The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1819-01-23 00:00:00

SURREY INSTITUTION.

On Friday evening Mr. Ogilvie, whose oratorical powers
were much distinguished in America, and who has exerted
them with consiikrable success in this couutry, at the close
of an elaborate Lecture on Penal Law at this Mace, render-
ed a tribute to the character, virtues, and memory of the
late Sir Samuel Rornilly, which deeply affected his audience,
and which was highly honourable to biz own feelings, as well
as to his knowledge and talents. The following is an outline
of Ibis interenting eulogy on that lamented ornament of the
bar and estimable member of society .

u Where shall we find the man, where, let me rather ask,
shall we find the men, who possess the philanthropy and
wisdom, the eloquence and energy, the weight of character
and authority in public estimation, to devise, propose, ma.
lure, urge forward, and carry into effect, in the face and in
the teeth of every diffienlty and of every obstacle, so radical,
important, and beneficent a Reform ?
" Such, and I trust note few such men, are to he found in
Ibis great country ; but one such man bas left us, never to
return: Rumilly irfur ever gone!

" ' Punr human naturer—..Well might even Burke ex-
claim, ' What shadows we are, and what shadows we pur-
suer

" A few months ago I was one of the immense multitude
who tbrougtd the streets of this vast metropolis, to behold
this illustrious man, drawn *a a triumphal car, at the close
of a contest which had conferred on him the most unequivo-
cal token of public confidence, the highest honour, the most
awful trust which the suffrages of freemen could router un
the most belayed soil revered of their countrymen.
" August and memorable scene ! dear and indelible recol-
!retie's !

" By the side of Romilly sat his son, and the heir to the
proudest Dukedom in Britain might have envied his feel-
" As the trophied pageant advanced, the multitude re.
ceded on either side, as the waves are conceived to divide
before the emerging car of Neptune; the air rung with ac-
demotions, and youth and beauty, and rank and fashion, and
man and woman, at every stage of existence, and in every
condition of society, waved in their hands the symbol of
purity, or bowed their heads iu sijn of gratulation.
" To a spectator like myself, who hail passed half his life
in a foreign laud, but recently returned to his native coun-
try, and had never before witnessed such a scene, there was
something delicious and elevating in the emotion which it
excited, something indelible in the impression which it left.
" A scent of this sort is perhaps essentially frivolous and
fantastic—one of the painted clouds that beautify our
days,' and borrow momentary brightness and illusive attrac-
tion from the refracted light of truth. The Saint and the
Nage behold, or hearof such things, with an indifference not
nutiaged with pity and contempt. They are neither the evi-
dence, the emanation, nor the noted of true greatness or of
sterling worth
" Fabricius would have ylespised, and Phucion would have
spurned such air-blown hobbit% and idle pomp. Trim great.
'Bess rises to a sightless distance above such a spectacle, nod
in the estimation of conscious and unostentatious worth it
is utterly valueless and vile.
" Ruch things are too liable to the most preposterons and
odious misapplication, and often evince nothing hut stupid
ignorance, the incorrigible delusion, the brutal abasement
of the infatuated wretches, by whom they are (Men lavisloil
on those who deserve them least. As tokens of public took-
dente, they are notoriously equivocal: the idol Of to-Jay is
often shivered to pieces by the idolater of yesterday, who he.
tomes an ireful iconoclast to-morrow.

" But in the iiimance to which I now advert, throe equi-
vocal end Inolnetic honottre were hallowsd, as the symbols
sod desoonstratioos public coofidenee the must um:baleen

—a personal worth the most risked. The pageant was
hailed, as is the appearance of the rainbow iii a vernal sky,
the pledge of the &roar of Providence, and of Waling's to
mankind.

" tiarele—so envied and se enviable—was the siloaliou of
Romaly a few mouths ago—sod a few weeks ago !
' Hail, wedded Love, mysterious union, hail !'
Never since Adam disobeyed the command of God, in sorrow
for the hapless fate, in cornpassiou for the frailly, to dre:uf
of separation from the sule idol of Isis heart—never, surely
0 wedded love, slid thy mysterious union more dire.
fully demon►trate she iudissolubility of its bond,
•

" Whilst stern and mimic: Moos Min 'lists ilennance the
audacity of the deed, nlcu like Mt nll the infir-
mities of poor home's nature) can only deplore the catas-
trophe : whilst sacred Preachers won, men like me can only
oevii and holy indulge a ►ope that a long life of ou•ullied
purity, of active benevolence, of etemplary piety, may ex.
piste the guilt of the rub act, by which it Was prrosiiiiirity
and ti:igically clotted."