Literary cadet, and Saturday evening bulletin. [volume] (Providence, R.I.) 1826-1827, 1827-03-17
FOR THE LITERARY CADET
Biography Of General Rufus Hopkins.


In unfolding the characters, and disclosing re
various events, which have chequered the lives "i
he great of every age we observe in all remark
able similarity. Talents are the gifts OF Heaven
and appear alike i'll every era. aud in every cline
No matter whether genius is clothed III the rags OF
poverty, or enyelopel in the purple Of royalty 1t
nlazes with like splendour from the peasants cot
age and the monarch's throne. Thus when we
regard the exalted parsonage who forms the suhec'
of this memoir. we naturally search IN the page OF
history fr one with whom TO compare him, but III
VAN I'VE fud that Rufus Hopkins. like Pompey
pillar. stands alone, colossol specimen Of genius III
a barren waste; nurtured amid those whose cloud
ed intelIects could not even discover the path %
-reatnes.. Unnoticed and unknown, at the early
age of %, armed in the panoply OF Democracy h'
burst like Minerva from the brain Of Jupiter, into
,plitical life mighty warrior, and enlisted IN TN
oa,se Of Jacobin,sm. In sounding the depth of ms
oohtcal knowledge We feel certain indescrinan'e
we, which parulyses our most energetic at'emPs'
|, !. like hurrying through the painless ocead' anu
Saying to lathon its boundless caVerns. IN t.
. was, as he himself expressedly said' "1enera'
tufus Hopkins, the greatest man n this o'"'e' %
any other State in the United states" This favour
te maxim of our hero, we can compare with nom
NJ but the "Veni Vd Vici" Of Caesar The Fu-
periority of the Plutarchian method oi biograph5'
that Of giving to poterity the sayings OF the perso"
described, cannot be better exemplicd than by thu
sin RE instances it speaks whole volumes OF chnac-
.l,ut, mil ma "a
nigh on the list of fame. his mighty heart never mar
boured even for moment the weakness ot d'ih-
de CO. Confding in his own gigantic powers ne
stalked through the devious path. Of political life,
dsreearding, as he passed, the couemptuous sneer'
Of HI. rivals, and the ensious malisny OF those he
left behind 1t also placesf the strongest point "f
view the uatchle.s penetration of his mind, on no
occasion mors fully exercised, than in obey ing that
celebrated maxim Of IN ancient philosopher Gno
,bi Seanton.'' How completely he has followed
thi. prccept. none but these who have been enraP-
tured by the nestmable charms of his conversati"
and wh6 have a. it were taken knowledge iron ''s
very source can determine. Another OF his sayings
the quotation of which cannot fo'bear, as strongly
recommended by its intrinsic merit, as by his ire
ouent u,terance) was " Rufus Hopkins is II hard
horse to ride" How can the sagacly oil the person
under confederation h. better illustrated than by
this Instead Of comparing himself to an ass; IN
stead of following the example of his malicious cou-
pctitors, he would only place himself on parallel
with that noble aud sagacious an NAL, the horse
As a military character his merits have been justly
appreciated, both by the Kentish Regulars and the
country at large. We have only to remark ol him
in this capacity, that after supporting its arduous
dutie. for many years, he honourably resigned at
the b. ginning OF he last ia order to leave room
for promotion to those who had not attained the
highest rewards Of military skill. But why need
enlarge? why speak more, concerning the man. OF
whom it may be truly said, I" lie speaks for HIM
self" b.