The Southern Literary Messenger, Vol. I., No. 9, May, 1835Various
History
The Southern Literary Messenger, Vol. I., No. 9, May, 1835
Various
American literature -- 19th century -- Periodicals
reserved manner and studious habit, but little characteristic of her
age and sex. The concluding portion of the second chapter, discovers
the secret attachment, which Elizabeth Eustace already bore the young
legislator, and drops the reader a hint of what the after pages of the
work more fully disclose.
The great sacrifices of property, incident to a war of seven years,
and the heavy imposts which the necessities of the state government
impelled it to levy on those who were already deeply involved, stirred
up among that class of the people, a spirit of sullen discontent; and
the legislature was already the arena on which the relief, or popular
party on the one hand, and the creditors on the other, had arrayed
themselves in fierce opposition. Talbot, who is represented as
"devoured by an ambition for political power and distinction," with an
active restless spirit, determined to disregard all principle,
whenever a more conscientious course might interfere with the
gratification of his political aspirations, embraced the side of the
malcontents, and was now on a visit to his constituents, for the
purpose of rousing them up to more active remonstrance against the
measures of the creditors' or government party, already supposed to
have secured a majority in the lower house of the State Legislature.
Henry Eustace, at this time, visits his friend, and consults with him
on the choice of a profession. Medicine, to which he at first
inclined, is soon abandoned, for the more attractive employment of
politics; and fascinated by the popular eloquence of Talbot, whose
enthusiasm had already enflamed the ardent blood of Henry, he becomes
one of the most violent of the partizans of the party to which Talbot
was then attached. While on this visit to the neighborhood, Talbot
engages himself to Elizabeth Eustace. His talents and influence had
already attracted the attention of the friends of the government, and
they resolve to tempt him to desertion from his present associates, by
the offer of electing him, by their support, to the Senate, to which
he already aspired, but with little hope of success, from the votes of
his own party. Having espoused the popular cause, from motives of
personal interest, he as readily abandons it, when more seductive
offers are held out by the opposite party. The baseness of Talbot, who
seizes the first opportunity to betray the cause he had formerly
supported, is an unexpected blow to Eustace, and severs the friendship
that before existed between them. The latter assumes the secret
command of the conspirators, while Talbot devotes all his energy and
abilities to the service of his new friends of the government; and
every day widens the difference between them. A large portion of the
two volumes is taken up with descriptions of the various marchings and
counter-marchings of the insurgents and the militia, in the course of
which Talbot and Eustace engage in single combat; the latter strikes
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