Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1808-04-22
The Columbiad,

a FoEM in 20 BooKs-By JOEL Barlow
NE9HIS title announces work of the
n highest interest that the RES GEsrA
Ia of our country or of any other can
furnish With regard to the merits of the ex-
ecution, it would i'll become us, the publishers,
to speak IN that strain of commentator which
alone would give utterance to our sentiments.
OF this, the public, to whom it is now offered,
will jduge for themselves. We will only state
one circumstance, which ought to be under
stood by the purchaser before we solicit his
patronage. The ancient Juvenile Poem of Mr.
Barlow, called the Vision Of Columbus, is so far
absorbed in this, as hcncetorward to disappear
from the list of his works al that he has
| thought worthy of the subject in that Poem
has been Incorporated in this--which may a.
mount tn one fourth or ono third of the former
work. He has now in his mature years and
| judgment, taken much wider range over the
immense regions of fact and fancy, than the
fortunes of this hemisphere have opened to his
view and "the work is now probably destined
to stand, the epic song of his country"
No pains or expense have been spared 10 give
it dress and ornament suitable to its intrinsic
merit.
1t is in one volume royal quarto illustrated bv
twelve engravings on the following subjects !;
l. Hesper's appearing to Columbus in prison.
II. Capac and Della instructing the savages in
agriculture and the domestic ar Sill Zamor
killed by Capac ~ Inqui ition-V. Cesar pas
sing the Rubicon vi. Cruelty presiding over
the Prison Ship-ViI Murder of Lucinda
VIII Cornwallis RESI- gning his sword to Wash
ngton.-IX. Rape of the Golden Fleece x.
Initiation to the Mysteries of Iris = XI. Final
resignation Of prejudices.
These eleven subjects were painted bv the
celebrated Smirke, expressly for this poem.
The pictures are now exhibited in the PhiIadeI
pha Academy of Fine Arts, where the public
can examine their admirable execution, and
form some idea Of the expense and labor bes-
towed OF the decorations of this work They
were engraved by the first artists in England
and the engravmgs were in such high estima-
ton among the amateurs, that several proof
copies were sold in London at six guincas set.
To these is added portrait Oft the author, pain
ted by Robert Fulton, and finely engraved by
Arthur Smith.
The paper, VIC believe, is better than any be-
fore made in this country; and the printing by
Fry 3, Kammerer, may be regarded as a s6cci-
men OF Typography hitherto unsurpas sed, and
seldom equalled in the world.
Aiso jasf received, and far sale as a5ove.
THE On No. Of Col ToUsARD's
american ARTILLERIST"S COMPANION.
The Discarded Son; or Haunt of the Bandifli
tale by Regina Maria Roche, author OF
the Children of the Abbey, &c &c.
]1oae'H CH'VH"y containing inc adventures OF
captain, and league O'Reagan his servant
by II. Fl Breckenridge.
The Lay Of the Last Minstrel, Poem BY Wal
ter Scott
The Ro.roys of St. Domingo written by a lady
at Cape Francois.
The Lay If an Lrish Harp The Eid Lrish Gill.
and 81. clair. BY Miss Owenson
The Pleasures Of Hope and Pleasures and Pains
Of Memory. Jonathan PoastfIec, or the Ho.
nest Yankee musical farce, in 8 acts.
by L. Beach. Abyik8, 1908. we