Alexandria gazette & daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1817-1822, 1818-03-25
From the Virginia Patriot.
TO WILLIAM WRIT, ESQ.
.4uthor efthe Life of Tatrick Henri,

| III WILLIAM WIKI, Ego.
.Hathor fhs Life Of Tstrick Henry.
SIR-When lake the liberty OF ad.
. dressing you. not through the insiPid
form OF the third person." but directly. l
DO not mean to invite your attention t.
the cavils Of a critic or to the unqualified
encomiums Of panegyrist. Having more
interesting objects in view, you are re-
quested to attend TO duty incumbent Oh
one who undertakes 10 pourtray cbarac-
ter from history; or from the testimony
of living witnesses, or from the evidence
OF collected tradition, to enable graft
tude and admiration to ray calm sad
reasonable tribute to the genius and vir-
tues Of " the mighty dead."-1hat duty
is this-'ha, you promptly correct erro :
when truth shall have made them mani
fest, and offered evidence from which Won
nav amend them.
Before, sir, | distinctly state to YEA
the twolOld object contemplate, ust
crafty my feeling. by adding my voice
to the general voice which tells you il
flattcring terms. tina, you have performed
real service to your country by YOU;
Life Of Henry: that while your country
cherishes an ardent gratitude TO bel
statesmen, orators ard warriors, Size :.
proud that she possesses one whose elo
quence can so adequately speak heI feel
iugs, md do justice to her illustrous CT
tiZens.
Were you, sir, less known and admi-
red as writer. / would not. when att
dressing you on matters oi higher import.
stop to rema X that no business, no cccu
pa'iOns, however urgent and continuous,
can excuse YOU rom the use OF trie and
vulgar phrases. Describing Mr.. Henry's
dress, when he first appeared in Will
Hamburg, you use the expressions suit
which had suffered very considerably In
the serrics." Speaking Of Mr.. Wythe,
you lay, whatever he had to do. was to
be done openly and ADORE board" These.
it NAV be .aid. are trivial taults-but let
me add, they are contemp'ibIe.
! regret also. that you did not mere
frequently recollect that the office Of
biographer was not that Of an eulogist.-
When you gay, among other similar
things, " that it was almost better that
one should never hare been BORN" than
bear the sarcasms of Henry that Mr..
Ronald was pale and breafhisss," be-
cause Henry looked at him and pronour-
ced word, you speak more with the
exaggeration than the animation of youth
No one w.rld have objected, had you
used them in those instances, to the Vi
vid but chaste colo-ings OF poet. or to
the striking and illustrative ampllfications
OF an ora,or. "Nuuc roajora canamns
You have done great justice 20 the cha
racter Of Il. ii. Lee, as an orator, tut
you have done him injustice as a states
man. Through the greater part Of Your
work, your eH,rts to d. justice to Henry
are happy, and unguestioDably candid |
and sincere. But think il car be made
manifest, that toward the close of il, YOU
have done fragrant injustice to that truly
great man, who deserved even 10 the la |
test period Of his lie, the appreciation
and admiration of every impartial mind.
The charge OF having done intentional in.
justice as biographer of Mr.. Henry. is
a serious charge. pledge myself to
make it good.
The portraits you have drawn Of the
contemporaries Of Henry are deserving of
great admiration. They are elegant mo.
dels Of delineatiou of character. The !
portrait Of K II. Lee is indeed a master
is .ketched with the seniu. of !
or finished " With the b isht
aud mellow tints of Claude Lorain.''-
But still | do not think you have correct.
ly deineated him. quote The elesar.
words Of one well qualified TO Judge. and
possessed OF sources of correct nforma
ton" R. II. Lee was unqucsiicnabIy
graceful orator, bu' his elegance As M
taral. Hrs mind has the treasures 81 Va
riops knowIedgc, to which he could req.