The death of Marion -- his character.
"Next to Washington, O glorious shade!
In page historic shall thy name have place.
Deep on thy country's memory are portrayed Those gallant deeds which time shall ne'er erase.
Ah! full of honors, and of years farewell!
Thus o'er thy tomb shall Carolina sigh;
Each tongue thy valor and thy worth shall tell, Which taught the young to fight, the old to die."The next morning, I set out for my plantation on Winyaw bay.
Marion, as usual, accompanied me to my horse, and, at parting, begged I would come and see him again soon, for that he felt he had not long to stay. As the reader may suppose, I paid but little heed to this expression, which I looked on as no more than the common cant of the aged. But I soon had cause to remember it with sorrow. For I had been but a few weeks at home, before, opening a Charleston paper, I found in a mourning column, "THE DEATH OF GENERAL MARION". Never shall I forget the heart-sickness of that moment; never forget what I felt when first I learned that Marion was no more. Though the grave was between us, yet his beloved image seemed to appear before me fresher than ever.
All our former friendships, all our former wars returned.
But alas! he who was to me the soul of all the rest; the foremost in every battle; the dearest at every feast; he shall return no more!
"Oh Marion, my friend!" my bursting heart seemed to say, "and art thou gone?
Shall I no more hear that voice which was always so sweet; no more see that smile which awakened up such joy in my soul! Must that beloved form be lost forever among the clods in the valley. And those godlike virtues, shall they pass away like the empty visions of the night!"From this deep gloom which strong atheistic sorrow had poured over my nerves, I was suddenly roused, as by an angel's touch, to the bright hopes of religion. The virtues of my departed friend all flashed at once upon my kindling thoughts: his countenance so stern with honor; his tongue so sacred to truth; that heart always so ready to meet death in defence of the injured;that eye ever beaming benevolence to man, and that whole life so reverential of God. The remembrance, I say, of all these things, came in streams of joy to my heart.
"O happy Marion!" I exclaimed, "thou art safe, my friend; thou art safe.
No tears of mine shall doubt thy blissful state. Surely if there be a God, and that there is, all nature cries aloud through all her works, he must delight in virtue, and what he delights in must be happy."Then it was, that I felt what a benefactor Marion had been to me.
How dear his company while living; how sweet his memory when dead.
Like the sun travelling in brightness, his smiles had ever been my joy, his example my light. And though now set in the grave, yet has he not left me in darkness. His virtues, like stars, are lighted up after him. They point my hopes to the path of glory;and proclaim, that, though fallen, he is not extinguished.
