The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1805-02-12

| a f:gj9ator, rs MIR. *ESss~- is, fhouldp oGefy
| hemo't exteniverange oflcga' & potica,kuo,v-
cdge-He thopd be intimately v~r,rci nthc phi
Infophy,as wellas nthe details, Of iu.iforudence
He fhould have cat many &c lingering lock-
upon the fyitems of antiquity, and of modern
times, that like Lycurgus he might underisand
the nititutons or other countries, ani y: their
wiidom he might improve the manners of his
own. He ihould ftudy the cun:;ctir- interrfts
OF his fate; and he ihould coilctt The nece,!arv
means OF Cancellation. All his principles ihnmld
be conned over 4 thoufand tin IS they ihoui.l
incehantiy recur upon his memory; ttev nculd
| bcjuttlfed by lnnumerable f4qs. Every no.
mcnt ih0ud find him on the watch for inror-
tant incidents and new information. When be
afoie IN the egi!ll'ive aGerbly, his piucipal ID.
| lect ihon'd be, not TO pleafe, hat 70 convince
his audience. He lhou!d lay before them his
opinions in the NOR didatfic order: he hculd
accompany his principle with hon Of f,ets
he ihoeld tArow TO Other embellishments into
his d'icoure than what the theme itfe'f fhoult
iuihcIentiy fuCport. Bot why, my friend
mould any longer conceal f,orr yon the pri,,
c'pa qualification ola legiEator2 Why flould
not Mt once declare, that The moG eTS1tial a.
tribute OF 4 legifa' or, is 4 logical and .orv;nc-
i'S A:4ay:aHdiny? and that if ever his f7ncy
ihonld indulge its fallics, it hou3 never be per
mtted 20 weaken the reicarches of his reafon.
[.
iublccts! Why mould not at once declare, that
the eloGuence of the orator occuoies'only the re
cond place among he qualities ofthe lcqi1ator
aud that 1t Mr.. +"z*~#n has any coDfnicuors
defect, it is to he found in his enthufaHc effort
to pleafe, to a0oniih and 70 erra3tnrt hin au,ii-
ence by the flights of his fancy and TIE glow Of
his elegant descriptions The cquiboitc of MIR.
faculties appears indeed, my friend,
to he unfortunately oycrfct and it is nil more
To IN al ,i,.ln IL. IL
on the iide OF fancy, and not of THE underRaud-
ing.
Think not, nv friend, that I am willing to
deny to Mr.. ''''.-- the mot clitiucuiflred at.
tribute or the mind that think him too in
competent to give a maGer,y and luminous
view OF an abOrufe que9ion. Should Won
make this inference from any thing which
have iaid you would not do infice to
my opinions and believe me | hould !
no. 90 u't,ce 10 MT. "8*, if | fhoud ever
entertain fuch IN idea. There were occaGons.
when the ingenuity of his arguments and the. !
luminous range of his mind commanded NV a.
itoniihment and will fay my warrnef admirati- |
on. run well do recolle6t the mprcf1ions, |
wnlch were engraved on my mind, on that day |
when he aroit to anftrcr Mr.. Tazwel's medi- |
| tated attack on the pententiary fyltem. He |
had Juit entered the capitol. Confined during |
me greater part oftfe dav, by debili,ating fe |
! yer, MS countenance affirmed an exprenion |
which could not eafily mifake, of the moG IN |
tolerable latitude &, wearnefs Of fn;rite v,,.
diiAppointed when he arofe, hut he fill further
exceeded my expectations when he launched
forth into mott luminous and convincing ar
gument. On that occaion he was truly eIo
quent but he exhibited fill finer feature rs
hiSmnd bold, dida6tic AID manly underftand
ing. from that moment tie genius of Mr..
mas riien IN my effimatior and from
that moment have never ceaiea 70 rrgret, that
a man naturally gifted with filch Y;2orous now
erS, man who iscspable of finch adorable
ranges of thought, flloud throw I'D the reins
oil his reafon, & let wayward imagination chr
vett, and worry down,the native energy of his
mind.
Pity it is that all this FRONTING genius, thi $
capacity for comprehensive thought, this orip;-
nal power of fledding light upon every fubire.
the mott deeply cat into the illade, fhonld graz
duaiy be linking away before the uncontroll
ca influence OF fuch hayward imagination i
~ Mr.. 800 is not hinfeif confcious of
ms detect !; and yet there is no one, who hears
NM that does not regret his unlcenfed wan
derings. On the mott triAing fi,bie6ts Won NAV
Ice MS imagination gradually kindliug & evolv !
ingits moft glowing figures: on the mott i'm
POI faiit, though you may fee MIN commencing
IN the mott didactic manner; tho YOU are an
hclPatlng the mof able argument, YOU find him
incniibIy Launching forth intoa bolder frain;''
into the mof highly fnifhed embellishments of
figure and fancy.
Pity 1t is for anotherreafonthat this infltiabIe
ambition for the reputation Of an orator bouId
have 10 far triumphed over the native genius
OF his mind Mr.. -'s reputation 40 an
crater can never afcend beyond certain eIeva
ton and this will arife from no defctf of fancy
but rather from too great an exuberance. and
richneis of conception.
The eloqHencc of Mr.--is feIdom fnited
to the theme which he difcu1es. 1t is always
IN 10 bold and animated train, that there are
few iubjects which can he difcuned in the hall
OF orr Legislature, whole importance can well
import the play ofhs fancy or the unbounded
enthuiiafn Of his manner. This is one ofthoGe |
detects, which is too apt 20 follow from an adj
miratlon of the mcf difinguiihed models oil
european eloquence. Mr. NAV he in
iPred when he f7saA3, but his is an infpiration.
not derived from the irnprefon Of native truth, |
but IRON another and foreign fource. 1t is |
poT 10 nnch Mr. --- VIII ON you liftcn to /: |
as the Orators of the Engiifh and Irifh nation. |
whotc depohted treafures are once more I'M.
locked ior your admiration. It isnot 4 difoni- |
iiion on militia Bill, nor on the dvifon ola
county II is the eloquence of Curran, anathe- |
matizlng the ufurpations of the Britifh govern
nent 1t is the pi6turefque pathos of Gerald, |
drawing before you the bleak and melancholy
landlcape ofthe flores of New. Holland. Mr.. |
NasNW