Alonzo and Melissa; Or, The Unfeeling Father: An American Tale
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ofunreal pleasure, and banish the glittering meteors of unsubstantialhappiness. Or if these fail, lead him to the holy fane of religion: shewill regulate the fires of fancy, and assuage the tempest of thepassions: she will illuminate the dark wilderness, and smooth the thornypaths of life: she will point him to joys beyond the tomb--to _anotherand a better world_; and pour the balm of consolation and serenity overhis wounded soul."
Shall we indeed arouse Alonzo? Alas! to what paths of grief andwretchedness shall we arouse him! To a world to him void andcheerless--a world desolate, sad and dreary.
Alonzo revived. "Why am I, he exclaimed, recalled to this dungeon oftorment? Why was not my spirit permitted to take its flight to regionswhere my guardian is gone? Why am I cursed with memory? O that I mightbe blessed with forgetfulness! But why do I talk of blessings?--Heavennever had one in store for me. Where are fled my anticipated joys?To the bosom, the dark bosom of the oblivious tomb! There lie all thegraces worthy of love in life--all the virtues worthy of lamentation indeath! There lies perfection; perfection has here been found. Was shenot all that even Heaven could demand?--Fair, lovely, holy and virtuous.Her tender solicitudes, her enrapturing endearments, her soul-inspiringblandishments,--gone, gone for ever? That heavenly form, thatdiscriminate mind--all lovely as light, all pure as a seraph's--a preyto worms--mingled with incorporeal shadows, regardless of formerinquietudes or delights, regardless of the keen anguish which now wringstears of blood from my despairing heart!
"Eternal Disposer of events! if virtue be thy special care, why is thefairest flower in the garden of innocence and purity blasted like anoxious weed? Why is the bright gem of excellence trampled in the dustlike a worthless pebble?--Why is Melissa hurried to the tomb?"
Thus raved Alonzo. It was evident that delirium had partially seized hisbrain. He arose and flung himself on the bed in unspeakable agony. "Andwhat, Alas! he again exclaimed, now remains for me? Existence andunparalleled misery. The consolation even of death is denied me. ButMelissa! she--ah, where is she! Oh, reflection insupportable!insufferable consideration! Must that heavenly frame putrify, moulder,and crumble into dust? Must the loathsome spider nestle on her lilybosom? the odious reptile riot on her delicate limbs? the worm revelamid the roses of her cheek, fatten on her temples, and bask in thelustre of her eyes? Alas! the lustre has become dimmed in death; therose and the lily are withered; the harmony of her voice has ceased; thegraces, the elegancies of form, the innumerable delicacies of air, allare gone, and I am left in a state of misery which defies mitigation orcomparison."
Exhausted by excess of grief, he now lay in a stupifying anguish, untilthe servant summoned him to breakfast. He told the servant he wasindisposed and requested he might not be disturbed. Mr. Wyllis and hislady came up, anxious to yield him any assistance in their power, andadvised him to call a physician. He thanked them, but told them it wasunnecessary; he only wanted rest. His extreme distress of mind broughton a relapse of fever, from which he had but imperfectly recovered. Forseveral days he lay in a very dangerous and doubtful state. A physicianwas called, contrary to his choice or knowledge, as for most part of thetime his mind was delirious and sensation imperfect. This was, probablythe cause of baffling the disorder. He was in a measure insensible tohis woes. He did not oppose the prescriptions of the physician. Thefever abated; nature triumphed over disease of body, and he slowlyrecovered, but the malady of his mind was not removed.
He contemplated on the past. "I fear, said he, I have murmured againstthe wisdom of Providence. Forgive, O merciful Creator! Forgive thefrenzies of distraction!" He now recollected that Melissa once told himthat she had an uncle who resided near Charleston in South Carolina;thither he supposed she had been sent by her father, when she wasremoved from the old mansion, in order to prevent his having access toher, and with a view to compel her to marry Beauman. Her appearance hadindicated a deep decline when he last saw her. "There, said he, farremoved from friends and acquaintance, there did she languish, there didshe die--a victim to excessive grief, and cruel parental persecution."
As soon as he was able to leave his room, he walked out one evening, andin deep contemplation roved, he knew not where. The moon shonebrilliantly from her lofty throne; the chill, heavy dews of autumnglittered on the decaying verdure. The _cadeat_[A] croaked hoarselyamong the trees; the _dircle_[B] sung mournfully on the grass.--Alonzoheard them not; he was insensible to all external objects, until he hadimperceptibly wandered to the rock on the point of the beach, vergingthe Sound, to which he had attended Melissa the first time he saw her ather cousin's.[C] Had the whole artillery of Heaven burst, in sheetedflame, from the skies--had raging winds mingled the roaring waves withthe mountains--had an instantaneous earthquake burst beneath his feet,his frame would not have been so shocked, his soul so agitated!--Suddenas the blaze darts from the electric cloud was he aroused to a livelysense of blessings entombed! The memory of departed joys passed withrapidity over his imagination; his first meeting with Melissa; theevening he had attended her to that place; her frequent allusions to thescenery there displayed, when they had traversed the fields, or reclinedin the bower on her favourite hill; in fine, all the vicissitudesthrough which they had passed, were called to his mind. His fancy sawher--felt her gently leaning on his arm, while he tremblingly pressedher hand.--Again he saw smiling health crimsoning the lilies of hercheek; again he saw the bright soul of sympathetic feelings sparkling inher eye; the air of ease; the graces of attitude; her brown lockscircling the borders of her snowy robe. Again he was enraptured by themelody of her voice.--Once more would he have been happy, had not fancychanged the scene. But, alas! she shifted the curtain. He saw Melissastretched on the sable hearse, wrapped in the dreary vestments of thegrave; the roses withered; the lilies faded; motionless; the gracesfled; her eyes fixed, and sealed in the glaze of death! Spontaneously hefell upon his knees, and thus poured forth the overcharged burden of hisanguished bosom.
[Footnote AB: Local names given to certain American insects, from their sound. They are well known in various parts of the United States; generally make their appearance about the latter end of August, and continue until destroyed by the frost. The notes of the first are hoarse, sprightly, and discordant; of the last, solemn and mournfully pleasing.]
[Footnote C: See page 8. See also allusions to this scene in several subsequent parts of the story.]
"Infinite Ruler of all events! Great Sovereign of this ever changingworld! Omnipotent Controller of vicissitudes! Omniscient dispenser ofdestinies! The beginning, the progression, the end is thine.Unsearchable are thy purposes! mysterious thy movements! inscrutable thyoperations! An atom of thy creation, wildered in the mazes of ignoranceand woe, would bow to thy decrees. Surrounded with impenetrable gloom,unable to scrutinize the past, incompetent to explore the future----fainwould he say, THY WILL BE DONE! And Oh, that it might be consistent withthat HIGH WILL to call _this atom_ from a dungeon of wretchedness, toworlds of light and glory, where his only CONSOLATION is gone."
Thus prayed the heart-broken Alonzo. It was indeed a worldly prayer; butperhaps as pure and as acceptable as many of our modern professors wouldhave made on a similar occasion. He arose and repaired to his lodgings.One determination only he had now fallen upon--to bury himself and hisgriefs from all with whom he had formerly been acquainted. Why should hereturn to the scenes of his former bliss and anxiety, where everycountenance would tend to renew his mourning; where every door would beinscribed with a _memento mori_, and where every object would beshrouded in crape? He therefore turned his attention to the army; butthe army was far distant, and he was too feeble to prosecute a journeyof such an extent.
There were at that time preparations for fitting out a convoy, atprivate expense, from various parts of the United States, for theprotection of our European trade; they were to rendezvous at a certainstation, and thence proceed with the merchantmen under their care to theports of France and Holland, where our trade principally centered, andreturn as convoy to some other
mercantile fleet.
One of these ships of war was then nearly fitted out at New-London.Alonzo offered himself to the captain, who, pleased with his appearance,gave him the station of commander of marines.
Alonzo prepared himself with all speed for the voyage. He sought, hewished no acquaintance. His only place of resort, except to his lodgingsand the ship, was to Melissa's favourite rock: there he bowed as to theshrine of her spirit, and there he consecrated his devotions.
As he was one day passing through the town, a gentleman stepped out ofan adjoining house and accosted him. Alonzo immediately recognized himto be the cousin of Melissa, at whose house he had first seen her. Hewas dressed in full mourning, which was a sufficient indication that hewas apprised of her death. He invited Alonzo to his house, and he couldnot complaisantly refuse the invitation. He therefore accepted it, andpassed an hour with him, from whom he learnt that Melissa