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

by Frank V. Webster

  CHAPTER I.

  "Rien n'est si contagieux qui l'exemple; et nous ne faisons jamais de grand biens: ni de grand maux, qui n'en produisent de semblables."

  [La Rochefoucauld: _Moral Maxims_:

  Rien n'est si contagieux que l'exemple, et nous ne faisons jamais de grands biens ni de grands maux qui n'en produisent de semblables.]

  The ancestry of Alida was of ancient date in English heraldry, some ofwhom emigrated to America a short time before the revolution, andsettled in the southern provinces, while her father fixed his abode inthe state of New-York.

  In the calm retirement of the country, at a considerable distance fromthe bustle of the town, was situated his beautiful residence, which hadevery advantage in point of prospect that luxuriant nature could givewhen it is most lavish of its bounties.

  [_NY Weekly_: Essay No. I:

  Their eyes wander with languor and indifference, over those scenes in which nature has been most lavish of its beauties.]

  The mind of its owner took particular delight in rural pleasures andamusements; in dissipating a part of his time in the innocent scenes ofrustic life, and in attending to the cultivation of his estate, whichwas large and extensive.

  [_Alida_ page 207 (chapter XXIX):

  Like him he was fond of rural pleasures and amusements, and to dissipate care amid the diversified scenes of rustic life, afforded him satisfaction and pleasure.]

  Here he would contemplate, in all their variety, the natural beautiesof creation, when arrayed in its richest attire; in the inimitablesplendour of the surrounding scenery; or amuse himself in attendance todiversified employments, some of which, as pastimes, served the two-foldpurposes of recreation and amusement.

  [_Alida_ page 62 (chapter IX):

  It was the beginning of autumn, and a yellow hue was spread over the natural beauties of creation.]

  [_Lives of Signers_: Thornton of New Hampshire:

  where, in an attendance on his diversified employments, some of which, as pastimes, served the twofold purposes of recreation and amusement....]

  Thus his years glided on in the most harmonious tranquillity; where hiscares were dissipated alternately in the bosom of his family, and the"tumults of life, real or imaginary, fleeted away in a mutual confidenceand unreserved friendship."

  [_A&M_ (describing Alonzo):

  There his cares were dissipated, and the troubles of life, real or imaginary, on light pinions fleeted away. How different would be the scene when debarred from the unreserved friendship and conversation of Melissa!]

  Here he would accustom himself to rise at early dawn, and dwell withparticular pleasure on the morning scenery. The dappled, rosy-fingered,blushing morn, arrested his attention; those mild tints thatparticularly express the break of day, just awakening from repose; whenthe curtain of the night seems insensibly withdrawn, and the variedlandscape exhibits itself by degrees, while the colours of theatmosphere yet seem doubtful, and the scene imperfect to the view; whenthe darkness is not entirely fled, nor the light of the new day is fullyseen; when coolness sits upon the hills, and the dews hang tremblingupon every leaf; when the groves begin to resound with the murmurs ofwarbling melody, and the valleys echo with reverberated sounds.

  [_NY Weekly_: On Landscape Painting:

  The poets, of all ages and all languages, have dwelt with particular delight upon the morning scenery, and the epithets of the dappled, the rosy fingered, the saffron, and the blushing morn.... those chaste and reserved tints that particularly express the break of day, just awakening from repose; when the curtain of the night seems to be insensibly withdrawn, and the landscape appears to open by degrees, when the colours of the sky are yet doubtful, and the landscape imperfect to the view; in short, when darkness is not entirely fled, nor light distinctly seen....

  When coolness sits upon the mountains, and freshness delights the plains, when the dews hang trembling upon every leaf, and the insects flutter on every thorn; when the groves begin to resound with the murmurs of the dove, and the vallies to echo with the twitterings from the spray....]

  How pleasing at such a time to adore in his works the wonders of theCreator. That period when the sun begins to diffuse his early rays, totip the mountains with light, and the breezes in the air mildlyprognosticate the soft blushes of the morning:

  [_NY Weekly_: On Landscape Painting:

  how pleasing at such a time are the feelings of anticipation to those who adore in his works, the wonders of the Creator!

  Of that period, when the sun begins to diffuse his early rays, to tip the mountains with light, and.... those breezes in the air that mildly prognosticate, the blushes of the morning....]

  "For far beyond the pageantry of power, He lov'd the realms of Nature to explore; With lingering gaze Edenian spring survey'd-- Morn's fairy splendours--Night's gay curtain'd shade-- The heaven-embosom'd sun--the rainbow's dye, Where lucid forms appear to Fancy's eye; The vernal flower, mild Autumn's purpling glow, The Summer's thunder, and the winter's snow."

  [Timothy Dwight: _The Conquest of Canaan_ (1785), as quoted in A&M:

  "For far beyond the pride or pomp of power, He lov'd the realms of nature to explore; With lingering gaze Edinian spring survey'd; Morn's fairy splendors; night's gay curtain'd shade, The high hoar cliff, the grove's benighting gloom, The wild rose, widow'd o'er the mouldering tomb; The heaven embosom'd sun; the rainbow's die Where lucid forms disport to fancy's eye; The vernal flower, mild autumn's purpling glow, The summer's thunder and the winter's snow."]

  [_The Conquest of Canaan_, original text:

  But far beyond the pride of pomp, and power, He lov'd the realms of nature to explore; With lingering gaze, Edenian spring survey'd; Morn's fairy splendors, night's gay curtain'd shade; The high hoar cliff; the grove's benighting gloom; The wild rose, widow'd, o'er the mouldering tomb; The heaven-embosom'd sun; the rainbow's die, Where lucid forms disport to fancy's eye.]

  [[The last two lines in the _Alonzo and Melissa_ version ("vernal flower..." and "Summer's thunder...") do not appear to be in Dwight's poem.]]

  Or, when the evening approached, he would observe the twilight hour,which for a time hangs balanced between darkness and the pale rays ofthe western sky, communicating a solemn pleasure to every thing around.When evening began to throw her dusky mantle over the face of nature,and the warm glow of the summer sun had departed; when the stars wereglistening in the heavens, and the moon had already risen, shedding itspale lustre over the opposite islands "that appeared to float dimlyamong the waves, the twinkling fire-fly arose from the surroundingverdure, and illumined the meadow below with a thousand transient gems."The rustling breezes played among the trees of the wood, while the airwas filled with the fragrance of various flowers, and the sound ofmelodious music was wafted from the neighbouring village, renderedapparently more soft and sweet by the distance.

  [_NY Weekly_: On Landscape Painting:

  how extatic is the twilight hour, which, for a time, hangs balanced between the dispersion of darkness, and the dapplings of the east; and which gives a solemn pleasure to every thing around!]

  [_A&M_:

  Evening had now spread her dusky mantle over the face of nature. The stars glistened in the sky. The breeze's rustling wing was in the tree. The "stilly sound" of the low murmuring brook, and the far off water fall, were faintly heard. The twinkling fire fly arose from the surrounding verdure and illuminated the air with a thousand transient gleams. The mingling discordance of curs and watch-dogs echoed in the distant village, from whence the frequent lights darted their pale lustre through the gloom.]

  [_A&M_ (different passage):

  The moon shone in full lustre, her white beams trembling upon the glassy main, where skiffs and sails of various description were passing and repassing. The s
hores of Long-Island and the other islands in the harbour, appeared dimly to float among the waves. The air was adorned with the fragrance of surrounding flowers; the sound of instrumental music wafted from the town, rendered sweeter by distance....]

  The buildings on the estate consisted of a large mansion-house,farm-house, and an ancient stone cottage that stood on the margin of thewater, shaded by willow trees, and surrounded by romantic scenery.

  The charming appearance which nature threw around the place on which themansion-house was situated, was scarcely less interesting in winter thanin the more gay and verdant months of the summer season. The falling ofthe snow and hail, and the sparkling icicles hanging upon the woods andshrubbery, sometimes almost conveyed the idea of enchantment to theimagination of the spectator.

  [Mrs. Sherwood: _The Broken Hyacinth_:

  The charming country in which our house was situated, was scarcely less lovely when covered with snow than in the summer. The purity of the snow, and the sparkling icicles which hung on the woods, almost conveyed the idea of enchantment....]

  The view on all sides was magnificent. The bay, gently winding, glidedinto the river beyond, where ships, steamboats, and craft of everydescription, floated upon the waters, and gave interest to theappearance of several beautiful villages that were seen at a littledistance in the landscape.

  This villa was separated about a mile from the flourishing village of----, where the many white buildings, some of which might be calledmagnificent, had a remarkably pleasing and picturesque appearance,forming a lively contrast with the evergreen trees with which they wereinterspersed.

  The house of Alida's father was the seat of hospitality;--scenes offestivity would sometimes have place within its walls;--"music and mirthwould occasionally echo through its apartments." He was kind, generous,and benevolent; while his independence, assisted by a charitabledisposition, enabled him to contribute largely to the happiness ofothers. His manners were highly pleasing, his conversation wasinteresting, humorous, and instructive; and, although at this time hewas rather advanced in years, yet the glow of health still shone uponhis cheek and sparkled in his eye; and his fine expressive countenancestill gave lustre to a peculiar dignity and energy in his personalappearance.

  [_Lives of Signers_: Hart of New Jersey

  his house was the seat of hospitality, charity, and piety.]

  It was now many years since he had made this delightful spot hisresidence. He had married early in life a lady of engaging manners, andcaptivating beauty, who was amiable, sensible, and pious, and whose mindwas a pattern of every female excellence, combined with a taste andjudgment that had been properly directed by a suitable education; whohad been taught to esteem no farther all the acquirements and qualitiesof which the human mind is capable than as they might be conducive toenable us to excel in the duties of the Christian religion, and cause usmore fully to experience "the blessings of the truth."

  [_A&M_ (describing Melissa):

  Her mind was adorned with those delicate graces which are the first ornaments of female excellence. Her manners were graceful without affectation, and her taste had been properly directed by a suitable education.]

  These parents had reared up all their family except Alida, theiryoungest child, who at this time was placed at a boarding-school, at thevillage of ----, where she was taught, in addition to the differentstudies belonging to a Christian education, the French and Italianlanguages.

  Their elder daughters had married, and were settled at some distancefrom them, and their two sons were engaged in mercantile business inNew-York. It was their principal endeavour, as their thoughts oftenrevolved in anxious solicitude for the welfare and future happiness oftheir children, to unite their efforts to persuade them, and inculcatein their minds all that was praiseworthy, by the immediate influence oftheir own example, considering that the precepts which they taught them,however wise and good, would avail but little unassisted by the aid ofexample.

  "Le mauvais usage que nous faisons de la vie, la deregle, et la rend malheureuse."

  [Etienne Francois De Vernage (1690):

  Le mauvais usage que nous faisons de la vie la deregle et la rend malheureuse.]

  It was their first care to exercise the minds of their children, in allthe important moral and religious duties; to be careful in due time toregulate their natural propensities; to render their dispositions mildand tractable; to inspire them with the love, respect, and implicitobedience due to parents, blended with a genuine affection for relationsand friends.

  "To endeavour to form their first ideas on principles of rectitude,being conscious of the infinite importance of first impressions, andbeginning early to adhere to a proper system of education, that wasprincipally the result of their own reflections and particularobservations."

  Their children were assembled annually to celebrate the birthday oftheir father, together with other social friends and acquaintances,consisting chiefly of those whose beneficent feelings were in accordancewith their own, in testifying their gratitude to their Creator for dailybenefits, blended with a thankful cheerfulness, which is the offspringof moral excellence.

  [_A&M_ (Melissa speaking):

  once a year my father celebrates his birth day....]

  O, Thou enthroned where perfect day, In brightest beams of glory, play Around thy radiant throne; Where angels strike celestial lyres, And seraphs glow with sacred fires, Address'd to thee alone.

  Still may thy providential care, With blessings crown the circling year, Each human ill restrain: O, may thy truth inspire my tongue, And flow through all my varying song, And shine in every strain.

  [Cunningham, "Ode to the New Year, 1769" (here from _Poems on

  various subjects..._, ed. Thomas Tomkins 1780), stz. 5-6:

  O thou! alike where perfect day In bright refulgent glories play, Around thy awful throne! When seraphs glow with sacred fires, When angels tune celestial lyres, To hymn thy praise alone!

  Still may thy providential care With blessings crown the rising year! Impending ills restrain! Thy wisdom guide my youthful muse! Thy sacred eloquence diffuse, And consecrate my strain!]

  Give me the calm, the soft serene, Of summer, when it glads the scene, And scatters peace around; Bless'd image of the happy soul. That does the heav'n-born mind control, While conscious joys abound.

  That this may be my bounteous share, Ascends my ever constant prayer To Thee, all-perfect Mind! O, aid me in the gen'rous strife, Through each inconstant scene of life, To all thy ways resign'd.

  [same, stz. 10-11:

  Unlike its placid form, serene, When Zephyr breathing o'er the scene, Sheds balmy peace around; Bless'd emblem of the conquering soul, Whose every passion knows controul, While conscious joys abound!

  That this may prove my bounteous share, Ascends my ever constant prayer, To thee, all perfect mind; O aid me in the arduous strife, Through each perplexing maze of life, To all thy ways resign'd!]