Alexandria gazette & daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1817-1822, 1818-10-27
Original Miscellany.
poLEMlCAL.. .PHlLo-LUClUs TO H.

Significantly, that the writer under the
signature OF H.had some time past received
dressing, was certainly mistaken: Tor
cannot help thinking your intellectual po-
VERY was completely uncovered and ex-
posed. l.ucias is no inhabi!ant oil a school,
room, either as scholar or mastcr--and |
assure you for him, he does not attempt TO
teach any thing-not even paragraph VIII
ters, as you may have supposed. lie has
affairs which have necessarily prevented
him from seeing your letter published IN
tie Gazette of the 18th inst. or else think
may venture to assure you, that the novel,
elegant and spirited sarcasmS contained
therein, would not have SO long remained
without reply. lpray you, do not under
stand the conclusion of the last sentence as
compliment to your style for assure you
meaa the words towel, elegant, and spi-
ritcd, should be understood according TO
that mode ofwriling ycleped irony which
have no doubt Lucius had in his mind
whrn he spoke of your lucubrations This
caution seems the more necessary. as you
do not distinguish between LuciuS' sneers
and compliments.
1t S, ems exceedingly inconsistent in you,
who profess yourself so great an advocate
for urbanity OF language, to spend your cpl
:het, Of incivihty with so unbounded
proligality. But have no doubt Lucius
will freely forgive the improprieties into
whicn your rage has plu rged you, (as you
pledge your honor that this Is yoar first
newspaper controversy Tor he knows, with
every rejecting man, that new situation
creates futter Of the spirits and the un-
Outstanding, extremely uniayorable to the
proper discharge of our duties, and the de-
corum OF our manners. You tell Lucius, II
he will step out Of his schooiroom into
blacksmith's shop, "and remark the scin-
tilations that proceed from the stroke Of the
hammer on the first heat, and then observe
the welding on the anvil which follows"
he may probably comprehend the distinc-
ton between the works of a writer who
composes to get quit OF few ideas, and
The labors Of one whostudies by candlelight.
You insinuate that the writing OF Lucius is
Tue bar, after it has been united with solid
ity by the hammer and the anvil, and COM
pare your own essays to the sparks that tly
OF by the first strokes Of the hammer--
which every one knows sputter awhile and
expire.
You have less wit than think Lucus is
willing to allow you, if Jou expect to sue
coed in contest by playing off few sparks
of impo;ent heat, when your adversary IS
armed with well-tempered blade. With
the wild irregularity Of spark that mere
heat reduces, you burst into the following
exclalnation.-Why this Lucius is scarcely
seven a sciolist, or he would better under
stand the word he ventures 10 use does
person who writes to get quit ola few ideas
--does such person, ask, lucubrats ~
think the learned H.himself will adpit,
upnn reconsideration, that he has met
witt many persons, Tin the long tract OF
time over which he has already passed, II
he in not the example at honey who have
no nuch accuracy of knowledge, oSsupe'-
fluffy OF ideas. Notwithstanding their lucu-
bratinns. And from the length OF time
which elapsed between the letter Of LucIus
and his answer, one would be apt to think
that there had been some night labor in the
delivery of his conceptions. But this is
not so material. There are some young
men without the graceful levity of youth,
as there areold men without the sober sense
of age. You say al equally deny the po-
sition that there is no disticlion between
bellies lattres aud poetry" Lucius, be-
Iieye. doesunderstand some little Of French;
but it is no, necessary to be deeply versed
in any language TO know that every truly
poetical publication, must constitute Por-
ton of polite literature aud think we are
agreed that bellies lettres and polite litera-
ture are SYNONYMOUS. Luclus did not say
that whatever was properly bellies lettres
must necessarily be poetry: but he main
tanned exactly the reverse of that PROPOSE,
ton. He said whatever was truly poetl'
cal, must, according to polite acceptatior
of terms) be a bellies lettres sublication
which is Individually correct, your brilliant
scintillations to the contrary notwithstand'
ing.
"To say that | contemn science anc