Virginia advocate. [volume] (Charlottesville, Va.) 1827-1860, 1827-08-25
BIOGR APHiCAL SKETCH
or FRANCIS JEFFREY. ESQ,

This distinguished critic is n native of
Edinburg. and the sou Of one Of the Deputy
Clerks OF Sessions in Scotland He WAS
horn on the 23h Of October. f713, and was
educated partly AT the University Of Gias-
Cow aud partly a! Oxfnrd After complete
ing his education. he was called 10 the burr
in 1915. In 1901 Mr.. jeffrey married
Miss &. Wilson. daughter Of tie Profess
scr OF Church History in the University OF
-. Andrews; and after her death. married
Miss Charlotte WiIk+, Of New York. the
niece Of the celebrated John Wilks, and has
had by her one child. He was an~artive
member OF the debating sn ,;cries Of Edin-
burg. in which he amuscd and improved
eaiied the Speculative .SOc1pty. h. was n
member. in conjunction with Breughan.,
iiorner. Murray. and others
Mr. Jeffrey. notwithstanding the pow crs
nf his mind. ""d h,, reputa'ion as u writer.
was l>ns: time III getting irto practice. aud
al was DOT until within feW wears that he
succeeded mt the bar of his native country,
IN manner commensurate with his learn
no and splendid talents. In 1902 3 lie be-
came The protector and editor Of The Edin-
burg Review. which has since been sn vide
" circulated and 80 justly praised for The
"inquenre. learning. vi, acity and ,ersenrss of
'he articles II contained. He is considered,
rs criminal lawyer, or at the bar of the
CRIMINAL Cont. as uBriSallcd and though
his pronunciation is very defective, beng .,
mixture of provincial English ard und%mi-
he'd Senteh. his rIOcmiOn is so uverpower-
'ngiy rapid--his illustrations SO happy-his
masses of thought so successive. and his
flashes Of mind so brilliant and dazzling,
ihat all who listen are delighted. and look
upon him as one Of the most gifted Of <pea-
kers. There is such piu yfulncss, in his
wii. such richness IN his imagination, and
such choice and beauty IN his expression,
and such depth and force aud energy in his
reasoning. That no one can hear him without
admiration and delight. Mr. Jeffrey is said,
however, 10 he deficient in that faculty, or
power, so essential 10 an orator, of excII,uc.
the sympathy, or rousing the indignation Of
his hearers. mud my therefore be consider
ed ms more Of Il rhriorcian than an orator.
But though "the magic he yields (says a
countryman of his i, not Of The bigh cast
which makes The subject Of It's working The
conscious, set willing, slave Of the sorcerrr,
his is IA more cunning bui quite as e!fsrluaI
a species Of tempting. He iia,tcrs the vani-
iy of men. by making them believe hat The
best proof Of their own superiority will he
their coming 10 The sonciusou wheel, he has
proposed; and they submit with scryile stu
p1dIt!. AT The very m0nIent the, arc plu-
ming themselves on displaying The bollncss
aud independence Of adventurous intellect
AS critic Mr.. Jefirey's merits are equally
prominent. He has struck out an original
mode OF reviewing, which pleased nj first
by MS novelty, and which has, FOR many
years, continued to please by The talent, in
ieiligeucc and power, it displayed. There
Is, III his reviews, perhaps less Of fine taste
Than apparent bitterness uf feeling. or keen
and mordaunt 5arcasm-lcss Of classical
beanty thau Of general learning. lis object
seems IN be 10 render the Uuihor rryjcu ed
iGdIrroGs and contemplate, rather than tD
0iifuse truth or To produce new light His
reviews partake more Of The character Of
political and iterary dissertations than all
s0iutc criticisms. and The detatoria air of
superiority which he assUmps--the ierseDess
and poIgnaney Of his rcmaiks--lbe ease and
hacney of his style, aud the nnnehalapce
and sang .Croid with which hc disseefs his
victim bave conspired 10 give TO his aft;-
cles q zcst and influence which every vea-
der Of Them must have felt and enjoyed.
MIR. jeffrey is Of low Stature, with a
face small aud su arrby. buf full Of viyacify.
His features are neither handsome nor nth
err" ise--lris forehead forms The segment os
o eircIP---hs hair is black ard wjry. his
eye sparkling animated and his mouth ex
prcssive Of great 6rmness& afiluouce Of mind.