Literary cadet, and Saturday evening bulletin. [volume] (Providence, R.I.) 1826-1827, 1827-04-07

from supporting HlyItleS fOuius
They snatched her instruments OF sound
1t may be objected, that the word FIRED,
as used by Collins, is Intended for figure;
and we shall not attempt to controvert the
fact;-suflicient it is for us to prove by its
introduction into that celebrated perform
ance, that there is such a word in the Ian
guage, and we care not whether it is fgura
lively or literally used. We insist, however,
that it was as properly introduced into our
paragraph, as it was into Collins, and we
care not whether il be figuratively considered
or otherwise. We used it, to inform the pub
lie that Central Building was fired; that is,
that that building was either by accident or
design, FIRED-that fire was by some means
conveyed to it, and that, in consequence
thereof, it was partially consumed. We
did not intend to say, that the building was
set on fire by an incendary and we con-
tend, with due Difference to the opinions
Of others, that our language admits Of no
SuCn COHStTuCllOu.
The literary stickler, to whom we find it
necessary to allude, has further urged,
that the word FIRED, was never used by
newspaper editor; and although he consid-
ers those humble literary publications, gen.
orally, beneath his classical notice, he has,
in this instance, been pleased to rely upon
them, as species Of minor authority. In
taking a stand so exceedingly broad and
presumtire," as Sir Peter O'Wheedlc
would say, he has, in effect, undertake
en- to say, that he has been an attentive
reader of all the newspapers that have been
published, since the golden days of Queen
Bess. To show that he has not been such
an extensive reader, as he pretends, and
that all the newspapers have not caught his
eye, we will now copy an extract from the
Naw-Ynrk Golun,bion, which, whilst it ex-
listed, was conducted by the unfortunate
Baptistc Irvine, literary gentleman, of
more than ordinary powers, and whose ex-
travagant adventures and mad ambition,
led him to experience all the miseries and
horrors of gloomy dungeon
Office of the .Ne,o-Y York Columbian, half past 2
o'clock, Monday morning .dprH 20, 1912.
''Just as our paper was going to press, we were
alarmed by the cry Of fire. On approaching the
scene of confagration, we were panied to find,
that the elegant building, recently erected in
~ - T.
way the building became FIRED we have not yet
learned.
p. S. We have Just learned that one of the
frcmen, named WpoD, was severely injured by
the falling of part of the terrace. o'clock-
the building is not so much injured as we anici-
pated, and the fire is extinguished."
We think that we have thus, fully 'proreh
that our friend is completely in error, rela-
tive to the use Of the word, which has filled
him with dsmay; and we shall wait for him
to prove that FIRED does not belong to the
English Vocabulary.
That we may make good our grounds,
and prove that FIRED has often been used,
as we have used it, VIC shall make one or
two more quotations, from the writings Of
men, who have heretofore maintained the
reputation Of classical scholars.
In the poem of "Alaric Castle" first
published by Wool, 1884, "for Edmund
Waller, the author" we find the following
lines, in which the word FIRED, is so appo-
stely introduced, and is so fully in point,
that we cannot refrain from copying them,
though we must confess, that we do not
much admire the poetry.
" And Desolation spread her awful arms,
And filled the foeman with wars dread alarms
Whilst DER those temples, once so much admired,
Ruin prcsided--and they all were FIRED"
But as we are far from being disposed to
occupy too much space, with this subject,
we shall content ourselves with making one
more extract in support of our assumptions.
In the British Political Register, for 1881,
is letter from Lord Mulgrave, command
er of his Britannia Majesty's man of war
ship, the Courageux, giving an account Of
a naval action, between the ship under his
command, and French fleet, commanded
by the Chevalier de Grimouard, from which
we extract the following.