Memoirs of John Adams Dix; comp. by his son, Morgan Dix.

1798-1821.] THE ILLUSIONS OF BOYHOOD.

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(a feat to which he was quite equal), the intrepidity with
which I withstood and defied the giant was rapturously applauded. -But when I, a mere stripling, bade my colossal adversary follow me out, and pronounced the concluding lines"The God of battle stimulates my arm,
And fires my soul with ardor not its own "the enthusiasm of the audience was boundless. I was called
back upon the stage to receive the congratulations of the admiring spectators. The meeting-house was crowded. Hundreds of bright eyes looked down upon me from the galleries.
Tumultuous applause greeted my re-appearance. I did not
know that this was a common occurrence in theatrical life.
It seemed to me to be a new-born distinction, the offspring of
an unexampled success. My triumph was complete. It was
the greatest day of my life. I felt that I had done a noble
deed. I do not think that David himself could have been
better satisfied with his own performance in the original
drama. But I was not intoxicated by my success. Like that
exemplary Israelite, I resolved not to disappoint the public
expectation. I would live and devote myself to the performance of great and virtuous actions. I considered myself called
on thus to dedicate myself by the unbounded applause I had
received. I have often looked back, not altogether without a
sense of the comic, on these innocent dawnings of youthful
ambition. There is, nevertheless, a serious aspect in these
retrospections-in the dissipation of pleasant and inspiring
illusions, when we compare the aspirations of boyhood with
the truths taught by our experience in after-life. My triumph was not a mere ephemeral achievement of the day.
For a long time I saw myself noticed by the country people
as they passed me in their wagons; and on one occasion a
red-cheeked girl driving by pointed me out to her companion
as blooming as herself, and I heard her say, " There's the fine
little fellow that acted David."