Alexandria advertiser and commercial intelligencer. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1800-1803, 1802-03-02
New Nobel.
PROPOSALS,
FOR PRINTING By SUBSCRIPTION,
THE LIFE OF
JASON FAIRBANKS:
Il NO VEL,
FOUNDED ON FACT. =
WITH SOME ACCOUNT OF HIS
TRIAL AND EXECUTION
d.. a CanAlen,an of MaGachulettS.
BY a Gentleman of Maaaehufetts.
Exfrad fran The Prefae

GIffVC yTOW fDS 4 SJ"ss'
6" IN recording the actions OF thole perions,
whole lives are to be monitory examples Of the
pailions, and the dreadful consequences OF then
unlimited neutrality-suspicious., as we'll Is len
iibhty and principle, lhouid prompt us to 90 II
in fuch manner, as to unite the greateit POLL
bic utility to the public, with the icatt Psihoie
injury to the feelings of their friends. Or the
former principle, the Ryle fhould not be too
much Gle ated, nor ihould it be too highly
charged with that kind Of fsntiment,. which,
no xever faihionable it may be-, tends only minil'
Ter to the refinement and corruption OF PAM
pered imagination.
+" AS tn. facts in thcmielves fand in no need
of colouring or embeliiihnent TO heighten their
effec-io neither will the limpliei,y of the nlo-
raj. which 60 naturally flows from them, derive
auy new force from rhetorical decoration. The
ftyle therefore ihould be timple and narrative
without afeaation or faie isntiment, III ordce
to itriks with undivided ipreiiion, the eutioilty,
as we'll as the understanding Of the youthful and
CAV. lefhould be intern,ngea with fueh rsfee-
tons and remarks only as intimately connect
ca with the events, aud Row Immediately from
them. >,,,.
mutt neceHarily be kiad OF !iittory .ot the iiu
man Heart, wandering under the deIuiions OF
dfordered imagination, irreiiitab'e Paii!'ns, ano
perhaps the poilcnous consequences OF WICKED
and viiioaary theories, Whole effects ne could IN
deed feel. but whole faiiehood and iophhtry,
he had neither the maturity Of Judgment nor
learning, to de(pile or detect.
The mind revolts from evident taliehooo,
and fiction lofes its force, when it departs from
the resemblance of reality. AS the action, there
FIRE, and the incidents are extremely linntea ana
the regency of the event, however pious might
be tn intention) preeudcs the lubftnution CT &C.
nera. faion, iueh only can be introduced, as Is
in the mott intimate analogy with the tubjed
and might be iuppoied reality, without any
violation of truth or probability. The gravel
hi(torians furnifh from their own itoek, inc
ipeeches Of their orators, and the harangues o.
their heroes: and the wife fayings they put into
the mouths of ali their great men, ierve TO iilut
trate in the mott iiriking point OF view, ths
manner of thinking n,na peculiar to the eharae
tiers aud the Gtua,ions Of thoie they celebrate
Thus far, then. an author may be ailowee &C
proceed, fulfilled by authority, and invited BY
public good :-whatever fentiments, therefore,
NAV be fuppofed analogous to thoie OPINIONS
and iluf}rative of thole dnpofitions, which pro-
duced the various incidents, and eventually the
tragic (cene in which the whole terminated, may
BE eoptidered as the faithful Transcript, not H.
deed of what was actually written or ipoken, but
Of what was thought and intended BY the pr:nsl'
pal actor in this fatal ea1aGrophe."