The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1826-04-20
SHERID AN.

iall, as having occurred about this
time. A statement of his conduct
in the duels with Mr.. Mathevs) ha-
wing appeared in one olihe Bath pa
pers. SO false and calumnious as IN
require an immediate answer. he
called upon WoodGall 10 request that
his paper might be the medium of il
But wishing. as he said. that the
public should have the whole matter
fairly before them. he thought il
right that the offensive statement
should first be inserted and in a day
or two after be followed by his an
swer, which would thus come with
more relevancy and effect. In com
plIance with his wish. WOodraIl lost
not a moment IN transcrihing the
calumnious article Into his columns,
not doubling, of course, that the re-
iutation of ii would be furnished with
still greater eagcrness. Day after
day, however, elapsed, and notNith-
standing frequent applications on the
one side, and promises on the other.
not n line Of the answer was ever
sent by Shcridan--who, having cx-
pended all his activity in assisting
the circulation of the poison, had
not industry enough left to supply the
antidote. Throughout his whole
life. indeed, he but too consistently
acted upon the principles which the
first Lord Holland used playfully to
impress upon his son sNeyer do tn
to-day what you can possibly put II
till tomorrow :; nor never do your
self what you can get any one else to
do for YOU
The following il of more general
interest. 1t concerns the famous
prosecution of Warren Hastings.
What il told of Burke is curious and
part of il new.
The feelings Of the public were,
ut the outset of the prosecution, rath-
er for than against the supposed de-
linQuent. Nor was this tendency
counteracted by any partial leaning
towards his accusers. Mr.. Fox had
hardly yet recovered his defeat on
the India bill, or, what had been
still more fatal to him, his victory in
the coalition. MIR Burke, in spite
Of his great talents aud zeal, was by
no means popular. There was tone
OF dictatorship IN his public demean-
OF, against which men naturally re-
beIlcd; and the impetuoslty and pas
sion with which he flung himself INTO
debate on every favorlte subJect.sho~
ed want OF self gov ernmrnt hui i lie
calculated TO inspire respect. Even
his elOquence, various and sple did
as ii was, failed in general to win or
command the attention OF his hear
ers, aud, in this great essential OF
public speaking, must be considered
inferior TO that ordinary but practi-
cal kind of oralory which reaps lts
hart est at the moment OF delivery
Il is afterwards remembered less iol
itself than its effects. There was a
something which those who have but
read him can with difficulty CONCEIVE,
that married the impression of his
most sublime and glowing displays.
In vain did his genius put forth lis
superb plumage, glitterlng all over
with the hundred eyes of fancy !; the
gait of the bird was heavy and awk-
ward, and its 0iCr seemed rather Ia
scare than attract; accordingly ma
ny of those mastery disCourses
which, in their present form, may
proudly challenge comparison with
althc written eloqucnCe upon record,
were at the time when they were pro
nounccd, either coldly listened to OF
only welcomed as a signal and OK
Cuse for rot listening at all. To such
n length was this indifference CARR
ed, that, on the evening when he de-
livcrcd his great speech on the Ma
bob Of Arcot's debts, 80 faint was
the Impression it produced upon the
house, that MIR. Pitt and Lord Gren-
vile, as | have heard, not only con-
suited with each other as to whether
it was necessary they should take
the trouble OF answering it. but deci-
ded in the negative. Yet doubtless,
at the present monent,i ii Lord Gren-
Vile, master as he is of all the know
ledge that belongs to statesman X
a scholar, was asked to point out
from the stores Of his reading the
few models Of oratorical Composili-
on, to the pcrusai of which he could
p,nct f,.pGuputlv aud with unyuparipd