The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1806-06-13
Dratl0n,
PRONOUNCED AT THE FUNERAL OF
George Iptbe.
FELLOW CITIZENS.

a
I ADDRESS you on this location with
feelings which agitste and opprefs me more for
chilly than ! am able to exprefs. The truly
mournful duty which we are aHembled to per-
form, the irreparable lots we have all fuftained,
and particularly myfelf, who am row called up
on, with an heart torn with grief, to fpeak Of
hun, who was not ONLY the friend of human ma
fure, but my own dearet and bet friend the
forrow which am certain is felt by every nd-
vidua IN this numerous audience, and which I
fee ltrongly depicted on the faces of manv; all
combine TO overpower me with diffidence and
regret. Hard indeed is the talk to do iultice
TO the many virtues of the great and good man
for whom we mourn. / dread that nv abilities
Will be found inadequate TO this important un-
dertakiug and I with mott fincerey that fotne
gentleman offuperior eloquence had confented
to commemorate, by funeral Euogv, the de-
parted Patriot and Sage, who was truly the
boat of Virginia. Particularly, fhoud have
been happy If fome older citizen, who knew him
IN his Younger lays and Joined his glorious la
bours at the commencement of onr Revolution,
had now endeavoured TO defcribe his great and
meritorious public fervices in thoie DAYS of diff
hcuty and danger. But it cannot be. Mott
ofthe Heroes and Patriots of the Revolution
are gone TO their graves with glory, and George
Wythe, one of the odeft and beit ofthofe vene-
''AbiI AfAi'Nio Va has NOW IOliOWeu
Wilmington, Franklin, Samuel Adams, and
many others, who are indeed removed from this
troublafome world and at ref from their la
bours, but whole fame fl,all live forever in the
hearts OF their Fellow-Citizens. Under thefe
circun1tances, the talk devoves on me far infe-
rior 80 rhofe immortal worthless, TO DAY the laft
tah tribute ofappaufe to their departed coad-
Jutor and friend. am embo'deued, however,
to engage inths difficult enterprise by conf
dering that although many ofthe public virtues
ct the deceaied ~ere not perlonaly known to
me, yet tone of them, and not the leaf import
ant, have come within my own obfervation, and
that have long been mott intimately acquaut-
ed with thoie which adorned his private life
His extraordinary goodnef; to me, that kind
nefs which induced him 20 take me when an
unfortunate orphan into his houfe, and to treat
me as fecond father, afforded me peculiar op-
portunties of feeling and knowing the goi-Tke
forit which animated the bofom of him who
now lies cold and infeniibe before us. The
facred ties of gratitude therefore bind ve not 70
permit the funeral of my dear, nv nohIe hene-
factor, to he unattended with an eulogy exoref
fed with truth and Gncerity, however Imperfect
II may he in other reflects. Indeed am moi
encouraged on this location bv the reflection
that truth, plain, artlefs and unadorned is all
that is needfui in an attempt 70 celebrate cha
ratter noted for his plainnefs & republican lim-
phcity. True IT IS that nothing that can he
lad can benefit him. The &c DUH cold ear
Of death" cannot be routed by the voice of ho-
nour, nor awakened by the lamentations of
thOfe wao Enrvive. Perhaps he hears not our
praife, or is 70 engaged by the bills he now en-
joys as not 70 regard it. 1t might appear there
fore that funeral folemnites are ufelefs and ma
val'ing. But fuch is not the cafe They ierve
stIeaf as An example 70 the living, and nav he
rs V,,oa Of -.
the facred fire ofvrtne. am alto enthufiafic
enough to believe that the fouls of the good and
worthy, even after death, may be gratifed by
knowing the manner in which their memories
are regarded in this world that they look down
and obierve the forrowS of their friends, and
rejoice in the found of their praife. Very pro-
badly this is one of the rewards Of n well-fpent
life elfe wherefore has heaven implanted in
the breafts of men the dslire of fame in future
ages as an incentive to virtuous actions? lhal
therefore proceed to defcrihe as faithfully as
can, the career of glory through which this ex-
allied patriot, firm republican and hone1 man
has patIed, trufing that the affection of You all
for the dead will induce you fayorably 10 ac-
cept wen.meant though feeble endeavour to
paythe reloe6f 70 eminently due to his memory.
In calling to your recollection his virtues.
my own inClluation would in1uce me to beei,
with thoie OF his private life, in which conf.fs
my own heart rs more particularly interefted (;
but as his public virtues were of the greateCt
Importance, not to few Derfons only, but TO
all America, the hyperion dignity Of the rubieEt
requires me TO mention them in the fri place
OF thete, let me turn your attention 70 the un-'
common patriotiGm, which was cOnfDicunns
during The whole couite Of his long aud ur,fiI
life. The hrt remarkable example, ev;ncine
the degree in which he pof1eTcd that divine
virtue, was his conduit at the commencement
or the American Revolution. In thCfe perilous
Gays, when life, liberty and property were plac-
Cd at hazard when all that is held mott dear
by the mind Of man depended ON the doubtful
iliue OF war; when death and conhication would
have been the fate, If they had proved unf1c-
ceisful, OF thoie who oppofed the tyrant king of
Great-Britain our venerable patriot, Mr..
Wyhe, was firm and undaunted, and zealou0y
attached to the caufe of his country, At that
important time when the greatef men America
ever produced were chofen by hrr voice to fave
hertrom dehrgetion, TO whom did his feIloy-ci-
tlZens Look up as one of her deliverers' To
George Wythe, TO him whom we now with 70
much canie lament, for alas he can ferve no
longer tho'e he 70 tenderly loved. He was one
OF that famous Congrefs, who aHemhled on
the 18th of May, 1875, and did not frparate
until they declared the Independence of Anne
rica. He was one Of thofc who fencd that
ever memorable declaration by which they
p edged their HVeJ, their fortunes, and their
Gatred b9n9Ar" TO maintain and defend the yo.
lated rights Of their country. He was an ac.
five tCsf,t ,,,,f r,C-. II