Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1810-02-02

ne Feika Of tHe Cs3irs. Cr'ESriian
| long after endeavoured to bring them back
20 their senses. Bat those men who can
read Cicero, and vino admire him have
~ presume, learned to do 50 from the
pages Of Quinctilian's Iisttfut;ones Ora.
'orsae. When Literature and taste re-
yived Cicero revived with them. s. as long
| IS they shall live, he will live with them
! and do not think that either Bolingbro&e
( or Hume learned his beauties at Eton, at
Oxford, or at Edingburgh ; but from his
own works. l would then recommend TO
the young men OF Virginia Ito waom we
near that the letters OF the British Spy may
not be Inirnproviay) TO look for models OF
eloQuencc neither in the writer Of those
letters nor In those he recommends. And
whiie am speaking of young men, cam
aot ioroesr to congratulate them and to
congratulate my country, that 81 few OF
| the dreadful pictures which the magina.
I tion of this writer $50 fruitful insuch chin.
era's) saw in no distant prospective have
,yet come 70 pass rejoice that the hal.
| ter and the pistol which we should psr.
haps have used more literally against our
enimies, have been used more sparingiy on
ourselves than the British Spy anticipated.
These romantic specuiasions, like the eff
fusions of Sir William Draper possess only
!" the melancholy madness OF poetry with
cut lis Inspiration" And if our young men
have read Goodwin at all | hope that they
have prof ted by aoins SO more than his
ldciractor seems 20 apprehend they have
done, and even more than he has done
himself.
come now to that part of these letters
~Sic,. drew Torch hint shall no, how.
{ever repeat it. l am one OF those who
have lived, and who will probably die,
. i'r from the notice. and the naunts oil
men. and one who knows very LITTLE at
all and nothing by observation OF the cha
raclers or Richmond. And even if did,
should not endeayor to pry into then,
, or to wind them, AS Lord Bacon calls IL,
which he adds argues clovrn and not
an ingenious heart. But if these charac-
tiers have been no better portrayed than
a quotation from his tavosite, Chancellor
, Bacon, has been transcribed, we are not
; much indebted To the llmacr for his pains
. L hose wno have any curiosity to see now
he has mangied. and danced with VIOLA.
ltiity peculiar To himself over the sober
! pages OF the Lord Chanceiior,-I refer to
. his eighth letter, and TO the first Book of
tae Advancement os Learning. The pas
, sage is too lengthy to be here inserted,
: Whatever motive our author had for quot
, Ing this passagc, 1t Certainly Gchoved him
To DO 1t accaratriy--and most of al. when
ms most probable one was to SHOW us that
' he had read it. Ii is no matter of wonder.
! SINCE although Charity bcgins at home,
S mailed ction does not that he should choose
rather to apply Tie Chanceiior's rem rk
4 to any one Khan himseif--though perhaps
with less propriety. / hope that these
Itenilemen, VIII excuse even a0y illusions
q ut mnetowa:Sis tnem. Tney are uaknown
TO me as private citizens, and l hope ior
? r. her
8 personal attachment. Ihey may, for aughl
I know, instead OF having their names IN.
D scrloed IN the asterisms OF the British Spy,
j ueSereve to have them exalted 70 Inc
S starry heavens. Bat there is enc of them
. at least, whose rise to THIS {" bad emf.
- nencc" 1 should witness with grief, wnils
: Curius is buried IN grlph, from which
: even the signs of his country, can neve,
: recall him.
II Inc cthce OF criticism il at all times g
thankiess one. The motive winch give.
i olrtn TO II, Is sometimes malcvo.eng. and
often misunderstood. a very eiOquen-
t. speaker mas said !, 6 Genus breaks from tine
= letter. OF Criticism, but IT'S wanderiBgs ara
. sanctioned by It's majesty and wisdom
, waen II advances N IL. path SUBJECT q
to the critic and you Tame 1t into dui.
) ness" And so say J.. IL is Only the tame
Il I'd the Easement Ut criticism, but at the
same tame, it IS oniy tRe school boy wnt
| commits errors wsnont the paliia,ion o.
eIeGance-and faults, wiihoat novelty OF
beauty 10 e2.tcnuste them. There are
| some errors III the British Spy, winch
. would tam II not endeavour u correct, al
isast not seem to excuse. And since II
as work which viii probably reach som
other !! not adistant age,-l would IL mac
abilities 10 coaiend against its faults, nei
sniiGr them TO so down to whatever pos.
tet'ty thty may reach, without my protes.
Gallon against them.
i have only 10 add that the reputation
J w11Ca these letters nave obtained should
encourage genius, to similar aud even e
! hiSAsr caSrts, and shs / ieel myself rs well
rewarded Tor ny laoour, il any remarks
nave meAle c-h make iuyurs writer.
more csreiui, rs { shoall feel N.Y.. Ii hap :
lpy cauid any solicitations vi nine drd "
ortu adoG 4 WORK as the Letters 0 f the
British ofy.
PHILO TuLLIUS.