The New-York Weekly Magazine, or Miscellaneous Repository Part 54

RUNNERS REMARKABLE FOR SWIFTNESS.

Philippides being sent on a message from the Athenians to the republic of Sparta, to gain their a.s.sistance against their enemies the Persians, ran within the compa.s.s of two days an hundred and fifty Roman miles and an half.

Under the emperor Leo, the same that succeeded Marcian, there was a Greek named Indacus, a man of extraordinary courage, and of wonderful nimbleness of foot. He was to be seen at parting, but vanished in the twinkling of an eye; he rather seemed to fly than run over mountains and dangerous precipices, and would run farther in a day than any post could ride, though he staid not a minute to change his horse, and having performed his journey, would return back the next day, though there was no occasion for making so much haste, merely because he took delight in running, and never complained of being weary.

In Peru they have Casquis, or foot posts, to carry letters or messages from place to place, who have houses about a league and an half asunder, they running each man to the next, will run fifty leagues in a day and a night.

_For the +New-York Weekly Magazine+._

A FRAGMENT.

"Child of a day--the being of an hour, He hurries swiftly through life's troublous scene Treads the same path which thousands trod before, Then dies, and is as though he ne'er had been."

Mrs. FAUGERES.

--"But just launched on time's wide ocean!" exclaims the expiring EDWARD, "and, Oh! must the farewell be now? Must I now take a long, a last adieu of all I hold dear in life? 'Tis true! He that lays the king on a level with the beggar now calls on me. My gla.s.s is almost run; the sands fall fast; the last one now trembles to be gone; tis near the bottom!--it drops! 'tis gone!"----"And there fled thy spirit too,"

sobbed out MATILDA.

How despotic does Death wield his sceptre! but with what impartiality!

It matters not; "the flower just opening into bloom," or the h.o.a.ry head that has long been ripening for the grave: He strikes indiscriminately; the young and the aged are alike exposed.

The silken bands of matrimony had but just fastened EDWARD to MATILDA.

No tender pledge of their mutual loves had yet blest them. Happiness seemed within their grasp. But, how transient are our pleasures! how fleeting are our joys!--Business had called EDWARD to the metropolis: On his return he was taken sick. A skilful physician was procured, who gave it as his opinion that his patient had caught the malignant distemper which so greatly prevailed in the capital. But it might give way to medecine, and it was liberally administered for that purpose. Unavailing were the efforts of the doctor to revive the almost expiring lamp of life. In a few days EDWARD laid down his mortal life, and his spirit took its flight to happier regions.

His amiable partner, to shew the love she bore him, had a marble slab, plain and neat, placed over his grave, on which is this inscription:

Near to this place Reposeth EDWARD BLACKRIDGE.

A pattern of unfeigned Love: Who was robbed of existence, While yet in his Prime.

And at intervals MATILDA steals to this spot, and bathes the stone with her tears.

L. B.

NEW-YORK _Oct. 1, 1796_.

REMARK.

The tears which we strive to hide are the most affecting. The violence we thus do ourselves shows both courage and sensibility.--In like manner, laughter is never more strong than when we endeavour to suppress it. Every opposition strengthens desire: the wave which meets with obstacles, foams, becomes impetuous, or rises into the air.

_NEW-YORK._

MARRIED,

On Wednesday evening last by the Rev. Dr. Linn, Doctor WILLIAM DOLL of Colchester, to Miss SOPHIA CHRISTINA BAUMAN, daughter of Col. Sebastian Bauman of this city.

At Norwalk, on Monday evening the 26th ult. by the Rev. Mr. Ogilvie, Mr.

JAMES JARVIS of this city, to Miss BETSEY MOTT of that place.

May blessings, without ceasing, Upon their heads descend; And pleasures, ne'er decreasing, With love and friends.h.i.+p blend.

Soon a fair train surrounding, May they enraptur'd see; In antic races bounding, Or prattling on the knee.

And when, with heads declining, And silver'd o'er with age, Their latest breath resigning, They quit this mortal stage;

May the angelic legions Their happy souls convey High to the blissful regions Of everlasting day.

_METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS._ _From the 25th ult. to the 1st inst._

_Days of the Month._ _Thermometer observed at 8, A.M. 1, P.M. 6, P.M._ _Prevailing winds._ _OBSERVATIONS on the WEATHER._

deg. deg. deg. 8. 1. 6. 8. 1. 6.

100 100 100 SEPT. 25 57 25 73 72 w. sw. w. clear, do. do.

26 54 65 50 62 75 nw. do. do. clear, do. do.

27 56 50 67 63 se. s. do. rain, do. do.

28 58 50 64 50 ne. sw. do. great rain cloudy do.

29 57 25 65 25 61 25 nw. do. do. clear, do. do.

30 53 63 50 60 n. do. nw. cloudy, do.

*OCT. 1 46 54 n. do. cloudy do.

[* This observation has been made at 6 A.M. or about Sun-rise, and 3 P.M. on the supposition, that those hours will better shew the state of our climate, as it is generally supposed, that at or nearly Sun-rise, it is the coldest, and at 3 P.M. the warmest time of the day.

This change in the periods of observation, will be continued in future.]

RESULTS OF METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS.