Alonzo and Melissa; Or, The Unfeeling Father: An American Tale

This e-text is based on the 1851 Boston edition of Alonzo and Melissa . The story originally appeared in 1804 as a serial in the weekly Political Barometer of Poughkeepsie, N.Y., written by the newspaper’s editor, Isaac Mitchell. Pirated versions began to appear in 1811, giving Daniel Jackson, Jr., as author.
The book was printed as a single unit, without chapter divisions. The breaks in the e-text represent the 22 installments of the serial version. Footnotes are from the original (1851) text. They are shown here as inset sidenotes except where paragraph breaks make this positioning impractical.
Note that the standard punctuation for dialogue is
“To this place, said Melissa, have I taken many a solitary walk....”
In every varied posture, place, and hour,
How widowed every thought of every joy!
Young.
Frontispiece from 1864 Philadelphia edition of Alonzo and Melissa .
Whether the story of Alonzo and Melissa will generally please, the writer knows not; if, however, he is not mistaken, it is not unfriendly to religion and to virtue.—One thing was aimed to be shown, that a firm reliance on Providence, however the affections might be at war with its dispensations, is the only source of consolation in the gloomy hours of affliction; and that generally such dependence, though crossed by difficulties and perplexities, will be crowned with victory at last.
It is also believed that the story contains no indecorous stimulants; nor is it filled with unmeaning and inexplicated incidents sounding upon the sense , but imperceptible to the understanding. When anxieties have been excited by involved and doubtful events, they are afterwards elucidated by the consequences.
The writer believes that generally he has copied nature. In the ardent prospects raised in youthful bosoms, the almost consummation of their wishes, their sudden and unexpected disappointment, the sorrows of separation, the joyous and unlooked for meeting—in the poignant feelings of Alonzo, when, at the grave of Melissa, he poured the feelings of his anguished soul over her miniature by the “moon’s pale ray;”——when Melissa, sinking on her knees before her father, was received to his bosom as a beloved daughter risen from the dead.