCHÖKKE. OLIVIER'S NARRATIVE. "FATE favored me very much even at my first coming to reason. My father, whose property had been scattered by prodigal expenditure, left me on his death a scanty inheritance. But I had a prospect, after the decease of my uncle, of becoming a goodly owner of wealth. This was known to everybody. On that account, I had been betrothed to the Baroness of Mooser, the daughter of the President of the Exchequer. She was one of the most eligible matches in the country, as they used to say, being very pretty, very rich, and the niece of the War-Minister. The marriage having been concerted by my relations and old uncle, I was compelled, according to custom, to agree to it. But the sickness of my uncle, who stood to me in place of a father, caused the ceremony to be postponed. I was already major, and by the next promotion would become lieutenant-colonel. In a few years a regiment would not have been wanting to me. "So stood matters at that time; and I soon found, after my recovery of reason, that they were not the most agreeable. It was an uncomfortable thought, that I, a free man, should, through my relatives, couple myself to a girl, for the sake of money, rank, and protection, without knowing her peculiarities, views, faults, and inclinations. The Baroness was, it must be confessed, pretty and good, but nothing more than any young lady might be under the same training; well-disposed by nature, but, through an artificial education, vain, pleasure-loving, trivial, proud of her family, her rank, and her beauty, and witty at the expense of the best people in the world; in all things more French than German. Whether she truly loved me or not, I did not know; but that I cared no more for her than for any other wellformed and pretty woman, I did know. "A letter, by a messenger, bade me go to my sick uncle. I got permission from the General, took leave of my betrothed and her parents, and rode off. When I arrived, my uncle was already dead and buried. An old steward handed over to me the keys of the closets, and the will. I counted off the little legacies to the servants, let the steward into my secret, and openly declared myself poor, all the means of my uncle being covered with debts. "So I returned to the garrison, and made known my story. I did it to try the disposition of my betrothed, whether she had the courage to remain by my side in the world, and become what I was. To make the story more striking, I sold what I did not want, to pay my own debts in the city, of which, old and new, there was a small amount. My companions laughed at me, and particularly when I gave out that I intended to be an honest man. Even the President of the Exchequer and his spouse dissuaded me; I must not excite éclat-I would blamire myself and them-I would make myself and them a ridicule, &c. "I stuck to my notion: honor is more than appearance, and poverty is no disgrace. He who can want much is rich. These saws, as they were termed, pleased the Baroness least of all. Her parents gave me to understand that their child had been accustomed to certain aisances, and that they were not rich enough during their lifetime to give me and their daughter an outfit. Finally, after a few days, they trusted implicitly in my tenderness, that I would willingly release the contract. I did not hesitate to do it, and to declare that I thought I got off cheaply, since no mutual choice of hearts, but only an agreement and money reckoning among relatives had taken place. 66 My assumed poverty had other effects of a good kind-namely, that old friends and jolly comrades did not look after me so much. Still it pleased me, that some continued to hold me in esteem. But the most became cold and distant; for, with my money, I had lost, in their eyes, my highest attractions. So much the better,' thought 1; thou canst act and speak more sincerely.' * Concluded from the last Number, p. 301. "But I was no more fortunate with truth and this was foreseen-than men who have preceded me. For some winters I had been accustomed to deliver lectures to the officers on scientific subjects. I continued the occupation, and uttered my sentiments freely. But when I came to lay down the following propositions-That every war which was not undertaken for the independence and safety of our country against foreign invaders, but for the personal whims of a prince, intrigues of ministers, the ambition of the court, in order to conquer, to mix in the affairs of another people, or for the sake of revenge, was unjust; that standing armies were the plague of the land, the ruin of the finances, the ready slaves of despotism, when the prince would become a despot; that the soldier should be a citizen; that a hereditary or created nobility was, now-adays, nonsense, which could only be tolerated among savages and barbarians; that I hoped to live to see the time when all the kings of Europe would agree by concordat to disband their immense standing armies, and on the other hand make their soldiers of all citizens capable of bearing arms; that duels belonged to the house of correction or the insane asylum: when, I say, I introduced these propositions, and others like them, and defended their correctness, of which no sane human understanding could doubt, the lectures were prohibited, and the General gave me a severe reprimand. I answered back again, and was put under arrest. That did not disturb me, for I all along expected it. Above all things I performed my duty. Since I had fallen out of the favor of the General even the best officers began to withdraw from me. They laughed and jested at my expense. Some of the wittiest insisted that I was crazy, and thought it a consequence of the shock I must have received from my hopes being disappointed as to a large inheritance. I was soon so much neglected that even my former servants would remain with me no longer, because I supported them and myself upon slender means, rejected coffee, seldom took wine, and, instead of their former rich liveries, caused them to wear a simple, neat garb, such as fortunately thou seest me in now. "On the other hand, about the same time I received a letter which made amends for all. I had, some time ago, found a poor beggar girl weeping near the barn of a farm-house. In the barn her ragged mother lay dying upon the hay. I learned from the dying woman, who was still young, that she was from Southern Germany, of poor, but respectable parents, had been in the service of a rich lord, where she was seduced by the son of the house, who gave her a piece of money and sent her away; that, after her delivery, she had sought employment, but, on account of her child, she could procure it nowhere for any length of time, was always distressed, had lately lived upon alms, and could now only pray for her daughter. I ran into the peasant's house, to buy her some refreshments, for the peasant himself would hardly allow her a resting-place in his barn. When I came back she already lay lifeless upon the hay, and the little girl was mourning bitterly over the corpse of her mother. I comforted her as well as I could; discharged the expenses of interment, and sent the orphan, who did not know the family name of her mother, to a female boarding-school at Rastrow. She was called Amelia, and I gave her, out of charity, the surname of Barn, after the place in which she was found. "Well, then, when all had deserted me, I received from this Amelia Barn a letter, which is still secured among my treasures. Thou shalt read it. At that time it moved me to tears. The contents were, in effect, that she had heard of my misfortune, and thought that she must no longer be a burden to her father, as she was accustomed to call me. She would seek, as a governess in some good family, or by means of embroidery, dressmaking, instruction on the pianoforte, or in some other way, to earn her own support. I must not be troubled about her; but now it came to her turn to be troubled about me. Thou must read the letter thyself, with its beautiful outburst of gratitude. It is the very mirror of a pious and pure heart. She asked for permission to see, only for once, her benefactor, whose image was traced on her memory since the day of her mother's death. I wrote back, praising her good sense, but advising her that she had no occasion to be in a hurry; I would take care of her until she had a suitable place. "One day as I had returned from parade, there was a knock at the door of my chamber. An unknown young lady entered, with a most lovely countenance. The lilies and plum-blossoms do not mingle their colors more beautifully in a bouquet than they were mingled on her face, under the full locks of hair. She asked, blushingly, and with a tender voice, after me, then fell down, melting into tears, embraced my knees, and when I, astonished, would have raised her up, covered my hands with her kisses. What I sus pected was confirmed by her ery of O my father, my father; O my guardian angel! I besought her to stand up. She asked me to allow her to remain in the position, saying, 'Ah, I am so happy, that my heart is like to break.' "It was a long while before she let me go, and stood up. Then I clasped her to my breast, impressed a kiss upon her pure white forehead, and requested her to consider me as a father, and to call me thou. She listened. But the fatherly kiss had somewhat confounded my thoughts. She was taken to the hotel, where she remained some days; but these days were enough to undermine my peace of mind. When Amelia journeyed back to the institution, I counselled her to remain in the house of some respectable citizen, and take in embroidery for support. It was hard for me to tear myself from her; yet I did not betray to her that I was rich. I wished to try her; I hired a chamber for her, engaged a maid for her service, supplied her with harpsichord, harp, books, and, after a few days, also the proceeds of the sale of her embroidery, freely, at her own price, under the pretence that they came from a strange hand. I visited her only once or twice a week, to avoid observation and evil construction. "Every visit was a feast. Thou canst think how sweet it was to know that there was one being under the sun, who was all innocence, who belonged to no one in the world, who was entirely dependent upon my care, and that this being, of all that nature had made beautiful, pious, and noble, was the most exquisite. The beauty and humble condition of Amelia was soon no secret in the town. She drew all eyes upon her. They spoke to me about her, and I did not dissemble that I was her foster-father, and that she was a poor child of dishonorable birth. Work after work was brought to her, so that I advised her to go to some other and unknown house. Young ladies came to her, less for the sake of her embroidery, than to see one who was so much praised by the whole neighborhood. 66 One day when I was visiting Amelia, as I stood before the door of her chamber, I heard her in hot dispute with some man. I recognized the voice of my lieutenant-colonel. Just as I opened the door, he was stealing a kiss from her. I upbraided him for his disgraceful conduct, and when he found the opportunity, he flew under my hands out of the door, and down the steps. He fancied that I had tarnished his honor, and challenged me to fight a duel. I would have nothing to do with his nonsense. The corps of officers threatened that they would not serve under me, if I was a coward. That I was not, and so went out to the usual battle-ground weaponless, saying to the fool that if he was ambitious of assassination, I would give him permission to try on me. He and the officers then became vulgar. They believed, according to their barbarous conceptions, that my honor would sustain a deadly wound, although they dishonored themselves by their brutality. I asked them whether the blackguards who covered a respectable man passing in the streets with mud, became themselves respectable thereby, or whether, on the other hand, the respectable man became a blackguard. "At the parade the next morning, the General delivered to me, with a suitable speech, an Order just received from the court. This was one of the late fruits of my former connexion with the Baroness Von Mooser, and the work of her uncle, the War-Minister. I could not, according to my notions of my services, receive the little ribbon. Had I really performed a service to the state, I would have been ashamed to drag the reward of it vaingloriously about with me all day. My steadfast refusal to take the lappet, with a little star on it, was a thing unheard of in the annals of the monarchy. My idea was that duty and virtue did not permit themselves to be rewarded, but only recognized; that the man of honor did not do his duty in order to be recognized; that least of all should he suffer himself to be constrained to play the great man before other people, particularly those whom he has aided; these notions went for so much Jacobinism and nonsense. The General was angered. The officers then stepped forward in behalf of their wounded honor. I became hated, and after some weeks left the regiment. "I was well satisfied. I clad myself citizen fashion, as I wished; not after the present uncouth mode, but modestly, neatly, and naturally, as thou now seest us all here in Flyeln. The people opened their eyes, and regarded me as a crazy man, and the more so when it transpired that I was not only not poor, but one of the most wealthy men in the land. Amelia wished to know why I behaved so. I communicated to her my opinions of the world, as well as my own principles. She, a child of nature, simple and intellectual, approved my notions, and lived quite according to them. I could not but be proud of Amy's judgment, for it was my own. She thought, she felt nothing but what I did; her being was lost in mine. Her reverential, daughterly love had been changed into the purest, most modest, and deepest that a young woman knows, and I appeared, even to myself, somewhat too young to play the part of a father. "One day when I told her that I thought of returning to my possessions, she asked whether she might follow me; she would be happy to serve me as a maid. And when I hesitated, saying, that I had some notion of getting married, she dropped her head and said, All the better, thy wife will not find a more trusty servant than I.' 'But,' said I, my future wife has not now as excellent an opinion of thee as thou deservest.' 'What have I done to her?' she answered with the lofty expression and pride of an innocent. 'Show me thy bride, and I will win her affection and esteem.' I led Amy to the lookingglass which hung in the chamber, pointed to it, and said stammeringly, There thou seest her!' She started with fright, grew pale as she turned her large blue eyes towards me, and saying, with trembling voice, It must not be me! sank death-like up on the floor. I called the maid; I was palsied by the sudden fright. "As Amelia recovered, and, after her swoon, the color came into her cheeks, she opened her eyes, and smiled gently at me, wondering at the anxiety of both myself and the maid. By degrees, her recollection returned; she believed that she had been asleep. I hardly ventured to speak to her of what had passed. As soon as we were alone again, I said, 'Amelia, why wert thou so frightened before the glass? Wherefore durst thou not become my wife? Speak freely, I am prepared to hear all.' She blushed, and was a long while silent, with her eyes fixed on the floor. "Wherefore dost thou not dare?' asked I once more. Here she sighed and looked towards Heaven. Dare, oh God, dare! What else dare I not to do, if thou wishest it? Can I be happy, can I live without thee? Whether thy maid, or thy wife, all is the same, for I have but one love for thee.' Whilst I thus lived in the very portal of Heaven, the whole town was quite run mad with astonishment; my relations, on both father's and mother's side, were in terror and desperation, when I informed them of my approaching nuptials with Amelia. One of them, of an old and noble family, whose ancestors in the service of the king were covered with the highest dignitiesa knight and baron, intermarried with the chief families of the land-took the wicked mis-alliance in high dudgeon. Only think, to marry not with one of the created nobility, not even with the citizen class, nor yet with the daughter of a respectable mechanic, but with a beggar-girl of disreputable birth! My relations wrote me threatening letters. They came all too late, for in about fourteen days Amelia and I were formally married." 66 Why should I tell thee of the foolish things, which men infected with prejudices began to do, as soon as I determined to live as an honest, natural man, strictly according to truth, banishing all duplicity, all dancing-master politeness, all foreign airs, all the socalled etiquette of conduct, without, on the other hand, depriving men of the sight of a respectful and intelligent deportment? My simple Thou, with which I began to accost them, and to cause them to accost me, fright |