Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1825-03-12

tured its happiness in thy arms, TO
doubt one moment of thy kindness or
thy truth-ifthou art a friend, and hast
ever wronged in thought, word or
deed, the spirit that generously conf
ded in thee-if thou art lover, and
hast ever given one unmerited pang to
that true heart which now lies cold and
still beneath thy feet-then be sure
that every unkind look, every ungra.
cious word, every ungentle action, will
come thronging back upon thy memo.
nv, and knock dolefully at thy soul
then be sure that thou wilt lie down
sorrowing and repentant on the grave,
and utter the unheard groan, and pour
the unavailing tear, more deep, more
bitter, because unheard and unavail-
ing.
Then weave the chaplet Of flowers,
and strew the beauties of nature about
the grave; console thy broken spirit, if
thou canst with these, tender yet flu
tile tributes of rcgret-but take warn
ing by the bitterness Of this thy con-
trite affection over the dead, and hence
forth be more faithful and affectionate
in the discharge of thy duties while
living.
The 5th tol of the Biography Of the
Signers of the Declaration Of hdepen-
dence, is perhaps the most interesting
which has yet been published. 1t pre-
sents sketches of five gentlemen, the
harmony of whose patriotic designs
and labours is not greater than the
contrast of their original studies and
avocations in life.
The first of these, Mr.. LYNCH, was a
young and opolent planter of South
Carolina. The second, MIR. THORN
TON, physician, native of Ireland.
The third, Mr. WH1PpLE, a sailor, (ca-
bin boy not many years before he sat
in congress,) native Of Maine. The
fourth, Mr.. W1rHERspooN, native OF
Scotland, celebrated divine, and pre-
| sident of Princeton College, N. j.
And the fifth, that illustrious merchant
ROBERT NORRIS, the Washington OF
our finances. Here is patriotic ban
quet indeed No two flowers alike,
but all of them kindred sweets, and
fragrant and immortal.
There is little Of incident in the mar
rative of Mr.. LYNCH. He is spoken OF
as man of genius and of letters, and
being unengaged in professional life,
he had not many opportunities of pub
lie display-but the confidence OF
the people must have been well placed
when, at the crisis of the revolution,
they sent him to succeed his father in
congress, (when only 81 years DID,
and having associated in the immor.
tai labours of that eventful period, and
placed his name on that immortal
scroll, in three short years afterwards,
on a. voyage for the recovery of his
health, he and his lady persisted at sea.
He does ''not sleep upon his wat'ry bier
Nor welter to the parching wind,
Without the need of one melodious tear"
Doctor THoRNToN's biography is
that of man Of great drollery and
vita talking novelist, whose stories
he made as he went along, and made
them last for hours-a physician, who
when acting as surgeon at the siege OF
Louisburg, never allowed any Of his
own men to die of disease, although in
battle he would have looked on "blood
and carnage with composure, "a man,
who, while he made every body else
laugh, suffered no one to make him
smile. He attained the age of 90, and
was much honored through life.
Mr.. WHIppLE commenced life as a
sailor, but having abandoned the sea,
became, subsequently, a member of
Congress, a General, and Judge
The first part of his career was unhap-
PLY stained by participation in the
slave trade, (the mention Of which cir
cumstance, in his biography, goes to
prove the authors regard to TRUTH
but his subsequent exploits in battle,
while commanding the New-Hamp-
shire troops, and his ardent devotion to
the cause of his country, have, long ere
this, it is hoped, expiated bis offence.
The remainder of the volume, near
ly one half of it, is devoted to full
length portraits of the Rev. DR.. WITH
ERspooN, and the celebrated, but unfor-
tunate ROBERT MoRRIs, which we
shall not attempt to condense, but
commend to the eager perusal OF the
reader. To the former Of these gentle
men. it is stated that Gen. WILKINSON
was indebted for the proposal to pre-
sent him with gold spurs, on bringing
express the news Of BuReoYNE's cap
ture. when Congress had received it a
day or two before. The General will
never outlive the anecdote.
The story of Mr.. MoRRIs should be
studied by every American. He may,
without great extravaganza, be called
- IL, Da,oJ,,<;ou We had