here related, to have been produced. Taxes, are never paid with willingness, and those which are imposed for the support of religion, are particularly odious. The clergy, we presume, formed a part of that class of society, in Virginia, which is represented by Mr. Wirt, to have been an object of fear and hatred among the people. That they were despised and sneered at we have high authority.—It is not necessary, here, to enter into the details of the "parsons' case." It is sufficient to state that the clergy asserted a claim, against which the legislature and the people of the colony made a determined resistance. According to Mr. Wirt, "such was the excitement produced by the discussion, and so strong the current against the clergy, that the printers found it expedient to shut their presses against them in this colony." (p. 21.) They brought an action at law to try the question. The right, stricti juris was plainly on their side, and the cause of the mob was in so desperate a situation (vid. p. 23) that it was abandoned by their counsel after the first argument. The defendants could find no one to support them but Mr. Henry, who was then unknown, obscure, and utterly ignorant in his profession. In this hopeless condition, with law and gospel against them, and no lawyer for them, a dozen of these very men are taken at random from the mass, put in a jury box, and asked by Mr. Henry, their advocate, "how much damages are you willing to give these parsons?" Is it any wonder that they found a verdict with one penny damages and that the populace should carry the triumphant champion on their shoulders? But, says Mr. Wirt, "at one burst of his rapid and overwhelming invective, they fled from the bench in precipitation and terror." We shrewdly suspect that this is a very hyperbolical way of saying that the young lawyer forgot the advice of his uncle, not to say any "hard things" of the clergy, but consulted the taste and temper of this impartial and enlightened tribunal, by idle jokes and indecent sarcasms which compelled the reverend plaintiffs to withdraw in disgust. In this conjecture we are confirmed by one of the biographer's own witnesses; we mean the father of Mr. Henry, who speaks of the speech in terms of very measured approbation; " Patrick spoke in this cause, near an hour! and in a manner that surprised me! and showed himself well-informed on a subject, of which I did not think he had any knowledge." (p. 27.) The book is dedicated "to the young men of Virginia," to whom, and indeed to every class of the community, Mr. Wirt has rendered a very acceptable service by rescuing from oblivion so brilliant an instance of genius and so valuable an example of perseverance, integrity, and sound patriotism. We have done some violence to the personal feelings which we cherish in regard to the author, by dwelling rather upon the faults than the excellences of his production; because his reputation is calculated to make them pass as sterling coin at the literary exchequer; and we dislike that hypermeter which is employed on late occasions, but most especially in this book, whenever an American is to be exhibited. Patrick Henry stands in no need of rhetorical embellishment. While we revere the memory of him who led our battles and swayed our councils, Mr. Wirt has enabled us to assign a high rank to the man who set the first squadron in the field, From the Monthly Magazine. Mr. John Mason Good, F. R. S. who has lately published under the sanction of the royal college of physicians in London, an elaborate system of Nosology, with a corrected and simplified nomenclature, intends to exemplify and illustrate his system by delivering a course of lectures on nosology, nomenclature and the practice of physic, and treatment of diseases. The course will be designed for students and young practitioners, and will be delivered in a central part of the metropolis, of which due notice will be given. The Atheneum founded by professor Thierch at Munich for the instruction of young modern Greeks, is in a flourishing state, several young men from Greece, Asia, Moldavia and Wallachia, &c., pursue their studies there. The plan of this establishment is calculated to have a great influence on the cultivation of the mind of Greek youth. The archduke Charles has published the principles of the art of war, elucidated by the campaign of 1796, three vols. 8vo. Dr. Roche has commenced a biographical account of the late Mr. Ponsonby, which he will speedily publish. The work will be entitled "Momoirs of the public and private life of the Right Hon. George Ponsonby, with selections from his correspondence, and a complete collection of his judicial and parliamentary speeches in two vols."-From the talents displayed by Dr. Roche in his work on the letters of Junius, we have no doubt but he will execute this work with credit to himself, as well as to the memory of Mr. Ponsonby. His subject, in fact, is nothing less than the political history of Ireland, for the last forty years; and we have great confidence that his industry and integrity will enable him to represent in its true light, a subject hitherto perverted and distorted, in the effusions of party zeal and of political animosity and disputation. We have the satisfaction to invite public attention to the pretentions of Mr. Dufief, a gentlemen who has recently arrived in London from Philadelphia, for the purpose of introducing into Europe a plan of teaching languages, by means of which one master without assistance may teach any foreign language to one or two thousand pupils at the same time. This plan he has exemplified, in regard to the French and English; and to the Spanish and English languages, in two works called " Nature Displayed in the mode of teaching Languages to Man; one adapted to the French and the other to the Spanish Languages." His improvements are two-fold, the first which consists in teaching words and their combination in sentences, and the other in public repetition of these sentences, by all the pupils, after the enunciation of the master. These improvements are of great consequence to patriotic and enlightened governments, as means of enabling them to give uniformity to the languages of the same empire. Thus the emperor of Russia might by multiplying masters, teach, after Mr. Dufief's system all the tribes in his vast territories to speak the Russian language within three or four months; or the British government might, by suitable arrangements, render the English language familiar in the same short space of time to the millions who people the banks of the Ganges, to the Cadians, the Hottentots, the negroes at Sierra Leone, the Maltese, the Charibbis, the Canadians, the Irish, the Scotch and the Welsh. He is about to publish his plan of tuition for the gratification of public curiosity, and for the information of those who may undertake the office of tutors. 525 POETRY. LINES, BY MISS HUNTLY, OF CONNECTICUT. Addressed to a very interesting and intelligent little Girl, deprived of the faculties of speech, and hearing-In consequence of reading this ques tion proposed to one of Abbe Sicard's pupils, "Les Sourds et Muettes trouvent ils malheu reux?" Ob, could the kind inquirer gaze Upon thy brow with feeling fraught, And could he see thy sportive grace, On the pure altar of thy mind, Thy active life,-thy look of bliss,-- And bless the ear that ne'er has known And bless the lip that ne'er can tell For sure, the stream of silent course As sweet a scene, as fair a shore, As rich a soil, its tide may lave, Then joyful and accepted pour Its tributes to the mighty wave. Her's was the hand, did belt his brand, Fierce was the strife for death or life Their hands were strong their hearts were brave Till every gleam of freedom's dream, The distant scene, bright and serene, A sterner throe of frantic wo, Thrilled in the mourner's tortured breast"Erin," she cried," for thee he diedOn thee, on thee, his blood shall rest. Though bathed in gore-he breathes no more-- Hark! from above, I hear my love-- Yet dear that land, and patriot band, As well this breast, that loved him best, Death joins the ties, that death destroys, 'Rose on the grave of Geraldine. MARY. POPE JOAN. Papa pater patrum peperit papissa papellum. The following beautiful ballad is extracted from the Dublin Examiner. GERALDINE-A BALLAD. The moon was bright, and calm the night, She sought the hill, where low and still, She could not weep, she dared not pray. Her's was the tongue had widely sung, * Are the deaf and dumb unhappy? FOR THE PORT FOLIO. THE HERMIT; BY DR. BEATTIE. By C. P. D. de Mariano. Vinto avean l' ombre il giorno, E in sua capanna stanco l' uomo a placido Sonno s' abbandonava: era d'intorno Alto silenzio: sol s' udia 'I torrente Scender precipitevole, E come suol gemente In dolce metro l'usignuol garrir. Sua notturna querela It buon Romito la ve 'Imonte inchinasi Ma d'uomo il cor gli palpita nel sen. Perche' mesta ten' vai Tu sempre o Filomela infra le tenebre? FOR THE PORT FOLIO. Of Nemorin's farewell to Estelle, traced on the stone around which she usually assembled her flock. Gentle shepherdess, farewell! To love and thee I bid adieu! I leave the spot where thou dost dwell, Exil'd to another shore Faith and truth my themes shall be Do not weep, my lovely friend; For with life all evils end, And 'tis death to part from thee! A. A Cupid lurks in ambush there, The poet's works-behest of Jove; I sigh for fame, and her I love. Could I, while you my soul inspire, Thy beauty paint, thy pity move; Then farewell fame! then farewell lyre! My fame's the praise of her I love. Full many a maid, with magic skill, The bard arrays, his art to prove;His song may scatter charms at will, But mine is grac'd by her I love. Thy charms shall lend it wings to fly O'er hill and valley, plain and grove:A passport to a lover's sigh Shall be the name of her I love. Oh! maid belov'd! oh! lyre adorn'd! Who now shall dare thy song reprove? By thee admir'd-their frowns are scorn'd, I only write to her I love. FOR THE PORT FOLIO. TO TIME. Oh thou whose awful wings unfurl'd Sweep on-sweep on! thine awful course Be heard on nature's final tomb! Child of eternity! once more Shall she receive thee to her breast, That ne'er shall feel or tide or flow, Secure from thee and all thy powers For him in heaven's ecstatic plain, N. Y. 1817. F TO HER I LOVE. In hopes to meet a lover's name, The song that's meant for her I love. "And who's the maid," shall beauty ask, Her lips of pow'r mysterious are, Who shall these lines from me approve; FOR THE PORT FOLIO. THE BLIND MAN'S LAMENT. the night? O where are the visions of ecstacy bright That can burst o'er the darkness, and banish [fold O where are the charms that the day can un To the heart and the eye which their glories can hold? Deep-deep in the silence of sorrow I mournFor no visions of beauty for me shall e'er burn. |