The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1804-10-10
MEMOIRS OF JAMES BRINpLEY, PROM "THr MS
TORY oY MANCHESTER, &C." By DR.. AIcXEs.

prefents new and various afped different minds.
The mathematician takes his quadrant and his chain,
meares its height and its declivisy; ard reduces its
5menGons to an accurate calculation. The Farmer
explores It's i,uaton and foil, fhews how much its fur
face would be wa(hed away by the rain, and how far
the vegetation on its Gdes would be aiiiaed by the
Summer fan, or inpeded by the wintry winds. The
naturaa pours down its prings upon the plains, ira
ces the courie of the rivers, until they merged
in the ocean, and Puriues the rifng exhalaons from
its bo'om until he fees them defending in FLOWERS of
RAIN or in the fent dews OF the night, and once
rePienifiing the parental fountains. The Painter
catches the various hues, which are reflected from its
furace examines the of its Hopes and proec-
toas, & fows how this rng tree, that falling rock
gives charm, throws dfagreeable blemih
upon the surrounding icenery.
Men will oceahonally appear, WHO teem TO tower
beyond the greater part of their pecies, Ike the
tain which RITES above the neighbourng plain. They
draw towards them the attention and admiration OF
the world. They pointed out to the enquiring
weller, the objects mon worthy of his obiervaton
and itudy. While they continue among the living,
there malignant envy which tries topul them down
to her own level, or jealous fpirit Of admiration
which ifrives to a.cend til. fame proud pre-enii-
When they dfappear, their till furvives
them, with athoie monuments which de:gnatc where
they have Aourifhed and what they have done.
Such was James Brindley. Such the man,
who ike majehic mountain, has rilen above the vul
gar level and astraaed By the nIagnifcence of his
genius, the love and admiration of the world. I'm
der apeas les various and intereng, might this
angular man appear to different minds
The politician will furvey with enlightened adj
nira;;on, the monuments of Brindleys genip, and
art and will learn to climate the value of the inter
nal Improvements of his country. The natural phlo-
iopher VIII enquire into the principles which Brnd-
ley dcevered, into the great Objects which he attain
ed, and the admirable expedents which he employed
The noral.h will be anxious to know, how far the
moral inprelons of rude and unlettered mind
afterwards modified and foftened by his ahonihin e
eniowments. Above all it will be the deGre of the
metaphyfcian the man who examines the opera
tons of the mind the gradual evolutions of
MIR. Brindley's powers, determine how far he was
'ndebed natural geEius, or how much was due to
the influence of frong indictments, and to unravel
thole p7oe1;y of his understanding, by which he
enabled dhpenle with the rJ8edt6 eOrens of fci-
and to urpa the exertions of far cutvat-
ed minds. The biography of MIR. Brindey, will fur
Min him with fome lefIons innpreive to be for
o. 4
1t will ieaeb him that there other ways of I'M
parting vgour and maturity the mind beides thofe
which ufually adopted. He will recoeet perhaps
the celebrated maxim of Lord Bacon that eoay.j-
tim makes ready man; reGafgg FIJI man, and 7e,i-
ting correct man." Beyond all thefe expedients
he viii perhapslearn climate the art and habit of
thinking. IF there ever was man who ilulrated the
power of ntenfe reflection it was Brndley the man.
vino 6 had not the ideas of other men to afil him.
1t will teaeb him, that the mind NUT not only be
Inundated to f5ak, but to exerce its powers unncum-
bered by the Prescriptions of authority, and fometines
by the truths Of the lourde philoophy. Had Brind-
ley purified the track of other men, he would
Ike other men, have been unable to reach that
Uou ana !hlooFnC fictnod or FORMING and executing
his plans, which 70 greatly diltinguilhed him Il will
SonCequently teaeJ him to lufpea the excellence of
the prelent fytcn Of education. lnlead of limiting
the enquiries of the infant mind by lcienic rules,
which cannot comprehend, by npced of invedi-
gstion, which it mutt mechanically purdue, it will
teach him that early education ihoud hrve to
make It's pupil hiat; to multiply tr6s infead of en-
forcing P,insi4in, and even frequently to truR him
to his unaited powers Of fclecting, combining,
OF attracting them.
1t will tcaebhim thatnahy men, who have been edu-
Gated within the walls Of college, and iniiruted By
Rule and Rote, may carry with them a nervelefs and
Tracked understanding which books alone will be
unable to difenthral.
1t will tub him that there may be men, whom, no
college has infruGted, and books have improved,
who have been conducted By an inquitive and daring
genius 20 the mott astoniihing discoveries. Let the
nayGi booi-worm behold this example of unlettered
knowledge and rccoile9 the valne Of an unfettered
mind! Let the proud collegiate behold this .nlight-
snsd rustic and learn, that curious and uGeul obier
erton is to be found in the humber walks Of lie, as