Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1828-04-21

say more than that new number believed I,
be not unworthy its predecessors, is offered L
the public. We shall leave the work for tn,
present after making short extract Ever,
one has heard of the unfortunate James Had
held, who fred pistol a, George III. Tn,
following account Of him, copied from oar,
ch:ves Generates" December, 1927, will no
doubt be interesting. There is particular
department in Bedlam allotted to those mani
acs who had escaped capital punishment. The
report states.
zone OF those detained here is Hadfieid, a.
oout Sixty years OF age, small, lean, speaking
win vivacity, remarkable for the nobility Of
MS physiognomy, which many scars received
In oa'tle render still more singular, who thirty
years ago, at the theatre, discharged pistol
al King George, though the ball passed over
MIN. II being proved that Had6rld was in a
state OF mental alienation, though he had man
l'ested but few symptoms Of it, the Jury ac-
Quilted him, and he was confined for life. He
is now IN that part of Bedlam which is occu-
pied by persons OF The same description. His
air is frank and his manners polite.
He has embeli.hed his cell with a thousand
objects, whose form and original disposition
denote him to be man who is able and in.
dus!rious, in inventing every thing that can be-
quick and passionate, ye, he is never disorder
u, and he tranquility submits 10 every thing
From the time thai he committed his crime 10
the present, he has scarcely given any sign Of
madness: but some years Since without any
known cause, he suddenly btcame so furious,
that his attendants were obliged to bind and
confine him. This was, however, of short
continuance, and was followed by the healthy
condition in which he still remains
PORSON'S CHARACTER OF GIBBON.
An impartial judge, think, must allow,
thai Mr. Gibbons history is one Of The ablcst
performances, Of its kind that has ever appear
ed.-His industry isndefatisable, his accuras
cy scrupulous, his reading, which indeed is
sometimes SYSTEMATICALLY displayed, immense;
his attention always awake; his memory reten-
tive; his style emphatic and expressive; his pc
RODS harm onious. His reflections are often
jus, and profound; ne pleads eloquently for The
rights of mankind, and the duty Of liberation;
nor does his humanity ever slumher, unless
when women ravishcd, or the christians
prosecuted. Though his style is in general
correct and elegant, he sometimes draws out
the tread Of his verbosity finer than he sta.
pie Of his argument In endeavouring to avoid
vulgar terms, he too frequently digniGrs ,ri-
Hes, and clothes common thoughts in splen>
did dress, that would be rich enough for The
mobiles, ideas. In short, we are too often re-
minded OF that great man, Mr.. Prigg, the
aucuoneer, whose manner was SO inimitably
line, that he had as much to say on a ribbon a,
d Raphael Somet times, in his anxiety 10 vary
his phrase, he becomes obscure, ard, in>
stead Of calling his prrsonagcs by their names,
defines them by their birth, alliance, Office, or
other circumstances of ,heir history. Thus
an honest gentlemar is often described by a
circumlocution, lest the same word should be
twice repeated in the same page. Sometimes
ePllhe,s are added, which the tenor of the SEN
lence renders unnecessary Sometimes, in his
attempts at elegance, he loses sight Of English
and sometimes Of sense Classical Journal