Alexandria gazette & daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1817-1822, 1820-06-07
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believes his powers strong enough to force
their own way, COMMONLY tries only to
please himself. "-Johason's Life Of Gay.
knowledge is the result of art genius
the gift of nature, the former is acquired by
reflection, and retained with difficulty, the
latter IS inherent, and though unimproved
can never be lost labor, and exerlion, are
requisite to the one, the other exists, indie
pendent of either, ahappy moment often
producing in the latter, what years in the
! former could never effect the one hath IL
mits, within which, its obseryations are con-
!racted, the other dilates itself even to i'm
mensity, attaching importance, and pecuia-
rity, to its most triAing operations. But how
ever comprehensive the powers of genius
may be. they are not fully operative, with
out the industry OF application, and the dill
genee OF research, and although its uncurb-
ed blaze, may at times, blind to our view
the soberer fame of wisdom, and expert
ence, yet is not the lustre of the latter ex-
tinguished, or its perpetuity dissolved. Ge-
Mus is the comet whose brightness attracts.
and whose powers alarm, knowledge the
mild star Of the north, alike welcome from its
certainty, ard grateful for its usefulness
A manifest disadvantage attendant ON genius.
is the contempt in which il holds its more Ia
. borious contemporary, pyying with the
glance Of omniscence into the result OF
years, it despises the industry that produced
il, and proudly throwing the guantlet OF In
tuitive perception, dares 10 the contest of
mind, the veterans Of acquired knowledge,
in defeat il triumphs, and the conqueTor is
humbled by his fallen adversary The boil
der attributes of genius, are holiness OF sen.
timent, and copicusness Of fancy, lis lesser
characteristics splendour of expression, and
wayward carelessness of style, graspibg
with ayarcious eagerness at all things, it re-
tans nothing comprehending without exer-
ton, the mystery's of nature, and man, il
turns from the research grudging the time
It required, and ike the unthrifty bee, sips
from every flower and becomes cloyed
with every sweet. Whether the former Pc
culiarily on genius, is the result OF an indie
pendence Of opinion, peculiar to itself, and
the latter, the effect OF uncomfortable indo-
lence, are questions do not pretend 10 de-
termine certain il is, we rarely discover in
those tayorites of nature, either industry TO
acquire, or inclination to emulate the fame of
others
Consciousness of superiority is an unaf- |
tected coneomitant of genius, probably de- |
rived, either from the inspirations of nature,
or the devotion OF mankind this disagreed
Bile trait evinces itself, though the feelings OF
others are tortured 10 produce it, and even
when unconscious evidences Of it are exhi-
kited, there are few, who have candour e. (,
noush to admit their improperly, the first
cause which We have assigned, as productive
Of this unamiable characteristic. is SO far
beyond the reach Of human control, as to
torn for itself an unanswerable apology and
If We impute it to the last, though we may
deplore, We must blame ourselves tor its con.
sequences !; to the latter cause, according TO
our conception of the fitness OF things, and
their applicability to each other, together
with the unerring test, which every mans !
bosom supplies, it IS most properly attributa-
bic for there are none, however wise or
powerful who do not in some respect, ac-
Knowledge their inferiority TO others and
the neare~ we approximate to perfection, the
more sensibly do we esteem those who pre-
cede US, it being as natural TOR Us to admire |
those qualities in others which we would |
love in ourselves, as to afix an increased i'm
poriance to each obstacle, in proportion 20
the difficulty of overcoming X; this being |
the case, is it to be wondered, that the COM
mon orders OF mankind, should gaze with |
awe. upon Graded maturity, and bow with |
reverence, to the head Of infancy encircleG |
by the chapel OF genius or that Eoary head |
ed wisdom, should pause in its labors. and |
CLEAN, from the lips of youth, the mysteries
that time could not develepe.
Although the application of years, is ne
cessary TO the attainment Of knowledge, yet |
the toll is sweetened ty the reward il produ- I
'ces. Genius requiring not the aid of indus
try, becomes careless of Improvement
objects easily obtained, are rarely thought |
worthy oipursuit, and the mind soon learns,
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