The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1823-02-14
mo. 50.



oi The other LEARNED and polished aneho !.
rites vino have rendered The sanctuar, az
fod Royoi 81 ilusrious. Abstraelin,.
from his great merit in mathematics anei
IN physics, lbs reputation rests chiefly on
the Pi0Uinriai Leilera : a work which,
Noltaife, notwithstanding his strong preju.
dtes against the author, dates the Grdtioa
oil The French lauenpge aud Of which the
samc excellent judge has said, '.Ioiiye's
best COMEDIES do mol cred them IN uit, nor.
The compositions Of Bossuet ~ subiimity.'-4-
The Bishop Of Luenn. son of the celebra-
ted Busy, tnld me- sa,s Fulnirc, Tint,
asking one day the Bishop of Meanx what.
work he would cnyrt most 10 BIZ the au-.
thor ot, surprising his own performances
set aside, Bosstrt replied, The PJopipias
fEHcrs. Examples of all the species or
eloquence abound IN them The elc-.
CANT Gibb0a h said 10 have possessed so
enthusiastic an admiration fur the book.
that he was accustomed tn read IL through
once every year D.ittp,b,r says of IL,
TINS master piece OF pleasantly aud elo..
qnenee diverted aud moved the indgnn
ton oiall Europe The Pr0rinciat Lei
ftS, will be ever regarded as a model Of.
taste aud style
The conversation form in which thcs
subject Is treated, prccndrs that oratori--
cal elegance md ciecronran flow which,
delight the ear, 4 cCrtttin sprightlinesss
and hnnor constitute tftrir chief charac--
terlatlrs, interpreted with passages OF
grave instruction, which prove that Pas
eal wrote for higher purpose than tos
furnish u comedy, or 10 crafty malig-
nlnt feeling. After all, severe critit5
might detect IN this work some minor
faults OF composiion, ~ redundancics g. re-
petitions, unless, as Is most probable, eyes
he should be too much occupied with it's
humorous hcalcs.'
The Provincial Letters have not, il is
believed, been published in the United
States.
Forensic Eioqueare-- Under this bead.
an eastern pnper eisc- the following as als
eSordinm of j. +. Buckingham, Esq. in his
defence before the Jury IN the case Of tha
commonwealth of massachusetts on thu
complaint of Rev. !. N. Mailil for M ullcg.
I'd libel published in the Galaxy, aud edited
by The defendant:
~ expect from you, gentlemen, aud
from this honorable conri, some little in.
dnlgcncies III conducting this defence,
which a professional man might neither
expect nor ask for am unlcarned in tho
science of Law, having never attempted
10 explore lis uncertainties aud secrets, o.
10 unrasel its darn though interesting mys..
tefics.
! am also unused 10 public decunaton
My profession aud my labours from my
childhood have been mechanical. No ac.-
hdcmc halls, devoted 10 letters, 10 rlo-
q1cnce and philosophy, have ever rcsound-
ed with my 'oice. No groves, sacred To
the muses., have ever whispered their airy
responses TO any poctieai breatlings Of
nine. The flowers gof rhetoric never
bloomd for me: aud have never been
admitted 10 pass even the yestibaLc OF the
temple Of science
Nonr5 How expect to discharge myself
from TIM net IN which J am taken? How
escape iros the dangers of the thick and
thorny wood in which | am entanglcd,
where every step IS pregnant with fear.
and single false one may plunge ne intn
lire,oeable misfortune
! depend for victory, gentlemen, on
single weapon which the ignorant may
weld MS safely as the learned. This hon
oihble court has placcd in my hand that
two edged sword, which trust will clear
my way before me. The attorney for the
COMMONWEALTH, with inagnanimity, H.
bcraity and love Of Justice, which hos
ever characterized his official, AZ well as
has private life, had previously given me u
talismaib which will guide me through the
darkest and most doubtful road. This Ia.
lisnan which Is to guide, this weapon which
IS 20 guard, is Truth before which the inn
poster and the hypocritc shrink aud disap-
pear IKE shadows brneath vertical suL.
Aided by this aud tire Justice of my CAUSE,
| rely, gentlemen, on your intelligence,
your magnaiiiinity, your love of virtue.
your seorh OF hypocrisy, your aversion To-
meanness and vice, your dc,cstation Of inn
posture and quackery, for a triumphant
acqEllal,
Whit better breast -liate then heart untain-
ted
Thrice Is he alm'd who hnlh bis quarrel lust.
And he bnt naked though louk'd up in steel.
Whose conscience with Injustice Ii corrupted.
900
UJctof IInnkHR. --Franhli liz wore at ths
period ofthr Declaration Of Independence,
a full boItomed wig. He wore this APP
pendagc in England also, When he went
10 France it became necessary for him TO
model himself to the Paris faslions--so,
sending for Peruke maker, he had las
head measured. The Doctor was large
mau, but rs large as he was, his head sas
out of all proportion TO his body--it was
enormous, perhaps no man ever bad q lar-
ger head than Doctor Franklin. The wig
maker brought home his wig. but op trial
il proved too small. "The wig Is too
small,' said the Doctor. "No Monsieur"
replied the Partisan, " de wig be not too