Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1811-04-11

othSi huOWiSoSC may poSSSsSs IL
was under his wa;chful and iuspiri.
ting eye that 1 read, in their respec-
i've languages, the best ancient and
modern writers. He was particularly
fond of the Greek authors, wnom he
mad studied con dmore.--'s Whence,
would ne sometimes observe, whence
the secret charm which, as we. read
these Wi tiers, so strongly attaches, so
powerfully overcones US? Lauace.
lot, your own heart will tell you best.
1t WAS from sentiment alone that
those immortal gehiuses derived their
giant strength. Nature herself kim
died In heir breast that pure and sub
lime fame which, even at this day,
we catch from their immortA works.
Art, 1&ctatlon, and wit, they Justly
scorn$ W lth fresh scenery be.
fQea-thn with an amable slmpli.
city of manners with the worship OF
the Deity, and he love of country |;
with since c belief In the moeal in.
stlncts of man, III virtue, keroism,
sympathy, generosity, and whatever in
our nature is great and exalted; fl
naiiy, under the influence of a genial
climate, where every object wore a
smiling aspect, could they fail of ac-
curing and exercising an irresistible
ascendency over the fancy, the intel
lect, and the heart - Again, when,
upon the wings of history, he trans
ported me into those Republics foun-
ded ~ the illustrlous legislators of
antiquity; " My son, he said, if there
bedasSS below an immense and sub
lime task, surely it is that Of legisla.
ton. The powerful genius that POUNDS
societies, organizes nations, gives them
liberty, and morals, guides them.
through the abyss of ages, in the path
OF happiness, and prog essivc improve
ment, is rather the genius of a God,
than that OF man. No petty, mar
row, ephemeral result is then to be
produced no slender, transient edi
6cs <ebe efeHed. No -. the in
fef tbe. poYef of the laws is to be con.
sqfaaed u4ion is to be projected
into The polhieal space, under the a.
gency of such forces as will, by an i'm
mutable equilibrium. SO reac; upon
each other as to preserve the majesty
and, regularity of its prescribed coui Sc.
Such, My Launcelot, such was once
the glorious task OF Zosoaster, Confu
cius, Scion, Lycurgus and Numa.
Such is now the momentous enter
prize of the American Sages assem-
bled at Philadelphia Soon will our
country, detached from the political
system to which it still feebly adheres,
become separate erraus body to
which the wisdom of our first Congress
must assign new and digniGed sta
ton, & whose orbit the genius of liber-
ty must irrevocably trace" pit was in
the spElAg of l776 that my father thus
spoke. y ardently shared in his pa
triotic&nthusiasm, in the oscillations
OF feeling which the eventual triumphs
or defeats of the American army pro
duced in his breast--and, particularly,
In the resolution which he took, soon
after, not to remain an inactive spec
tator of the noble struggle to which
the declaration of independence had
now impaired decisive character. L
was then about fifteen, and strong en-
ough to carry the musket, and WELD
the sword. l was readily allowed to
accompany him.. In my mothers
breast, coniugal and parental affection
yielded to the love of county. l still
recollect the soul-enkindling look of
appreciation that heamed from her
fearful eyes, and the smile of encour-
agement that broke from her convulsed
lips, upon our leaving her to join the
army. Alas i was doomed to ex-
perlence the alternate repercussions of
PatrHNic joy, and private distress =
My <ather was killed in the unfortu-
nzae-skirmish, which deprived Ameri-
ca OF the brave and romantic Laurens,
whose only fault was excess of conr-
age. He justly shared in the re-
grets which that fatal day excited
a wound which received, about that
time, compelled me to return home.
where | found my poor mother on the
very brink of the grave. She expired
in my arms, FIVE days after, 'fbles-
sing God for the approaching liberty
and prosperity of her country, for the