Alexandria gazette & daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1817-1822, 1817-11-21


that to parrate the actions OF wan's
life. and ascertain the motives which led
to them. is M difficult undertaking. But /
they will think ve'y differently, Who ie- :.
collect how many Eavc attempted, aud
how few succeeded in this department Of
literature. In history itself there lave
not been so many faiiures-Of The IT.
mcrous biographies which particularly in
modern times) have Issued from the
s, we can scarcely select ore than
| four or five ot much intrinsic excellence.
The rest derive lheig interest from the
incidents they relate, aud the characters
| they describe: and the same incidents
and characters would still be Interesting
in any dress or under airy form. We
think therefore, that. that nat're writer
who does venture on this perilOus field,
and whose daring is crowned with sue.
cess, has very high claim to the graf
tude and admiration Of his c0unirymeE--
for his labors, besides their immediate
good effects, in holding up to the i"i;a-
ton of the living the illust:ioas example
of the dead. raise our national chalaCt
in point here it has been most assail.
ed, and add the wreath of literature, to
the column already ornamented with The
trophies of our Eavsl ard military glory.
We have lately seen very favorable
specimen OF this kind of writing il the
life Of Futon from the pen OF hir. COL
demand we have now before Us wC'k
which we thi,k will bear comparison
with Middeton's life # Cicero, Sc often
referred to nv cur author and is hot
very inferior 10 the prototype which he
evidently had before him the lite Of A.
gricola by Taci.us.
There is another reason why the az
pearance Of a work like this, should be
regarded by the people of the U. States
with interest ana affection. Every thing
consistent with truth. which tends to eS-
alt the character OF the revolution ard
of the men who commenced, and coli.
Quoted it to its triumphant issue, hasa
happy effect in confirming our predi!ec-
tons in favor OF the form Of government
they established, and rendering il dear
er to US by association. We are THEREBY
taught, TO light our lamp at The pure a.d
holy fame Of the revolution. To draw
thcncc, examples fJI our imitation aud
rules for our conduct-to place a Proper
value on the blessings vc enjoy at tic
price OF so many sacriiices-and to re-
cur frequently to those first priDlIp'es by
whose test we ought always TO Try the
actions of cur contemporaries and tie
measures of our government. Consider
ed in this point Of view, these Sketches
afford US the most gratifying information.
Some of the prominent char actefs OF the
revolution, are placed in new and blI-
liant light-facts which had been nlsua-
dsrstood are explaiued-striking anee-
dotes illustrative of some interesting re-
ripds of our history are overland The
motives and conduct Ci our people, IN
der their severest trials. ,indicated. In
deed we Cannot but remark that II, a
has been somewhere said, Curr!e's lie
OF Burns is calculated TO impress the res-
der with very high idea OF the inteiii-
gence OF the Scottish PeasaDtry, Tor which
Scotland itsli is indebted to the wIIter,
the present work is no less calculated
t. increase the reputation Of Virginlans;
for which we ought a.. to acknowledge
our obligations 10 Mr.. Writ.
Tereturn however to The work tse!t--
Patrick Henry, as our author informs US,
was born on the s9,h of May, 1856, In
the county of Hanover. His parents
were not rich, but in easy circumstan-
ces and OF respectable character. HE
son. seems to have given in his youth no
evidences OF his future greatness. lis
companions recollect nothing that dlstIn-
guished him advantaseously iron other
young men, unless certain propensity
to observe and comment upon the.human
character might be so regarded. lie was
Durturcd in ialcness, and had noae ol
the benefits Of a regular education. AZ
the age Of 10 he was placed behind TIC
counter Of a country merchant, and the
next year was with his brother William
set up in trade This proved most
unfortunate adventure, and was not lenS
in coming to lis usual catastrophe. AZ
the age Of eighteen lie married Miss
Shelton, the daughter Of an honest but
needy farmer aud " Mr.. Henry lad 10
delve the ground with his own hands iOf
subsistence" {" Such," exclaimS our
auhor, I" are the vicissitudcs Of human
lie 1t is curious to contemplate this
giant genius, destiRed.in a few years 70
guide the councils Of q l. shty nation, br'