Alida; or, Miscellaneous Sketches of Incidents During the Late American War.

by Frank V. Webster

  CHAPTER XXXII.

  O, time! roll on thy wheels, and bring around the period, when social joy shall smile before me; when in the vernal day of life, or evening serene, I grow of one dear object more and more enamoured; while my remembrance swells with many a proof of interested friendship.

  The present situation of Albert was happily independent. The prolificsoil of the estate, on which he lived, furnished him with an ampleabundance. The prospect that surrounded him was inimitably beautiful,and the peculiar advantages of his eligible situation, was theadmiration of the stranger who frequented the vicinity, or resorted inthe summer season to the neighbouring village.

  Albert had descended from an ancient family, he had an estate topreserve, but not an entailed one, as was the case with many of hisfamily, at this time in England.

  He was a gentleman, placid, humane and generous; altogetherunacquainted with that ambition which sacrifices every thing to thedesire of fortune, and the superfluous splendour that follows in hertrain. He was unacquainted with love too, the supreme power of whichabsorbs and concentrates all our faculties upon one sole object. Thatage of innocent pleasure, and of confident credulity, when the heart isyet a novice and follows the impulse of youthful sensibility, andbestows itself unreservedly upon the object of disinterested affection;then, surely, friendship is not a name. Albert, during his abode in thecity, had associated with ladies of rank, beauty and accomplishments. Hewas a general favourite among them; he had been flattered, courted andcaressed, but none had the power to fix his attention. Since his returnto the country, he had been frequently invited to assemble among theartless villagers, decorated in their own native beauty, assistedsometimes for ornament with the spoils of Flora. Health, pleasure andnaivette, was in the air of these charmers, and all that was pleasing towin his regard and esteem. These scenes of rural pleasure, these socialparties, were adapted to his taste. In comparison of which the gayassemblages of the city had been formerly uninteresting; and he had beenheard to say, that whenever his mind should become fixed, his choicewould be some lady who resided in the country.

  Although Albert experienced a degree of happiness and contentmentunknown to many, in his present situation, yet he sometimes felt himselfvery lonely.

  Alida was anxious that her brother should look out for a suitablecompanion; if he could be fortunate enough to find one that was amiableand sensible, and whose actions should be under the influence of genuinepiety; one who would be ambitious to preserve domestic sunshine, by thegoodness and equanimity of her disposition; who would have a tear fordistress, a heart for friendship and love, exerted in benevolence andcharity, and in the mean time have a care to the good order andarrangement of domestic duties and economy.

  Albert often descanted in conversation with his friends, on the generalneglect of female education, which consisted of a few triflingembellishments, while those of the more substantial order were left outof the question. He thought that young ladies generally were notsufficiently learned in the solid branches, to exercise their mentalpowers to advantage, or to be agreeable, intelligent companions.

  "If it be true," said he, "that our pleasures are chiefly of acomparative or reflected kind, how supreme must be theirs, whocontinually reflect on each other the portraitures of happiness,whose amusements

  "Though varied still, are still the same In infinite progression."

  "How tranquil must be the state of that bosom, which has, as it were,a door perpetually open to the reception of joy or departure of pain, byuninterrupted confidence in, and sympathy with, the object of itsaffection!" "I know of no part of the single life," said Albert, "moreirksome than the privation we feel by it, of any friendly breast whereinto pour our delights, or from whence to extract an antidote for whatevermay chance to distress us."

  "The mind of a good man is rather communicative than torpid. If so, howoften may a person of even the best principles, expose himself to verydisagreeable sensations, from sentiments inadvertently dropped, or aconfidence improperly reposed. What but silence can be recommended,since, in breaking it, so much danger is incurred among those who arelittle interested in our welfare? A good heart, it is true, need notfear the exposition of its amiable contents. But, is it always asecurity for us, that we mean well, when our expressions are liable tobe misconstrued by such as appear to lay in wait only to pervert them tosome ungenerous purpose?"

  "The charms, then, of social life, and the sweets of domesticconversation, are pre-eminent. What more agreeable than the converse ofan intelligent, amiable, interesting friend; and who more intelligentthan a well educated female? What more engaging than gentleness andsensibility itself? Or what friend more interesting, than one we haveselected from the whole world, as a companion in every vicissitude oflife?"

  "If either party be versed in music, what a tide of innocent pleasuremust it prove, to be able to soothe in adversity, to humanize inprosperity, to compose in jargon, and to command serenity in everysituation? How charming a relaxation from the necessary avocations ofbusiness on the one hand, and the employments at home, in domesticaffairs, on the other! And as a finale, to chant the praises of theAlmighty in hymns of praise and thanksgiving."

  Albert had lately made several visits at some distance from home, wherehe had told his sister, were several young ladies, who were veryagreeable. Alida did not think this of any importance, as she knew herbrother heretofore had been difficult to please. She was one day rathersurprised, when he wished her to accompany him thither. She declined theinvitation, however, not thinking he wished it for any particularreason.

  In the course of a few days he pressed her again to go with him. Alidanow thought she would accompany him, if it was only out of curiosity.When they arrived at the house of Albert's new acquaintance, severalladies were introduced one after the other, and Alida soon found, thatone of them had arrested the attention of her brother particularly. She,however, thought him rather premature, as he had so recently becomeacquainted with the family. On their return home, he gave her tounderstand, that his affections were engaged, and in the course of a fewmonths, she was called on to attend their nuptials.

  The appearance of Eliza was interesting; she was tall and graceful. Herlarge dark hazel eyes sparkled beneath a beautiful arched eyebrow, andher transparent complexion was shaded and adorned by profuse locks ofdark brown hair.

  In the meantime Albert appeared perfectly happy, that he had at lengthfound a fair one to please him, and shortly after he returned home withhis bride, with sanguine expectations before him, anticipating muchfuture happiness.