The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1824-02-10

IRviNf4s oeArIoSs.

I ~ = ". \ I ~ ~.
!, From the Eclectic n rivir.
# Art !. For The OrasIes 81 God. F.,nr .,rn,,o..
=, $50 The .'sdsmea 10 C1at.. an Argument. !
- siir Parts. BY the issN EdlNari Irwin
4 II. \, Minister It The talrtniIah Canfes
y hutoh aardtn, sy0. m. Nj. 5lo. p.ir
: -. Laalon, lat.} =
Mr.. ifsiag Is hold u, IN thus tn drseend
: IN the very deniih of his popularity, from
tae vantage Srnnnd "f ihe pol,,it nrator'
Guar, iefp The arena at literary eo,npt.ti
'"n. The Press IL fierce aud searchnq
edeal Tor tue man nj cloiIuricc nor i II
by any means, i fair test of the power ri
hAllig orai"ry. Estimated h, their ,prr, II.
IS IN Tie fnn~e, Burke, The tnnsi splendid
OF speech writers, WAS immrcnrnhl, inf,
fiof |" Fox, who, giant IN debate, WIS in
eohll"- llnn srialist. Erskne, unrivsll-
ed Al the bar, cannot rank higher than n
third-rale writer. Whitrfrld, the most
po"ei TAI of preachers, came forth from the
press stripped of every attribute of miphl
"f majesty. Those who have succeeded
ailke as speakers aud as Writers, are cNcrp.
ions I" WHIT woald seem Ia be- the genera,
rnie; aud Mr.. Irving, With al hia faults,
must be added 10 this number. Thrsr dis
courses or orailnns, call them what ynu
"lii,iur1Il4h abundant matter 4 provucalinu
4 u.
vial lofihY, drpreci L. II MOI The,
are framed, however, of II stuff aud tryt,u..
which viii endure the ronEhcsi band,Inr
There Is that stamp Of intellectual rncrg,
on The Volume, which will bear down thr
cafds anh Insirr exceptions of thos, WHO
'ndy Ia disposed Ia quarrel with the writer
on IN" score of taste. lis periods are II
STERLING weight, II not alNays.of The finest
mintagc and this will secure their him,
reet71"d as currency. Aboe all, there Is
throughout ia" volume an appearance of
passionate earnc stness ,lirmness OF purpose
intrepid attachment to truth, aud, IL we
may 50 express il, of magistcral commis
SION, which, harmoni2lnS with the iufnile
Interest attaching Ia the subject, renders II
next To impossible for the reader 10 c.c,pr
from the impression.
Mr.. Irving is no phenomenon, tn hc ga
Zrd at and forgotten. The hight which he
holds iorlli, Is steady aud pure and what
ever chalm there may be in the vehicle
or The iasdlpnl through which il is rans
united, decentralization which il casts, is
not that Of meteor, bat of heavens day
light. Aud the low minded malignity and
pttulancr will which he has been ,,ssailcd
proceed, we are well persuaded, more than
from any other cause, from 4 hatred ol
The light " The Lihrrd," and the most
infamous OF public Journals that ever dis
Srac'd The press of this country, have Sc
leeied Mr.. Irving ~ fair mark for their
internal shafts. We tnak that this auglrs
well Tor his success. We like 10 hc:s thu
Devil cry out, what have We to do with
thee? IL looks as if some measure of the
power Of Tie Preachers Master Was resting
upon him.
We must not pnss over the designation
ot these disrOurses, although their tile is
"a small matter bot il has been considered
as somewhat prdanlic. Perhaps il is 50
and die AUTHORS reason for adopting the
ualsnal terms, oratinn' and argument
IS unsatisfactory. He evidently WISHED Ia
Keep clear of that nnpromi3ing and unpo
pular word, sermon, and To substitute some
oihei more specific aud more attractive
tran the modest term DISCOURSE The |
latter, however, we cannot but consider |
as the more eligible word Mr.. Irving
says.
i have sci the example oftwo new me-
thods oGhaHdiug religious truth--the Orc.
ION and the argument; The one intended |
To be- after The manner Of The ancient Ora.
ton, the hest vehicle for addressing ihe !
minds OF men which the world hath seen,
far beyond the sermon, of which the very
NAME hath learned TO inspire drnN sincss
aud trdium the other aifef The manner oil
the ancient Apologies, with this difference,
that l. pleaded not before any Judicial bar,
but before the tribunal OF human tho't aud |
feeling
-.
We think that he demwds, nj the