The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1812-03-13
ORiGkNiL.
FOR THE Enquirer.
PRELLlfIN:iRY REFLECTIONS
To contemplated sketch of the
LIFE OF P.iI,RICX- XE.NRY.

To a contemplated sketch of the
LIFE OF PATRICK XENRY.
II the biography of illustrioas men be deserving of
regard, and tleir memory entitled to the homage OF
Others, surely he must perform useful as wen us
benevolent oisoe, Who details with accuracy the life
OF any eminent member of society This branch OF
history is, hsutntyey speaking mirror dc signed ia
it's construction To reflect image both oil living and
departed excellence either IN talent or III virtue
combines series OF pertinent maxms, group OF
practical rules apt'y improving the youthful and emu
lous mind in every estnable pursGi, and ayocation
by example man learns almost every thing that
forms an object OF his knowledge athirst and genius
for imitation he derives from the author OF his exist
eace 1t is therefore of peculiar moment, that he
souid have access to the pation OF whatever
ennob'es his inteiiects What could be proposed as
NOR sibselvient this ent. than the study of the
shaiacteroi suei, personagcs have irradatcd the
theatre of life Thus im,Iresset ia his conee tons
slic author OF this fugitive sketch would obtrue upon
The literary world memorial of the earthly eafr.e,
OF T. H. This mighty iunnary whose cloquvnr,
once chaiped and electrified civilized universe
whose patriotic d.canatons rosounoed in re voluto-
airy times aiross the atlantic, and confouned an
Tohcarted despot, ultimately contributing to rend
asunder the ,tters which bound these states to their
parent empire; this gigantic advocate OF freedom, 1
say, Notwithstanding his eminent fundamentally in
emanelpatng portion OF this infant hemisphere,
now reposes in AN obscure grave, without even am
epitsph, much less bographcr. AS vet no Que has
undertaken to record the circumstances which rem
dered him throughout the active part Of his life SO
unknown 10 tue present age except by the dazzling
inlerisiiable hight, that like some great Comet, he
shed behind in declining to the grave. Ii is only to
this extraordinary chulsence OF mind, to the eveis
lasting fame which is to attend splendid actions
transmitted they invariably are at least by plain
oral tradition, that scribe the familiar con-
eePuon ct +. III. retained by his coutrynien; other
wise he would have vanished from earth into eternity
exciting no more postumOus honiage admiration
than the ordinary statesmen aud of The day
However, since the lido! OF Virginia has not been in
troiuced by any benevolent pen to his place in Anne
rcan biography, since he has on the coutryr, been
excluded from thpse honors usually paid to deceased
worthless, 1t becomes obligatory on some citizen to
arrest him from neglect by exhibiting am historical
picture OF the man. The portrait SHOULD certaini,
be drawn by an accomplished Inner account of
the delicate and udicoas talents NJ cessary to repre-
sent a plysiognomy AS luminous and Impressive as
ever was displayed to the human eve But after the
hpse OF many years, duiing which period the Public
no douot have anSiousiy expected production of this
KIND, nothing in the shape of regular biographical
narrative OF T. III. has transpred from the press, if
we except an abridged account of him in BurSe's his
tory OF Virginia. Ard Whilst suci, ngratitude to-
wards one OF its fathers pervades the repulic an A.
mercan citizen :" no from infancy has revered pro-
dses OF human creatures, and feels tremblngiy sol
eous TO perpetuate record the eciat Of the iormi-
liable modern rival Of Demosthenes, would now an
noance his purpose OF composing full aud cted
story OF his life. For the task he eontesses himself
very hufn5iy qualified IN point of splendid narration
and the faculty Projecting pilcsopcalIy upon such
rsncod in composition generally, and perfectly I'M
accustomed To writing biographical essays, it
preposteTons to arrogate to himself these rare and
pre- eminent attributes the exclusive appendage of
much requirement, united with equal abilities--stil
he eonhdehty engages TO observe method in the dis
position OF materials to state incidents they have
actually IN the course of time occurred notice on
~ matters OF Importance, to pursue truth in eXclusi-
ON OF taisehond, and to select stylc least
familiar and unyarnished with the gloss of rheto.
nc. 10 practise so far the rules by which listo
ran must proceed, the documents which hc trusts
having sccess, together with an academicai know
!Stse ri language, will fully enable him. May not
the author therefore indulge The grateful anticipate
on that hs work will bear comparison with the mass
OF reproductions Of similar kind, and gain equal circu
iaton through these state5l Surely he might expe-
nence this Kind fortune very descrvcdly, ii simple
dcton and authentic matter, faithfully detailed, al
though unaceompanied by the fueney mastery
calculations OF Robertson, calculated to please
the reader. After frank declaration OF the causes
which dispose him to task hitherto declined
by others, and having portrayed outline of the
manner in which that task is signed to be execut-
ed the author cleerfully commits free and en-
Sghtened community tie province of ultimately de-
eiding the merits of his work, Which fail BY its
topic, if exempt from other recomme ndations, to
interest his feilow-ctZens at large.