The Southern Literary Messenger, Vol. II., No. 3, February, 1836Various
General
The Southern Literary Messenger, Vol. II., No. 3, February, 1836
Various
American literature -- 19th century -- Periodicals
"Every day," says Paul after the kissing scene, "filled me with a new
spirit of romance. I had sailed upon the winding streams of Germany; I
had walked beneath the bright skies of Italy; I had clambered the
majestic mountains of Switzerland." His father, however, determines
upon visiting the United States, and taking his family with him. His
reasons for so doing should be recorded. "His republicanism" says
Paul, "had long rendered him an object of aversion to the aristocracy.
He had had the hardihood to compare the _salary_ of the President with
the _civil list_ of the king--_consequently he was threatened with an
indictment for treason!_ My mother suggested the propriety of
immediately quitting the country."
Mr. Mattson does not give us an account of the voyage. "I have no
disposition," says his hero, "to describe a trip across the
Atlantic--particularly as I am not in a sentimental mood--otherwise I
might turn over the poets, and make up a long chapter of extracts from
Moore, Byron, and Rogers of the Old World, or Percival, Bryant, and
Halleck of the New." A range of stars accordingly, is introduced at
this crisis of affairs, and we must understand them to express all the
little matters which our author is too fastidious to detail. Having
sufficiently admired the stars, we turn over the next leaf and "Land
ho!" shouts one of the seamen on the fore-topsail yard.
Arrived in Philadelphia, Mr. Ulric (our hero's father) {174} "is
divided," so says Mr. Mattson, "between the charms of a city and
country life." His family at this time, we are told, consisted of five
persons; and Mr. U. Jr. takes this opportunity of formally introducing
to us, his two sisters Eleanor and Rosaline. This introduction,
however, is evidently to little purpose, for we hear no more,
throughout the two volumes, of either the one young lady or the other.
After much deliberation the family fix their residence in "Essex, a
delightful country village in the interior of Pennsylvania;" and we
beg our readers to bear in mind that the surprising adventures of Paul
Ulric are, for the most part, perpetrated in the immediate vicinity of
this village.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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