Publisher's Synopsis
This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1851 edition. Excerpt: ... CHAPTER II. NORFOLK--A NEW ACQUAINTANCE. "Urbt Antiq.ca fuii." "Leave patience to the gods; for I am human I" Richelieu. Beautiful, romantic Norfolk ! I like Norfolk. I like its staid, quiet, ancient air of Quaker-like garb, and respectability, and neatness, and substance, and comfort. Whole regiments does it muster of fine women and charming girls. For the midshipman, it is Eden; for the epaulette--Elysium. Old ocean has an arm half way around her, in a doting embrace. A little way from the brick and mortar barrenness of the business thoroughfares, you come to the shrubbery and flowers, and roominess of residences. Farther still, neat white cottages, with wealth of rural attractions, peer pleasantly from the evergreen woods; inviting a glance at the vine-covered trellis, or a bright eye beyond it. By moonlight, Norfolk is enchanting; and of a mild summer night, the moon's " golden haziness" falls as beautifully there as at Rio Janeiro, or Naples; on Melrose, or the Rialto. Such, at least, was my opinion when I was returning, one evening, during my brief sojourn from a walk through the more frequented streets of " The Ancient Borough." All the world was walking by moonlight. Here, a grayhaired old man was leading merry children along the crowded thoroughfare. The pale, thoughtful student sauntered slowly on; busy, apparently, in investigating the mineral properties of the dilapidated pavement beneath his feet; while above, there lay the w.hole heavens, like a silver sea, with isles of gems. Manhood and beauty went side by side, and over all the throng there was the witching of the soft moonlight, giving to furrowed brows the air of beauty, and to " ruins gray" the charm of proportion. A fair young girl passed me. A profusion of dark...
