when, in time, they are realized, we know cient humanity to wish that they might be too keenly, that we had a forewarning of preserved, but as they never did things in a the event. Such things are. Y. The Revolutionary Claim. A few feeble old men stood on a wharf, contemplating a gallant and mighty ship, of which they hurry, they began to consult on the best manner of saving those who were perishing in the waves. One was of opinion that it would be best to throw out ropes, but another thought that the ropes might slip through their hands, and that it would be had been the builders. The ship had been best to throw planks and spars. Another made by them in company, and they themdisliked both these plans, and advised that a selves embarked in her on her first and most small boat should be lowered to rescue hazardous voyage. They then gave her to them. A fourth proposed, in a long hatheir sons, who promised to pay them for rangue, that the sons being strong and actheir labour and expenses, and those sons tive, should plunge in the waves and save became rich and prosperous from the pro- their fathers by their own personal exerfits of the vessel, but they remained callous tions. After considerable discussion, the to the entreaties of their fathers, now old and powerless, and basely evaded the payed the side of their ship to perform the last scheme was adopted, and they approachment of an honest debt. At length, a friend of their fathers, who in his youth had been a volunteer on board of this vessel, came from a far and sunny land across the seas, to see the gallant ship and its brave crew, once more, ere he should die. The stranger was a man of high renown and of ancient name, and the sons who had neglected their fathers welcomed him with festivals and honours. The stranger deserved such a welcome, for he was generous, and good, and heroic, and had been, not only a nation's, but also a world's benefactor. He met with the friends of his youth-they were wasted and wan, and bowed by affliction-some had gone down to the grave, their hearts broken by hope deferred,-some were in want and destitution,-and one who had been amongst their bravest, was the tenant of a prison.. The stranger at last set sail for the lovely land of his nativity; but before his departure, he released his ancient companion from an imprisonment, which, but for him, would have been terminated only by Death. The sons at last were awakened to a sense of their injustice, and they assembled in the ship to consult on the most expedient means of paying the debt which they had withheld so long. pious duty. But their fathers were not visible-old and helpless, they had sunk in the merciless waters, and their sons discovered too late that action is sometimes better than deliberation! Can the members of the present Congress gather a moral from the foregoing story? If not, we shall, in due time, entertain them with another. Waterloo. It is stated in an Irish paper, that the battle of Waterloo was won, not so much by British valour as by American gold-that Grouchy was bribed by a "certain illustrious bride, then a widow, to delay the arrival of his forces at the scene of action, and that the douceur so opportunely bestowed, constitutes part of the claim which the lady has upon the British government." The lady alluded to is the Marchioness of Wellesley, late Mrs. Patterson. Mr. Niles expresses a disbelief as to her being " an agent in purchasing the field of Waterloo," and we join in this disbelief. There is no doubt but that Marshal Grouchy played false in that great game, but we doubt that our beautiful countrywoman had any thing to do with the political affairs of Europe. But if this were true, it would be a curious fact, and would pretty much decide the question, whether the world is or is not ruled by woman. These sons were great talkers, and each had his own plan for making restitution, and each considered his own plan the best. While they were thus engaged, their aged fathers, impelled by anxiety, thronged the wharf, by the side of the ship, and several Notice. If our new carriers should leave of them being feeble with age, were crowd- the paper with any persons who are not ed into the waters. Their sons had suffi- subscribers, we request that information may be promptly given. The late carrier's books were in such confusion, that the addresses of several subscribers were of necessity taken from the Directory, and it is very possible that the paper may, in some instances, be left at the wrong place. If so, we trust that notice will be given in due season, by those who receive the Gazette through mistake, and that they will not, as is sometimes done, continue to receive it quietly for months and then enlighten our collector by informing him that they are not subscribers. We are well assured that our subscribers will have every reason to feel satisfied with the faithfulness of our new carriers. Our office needed reformation, and we have made one that is pretty thorough. To our Correspondents. If "Orlando" has any mercy, he will show it pre-eminently, by sparing our "aching sight" from any more specimens of his poetical powers. “A Junior" is a juvenis in thoughts and style. We cannot speak of him in the commendatory words of Don Armado, "A most acute juvenal"! “Clara" might with more propriety have signed her lines "obscura”—we cannot understand them. General Washington's Correspondence. Dear Sir, WASHINGTON TO PUTNAM. Camp on Schuylkill, 34 miles from us, The situation of our affairs in this quarter calls for every aid, and for every effort. General Howe, by various mancuvres, and marches up the Schuylkill, as if he meant to harm our right flank, found means, by countermarching, to cross the river last night several miles below which is fordable almost in every part, and is now fast advancing toward Philadelphia. Itherefore desire, that without a moment's loss of time, you will detach as many rank and file, under a proper General and other officers, as will make the whole number, including those of General M'Dougall, amount to twenty-five hundred privates, and non-commissioned officers, fit for duty. The corps under General M'Dougall, to my great surprise, by a letter from him a few days ago, consisted of only nine hundred men. will direct the officers commanding the detachment, (now ordered) to proceed as soon as possible to reinforce me. The rout to Morristown is the best for them to pursue. Before they arrive at the Ferry, they will hear where I am; but they may know their destination when they are within two marches of it; they are to inform me by express, and I will write upon the subject. I must urge you, by every motive, to send this detachment with the least possible delay: no consideration must pervert it. It is our first object that we defeat, if possible, the army now offered to us here. That the Highlands may be secure, you will immediately call in your forces now on command on out-posts; you must not think of covering a whole country by dividing them; and when they are ordered in, and drawn together, they will be fully competent to repel any attempt that may happen. But if you are attacked, you will get all the militia that you can. The detachment will bring their baggage, but as little as possible. That you may not hesitate, you will consider this as peremptory, and not to be dispensed with. Colonel Malcolm's regiment, will form a part of the detachment. I am, yours, &c. MISCELLANEOUS. CONTEMPORARY FEMALE GENIUS. AT no period of our history has female genius triumphed more than in our own At the present time there are living days. not less than twenty-four ladies of preeminent talent, as writers in various departments of literature and philosophy. Mrs. Barbauld, distinguished during 50 years by her elegant productions in verse and prose. Miss Hannah More, for nearly an equal period, for various moral and controversial writings; not inferior for style and energy of mind to any thing produced by the other sex. Mrs. Radcliffe, who, as a novelist, may be ranked among the first geniuses of the age and country.* * Miss Edgeworth, a distinguished writer of novels, moral compositions, and works of education. Miss Cullen, the amiable and ingenious authoress of Morton and Home, novels dis You Radcliffe. tinguished for their benevolent sentiments and spirited compositions, honourable alike to her heart and head. Mrs. Opie, whose various works in verse and prose are distinguished for their originality, good taste, ingenuity, and elegant composition. Mrs. Inchbald, who, as a dramatist and novelist, has produced various works, which will ever rank high among the classics of our language.* Miss Hutton, respectable as a novelist, powerful as a general writer, and able as a philosophical geographer, as proved by her recent works on Africa. Miss H. M. Williams, who, though long resident in Paris, may be claimed as an English woman, and is an honour to the genius of her country women, in history, politics, eloquence, and poetry. Mrs. Cappe, a Lady whose strength of understanding and powers of diction have led her to grapple with subjects of the highest order, as she has published several works in theology, education, and biography. Miss Porter, a novelist of the first rank in the powers of eloquent composition, whose Thaddeus of Warsaw, and other works, will long be standards in the language. volumes of travels, which are distinguished for their sound philosophy and enlightened views of society. M. D'Arblay (Miss Burney), whose Evelina, Cecilia, Camilla, and other novels, place her among the first and most original writers of any age. Miss Baillie, whose plays on the Passions and other productions are highly esteemed by every person of good taste. Besides others of less celebrity, but perhaps equal merit, whose names are not present to the recollection of the writer. Few persons, till they behold this enumeration, will have suspected that our days could boast such a galaxy of genius in the fair sex; and it may also be questioned, whether the other sex can produce a list, in many respects, of superior pretensions. RUSSIA. The applause of Europe, since 1812, has quite intoxicated the Russian nation. The officers, and the soldiers especially, believe themselves the first in existence, and seem to imagine that they could now conquer the globe; and, therefore, that wherever their hordes are sent, they will march to certain victory. Such a conviction prevailing in an army, forms a host of itself, and has led to Miss Benger, who figures with equal dis- deeds almost supernatural. Was it not the tinction as a novelist, historian, and critic. long-credited infallibility of Napoleon that Miss Grant, who has distinguished her- fought half his battles, and animated his solself in morals, philosophy, and the belles-diers with the idea of their own invincibility? Master of the human mind, that General Mrs. Marcet, who has proved her powers spoke in an oracular style. He issued orof mind in her conversations on Natural ders to his soldiers as if he had been giving Philosophy, &c. instructions for a parade or a general reMrs. Lowry, who writes and lectures view. His armies never hesitated; they with great ability on mineralogy and geo-never dreamt of defeat; they fought, and logy. lettres. Miss Owenson (Lady Morgan), whose powers of eloquent writing, moral and political reasoning, are not surpassed by any author of her time. Mrs. Wakefield, compiler of many useful and ingenious works for the use of children and schools. Mrs. Ibertson, whose discoveries with the microscope on the Physiology of Plants, rank her high among experimental philosophers. Miss Herschel, whose ingenuity and industry in astronomical observation have obtained her a splendid reputation throughout the civilized world. they conquered, and thus fulfilled the commands of their leader. The Russians wish to inspire their armies with the same sentiments as those of Napoleon's troops; and indeed their commanders proudly insinuate that they hold the keys of Europe,—that the destiny of nations is in their hands, the moment their Tsar shall pronounce the words, " Now for the conquest of Europe!" PUBLISHED EVERY SATURDAY. JAMES G. BROOKS, Subscriptions received by G. & C. Carvill, 108 Broad- Miss Aiken, niece to Mrs. Barbauld, who, soaring above productions of mere taste and fancy, has, in her memoirs of Elizabeth, proved her powers in history and phi-year losophy. Miss Graham, the able writer of several *This was published previous to the death of Mrs. Inchbald. No subscriptions received for a shorter term than one the Post Office, unless the postage is paid, J. SEYMOUR, printer, 43 John-street. AND Phi Beta Kappa Repository. No. 25. FIDE AC FIDUCIA. NEW-YORK, FEBRUARY 25, 1826. LITERARY. THE BARK. VOL. I. higher cast, playing at cards or dice; here Mordecai Solomon pores over his leger in a corner, there a romantic female weeps over a novel, with her back turned on the company in fine, the variety of objects forms a living picture most worthy of contemplation. Having now given an outline of the bark itself, I shall proceed to state what passed in it relative to myself, and draw a short sketch (connected with the subject) of the effects of external objects on the interior of man in general; after which, I shall take my leave of the vessel, wishing that all my readers may glide as gently down the stream of time, with as much inward tranquillity and content, as I floated on the lake's surface from the good town of Bruges to the dull and lengthy one of Ghent. [BY THE HERMIT ABROAD.] THIS mode of being conveyed from place to place has three advantages, ease, cheapness, and leisure for observation:-barks and steamboats are now more common than heretofore, and so is travelling. To those, therefore, who have gone in the bark from Bruges to Ghent, very little need be said; to those who have not, be it known, that it far surpasses the steam-boat to a tranquil passenger, who neither likes noise nor danger, (whether the latter be real or imaginary): there is none of the grumbling din of the steam-boat, nor any chance of being boiled to death; no necessity for a safety- On entering our aquatic vehicle, after savalve, nor any machinery or apparatus re- luting my surrounding fellow-companions, I quiring an engineer; the company on board took my station beyond the rudder, giving is, likewise, far different from that of the myself a commanding view of the long steam-boat, which is generally a confusion deck; I affected to read a newspaper, which of persons merely, such as the different clas- in fact, I gleaned, but the book of life was ses who adopt that conveyance from busi- before me, and I perused it attentively. From ness, economy, or curiosity; whilst that of diversity of feature and figure, from attithe bark is rather a confusion of nations tude and deportment, from the dress and adand of characters bent on business or plea- dress of my fellow-travellers, I was enabled sure, who form of this vessel a sort of float- to make out pretty correctly their nation, ing London Exchange, and render the occupation, the object of their watery exscene very important to the observer of cursion, and the station to which they bemen and of manners. Here you will see longed; a few affected ones, male and fethe tranquil Briton on his travels, the active male, seemed to smile in scorn on our conFrenchman, the slow cunning Brabanter, veyance, with the view of wishing to make the mechanical Dutchman, &c. multiplied it obvious that they were out of their lofty ad infinitum. Here the half-pay officer sphere; but the passengers in general apmakes himself agreeable to the ladies, or peared all happy and satisfied; "and here," canvasses the acquaintance of a rich mer- said I to myself, "what a miserable affair it chant, or of a generous gourmand, whose would be if the temporary tenants of this table groans under dainties; there a Ger- floating mansion were at variance with each man militaire fingers his mustaches, and re- other! how detestable it would be to be surgrets the money which he has lost at play, rounded by riot, contention, and strife whilst previous to joining his regiment; at one on the gentle bosom of this accommodating corner of the deck two moneyed-men are body of water! how ill would angry looks, consulting together on objects of finance; cross words, and jarring interests suit the at another, a fat land-holder or dealer in quietude of this situation! how unfit would cattle is smoking contentedly after the suc- they be for fellow-creatures doomed but for cessful sale of his hops or oxen; in the ca- a short space to journey through the vale bins below, you will find the humbler class, of time-and yet, alas! is not life but a profiting by the low price of being trans-brief course, the world nothing but a very ported to their place of destination, and the limited travel, when compared with eternity and infinity of space, and notwithstanding | ties, to recall our scattered thoughts, to conman must torment his fellow-man during centrate our divided affections. Let the the fleeting period." Just as this reflection perturbed spirit collect itself; let him, whose caine before my mind's eye, I perceived a bosom is either blighted or in agitation, refierce looking military man, by an abrupt | pair to the fields of viridity, to the velvet right about face, cripple a poor unoffending carpet of nature enamelled with young flowdog, and knock a breviary out of the hand ers; let his eye repose upon the velvet of of a meek looking clergyman; but one the rose, and will not quietude appear belook from the latter, full of resignation, ac-fore him? let the man fatigued with worldly companied by an optative, "I wish thou affairs, or distracted by dry unsatisfactory hadst not hurt my poor dog, for as for my-study, saunter by the silvery stream, listen self I have no resentment," thus mutely to the concert of the feathered choristers of conveyed, tamed the fire of the captain's heaven, or view the prismatic reflection of eye, tinged his manly cheek with becoming crimson, made him stoop to pick up the book, and pressing the abbe's hand in his, drew forth a handsome manly apology; he now patted the poor dog, and the account betwixt all parties was fully settled. I confess that for the time I took deep interest and a lively part in the scene; had it terminated otherwise I should have become a partisan both of the human and animal performers in the drama; but this was as it ought to be, it warmed my bosom beyond what I can express, and drew from me my favourite quotation "To err is human, to forgive divine." Pretending again to return to my newspaper, the lottery office puff of which had been for ten minutes unread before my eyes, I turned them from the uninteresting print, to the very attractive scenery which skirts the lake, and where wood and water, serpentine deviations, fine cultivation, and fat cattle grazing, give the pictured story of the country through which we passed. There was nothing in this of the sublime, no cloud-capped mountains, no craggy and abrupt precipices, the haunts of the eagle and the hawk, and from whose frightful eminences the rainbow, or the pearly gems which hang on the eglantine to beautify and refresh it, and will he not feel interior comfort, relief beyond all human giving? Is there a being who can contemplate that same rainbow without reflecting that "The hand of the Most High hath bended it?"" Is there a mind so base, so sordid, so grovelling, upon which sublime scenery cannot act in elevating the mind, and on which tranquil objects cannot produce a calm and holy peacefulness? But the bark is nearing the shore, the boundary of our journey is at hand, all are upon deck (for the picture is still before my eyes),hackney coaches and officious porters will soon spoil the effect of the view, and the hallowed delights of nature give way to the artificial ones of the world, "Its pomp, its pleasure, and its nonsense ali." Little now remains to be said of the bark; we had a mid-day dinner, good in its kind, but at which a very high-dressed milliner turned up her nose, and elevated her thick-arched eyebrows, expressive of the vulgarity of the hour, and of which she refused to partake; a would-be dandy attorney's clerk was about to do the same, although the after part which he took in the "The chuffs and crows which wing the midway air, repast proved that he was more a man of Seem'd scarce as gross as beetles "" There was no thundering cataract, no world of waters, ebbing and flowing near the bold and extensive shore, but all was peaceful, green, comely, and inviting. A man must be made of jarring elements indeed who would be out of humour with the country, or with his neighbour, surrounded thus; as for myself, I felt as if I had taken a reposing draught which left me in a delightful waking dream, to which no fever could succeed; my pulse beat in even measure, and told me that whilst time was stealing on, and both myself and the bark were moving towards our journey's end, I was at peace and in brotherly love with the whole large family of man; thus have external objects a most powerful agency on our internal faculties; thus the combinations of nature serve to attune our sensibili appetite than a man of taste; but I reconciled him to the circumstance by observing, that there was a way of making all things easy, namely, the accommodating one's self to them, and since the idea of the hour was so horrifying to his well-bred notions, be ought to consider the meal set before him merely as a déjeuner a la fourchette, and he could afterwards dine like a prince at eight o'clock, the time for the Brabanter's supper. Admirable exclaimed John Quill,* and *A quill driver of some after eminence, got so Frenchified on his tour to the Continent, that he not only spoke broken English, and ridiculed his country, but was thinking of changing his name, as well as his habits and opinions, whilst on his travels; the nom de guerre, or rich name which he proposed to assume, was Jonquille; but upon being assured by a dry, seusible, and observing Scotch friend, that the assumed name would smell vara muckle o' the shop, and that the English would just ca' him John Quill, he abandoned his ambitious design, and merely translated his name from English into French, which I forbear from mentioning. |