Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1810-02-24
n'saas:!a cat'2 @asatts.
sHTJR3.1Y, FEBRUARY %.
Ig,fsRThTT0FS BIRTH DAT.

H,lch orr cluEenS na'S away ASS"e'So AVA
~. crarl-;cr oF WASHING roS, the late an
,irsrsary of his Ilitt, was commemorate.
elm AIeSanIria. The usual course OF csie--
baton. impressive without ostentation, min.
gig inst u2,iOn with pleasure and patriotism
Wit, amusement, was observed on this ocea-
sion. The WdsFias.on Society, instituted soon
alter the death Of our ILLusTRIous FATHER,
t.a:compIish his phiIanthropic design Of edu-
cAt'os the poor youth Of Aiexaudria, paid its
established tribn:e to his great good NE
mrry. From the City Hotel, where the
rcn. .crs Of that institution were COW ened as
usral, they were escorted by the military, and
folio"ed by tho interesting objects Of their
charity to tho Episcopal Church. The Socie.
ty was there respectfully received by u nu-
mcrous assembly OF citizens and strangers
and, af!er devout address from the reverend
Chaplin 10 the supreme arbiter Of nations.
were grItiiicd with an admirable Grafton, by
ECser! G i!arhsr, Esq, one Of their mcm-
bers. From the enthusiasm with which the
p, also Of WAsHISeTSN is always heard, from
the exalted reputation of Mr. Harper as
q politician and orator, lis audience were
prepared to surrender their feelings to the
fascination of cloqucnce, and their minds to
the convic;ion OF truth WITH how much
success he instructed the one and del. ,lacd
the o:hcr, VIC shall afford TIC public most
pleasing evidence, by shortly presenting it
WITH Grh Day Citation, at once novel, cru
die, wise anil eloquent. To make striking
applications of familiar truths, to extract in.-
portant lessons from common unregarded Qc-
eurrences, is the province Of sssacity; anu
it is the happy power of gepips to decorate
sxhaussakopics with the graces and the
charrns u novelty Let rotiuture Birth Day
Orators despair of success, tho less fertile
thaG Mr.. Harper in resources oflearning, or
less happy in ia ,ii,ies Of genius :: for the.-cu-
icsasya Of Washington viii be always heard
with emotion, while his wisdom shall We re-
!spcctcd his virtues loved anH MS achievement,
remembered. Cur esteem and gratitude are
still lively and it rtQa,rcs not tempest
10 watt skis, or tao prm Of Hercules TO
bead tSig.
TIE Ball 2oo,x or the Cit Tavern was de-
corIcd with taste ard elegance. Cnc ot its
NOS. Conspi .uous ornaments WAS an allego-
.ricSl painling Of MIR. CnsG,, in honor OF his
illustrious relative. On a spacious canvass
was repre- senled an elevated monument, wlth
q sislue Of Washington III the Roman Cos
tune, surrounded with embIcms OF war an
peace On one side the M 1numcnt, veteran
warrior is bending with thoughtful manly sor-
row; while the genius of liberty reclines,
with wcSpiag grace and dignity, on the OH
er. CHcruas are srspeading wreaths on the
tomb ~! surrounding it with scrolls, A Ma
jes,i7 eagle hoyers in the elouds,and descend
ing Fame drops garland on the bero's brow.
!Of this performance, if presented as the Fl
nishcd work of mas'er, it would be extra
VACANT to peak hight but as the produc-
.tion Of untaughl inexperienced lal-nt, it would
be dbl :uit to he toe. warm in its praise and
indeed, so great has been the success Of MIR.
Gusts in both execution and design, that we
may almost venture to say Of pain'ers wha;
Horace has remarked Of poets, that" they are
born and not made" But ;he most engaging
and .splendid ornamsnt q the assembly, was
Sits brilliant display of female grace and beau
/ ty ; Tor the charms or nature and art appear
ed TO vic with Zach other. II there be any
trrth IN the sentiment Of CASTILLO, " that an
army OF inamoraso's would conquer the uni
verse" how could our fair sovereigus more
eHcctuslly animste the doubtful courage OF
the nation, or inci,e us to emulate the exam.