Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1828-10-27

be judged Of ultimately by his Sri,ipp,.. S
though it was by no means confined "a 81
the impression made by his academic,l r "'s
lections having been as extraordinary il g g,'y
as il was in character. By the exlcnsi,. ~ N
of his information, by his love Of kr,v.s,s
by his high aspirations AFTER good, BIZ ,n$
quence nnrivaIied in phiIosophie dfp,Hr 50 I
gave bias 10 the feelings, and a lre,,on, !:
Tie studies OF many young men oG rank ~
talent, which Ieaounded no, less 20 ,l,ir -
honor, than they proved, in rosulr, ben,f III,
the country. The leading characterize. u,
his mind indeed, were elevated moral lcr,,.
high conceptions 81 what our nature j, dc,%,}
10 accomplish; high resolves 10 &c, con,i.,..
Iy in furthrrance Of the great 5, hrme or o..
raj improvement lie was thus led up,,0,,
bly, to engage with mental philosophy. O.,
not only must all moral and political scirp,. -,
based upon knowledge Of the human m;,
but every mind which has activity united w,s
amy thing like reflective depth, will also iropi,
and must have some anchorage ground rs,,s,
ing its own faculties. Since the very dapp;p,
Of intellect, the greatest minds have occuDi.G
themselves in examining and considcripp Il.
nature AID extent Of their own powers; ami i
though there has been much fuil!sss nop;r
the very extern of these Speculation, un,,;,,
lac tory as 100 many Of them have been, al >,
10 establish the real importance and magrirV.
of subject Shallow minds only despi.r ug,
physics The mind of Mr. Stewart. On d.
contrary, WAS strongly disposed to BE- comn,
hensise. 1t was also peneuaii,e enough b |
discover the best ,he1ry Of mind which h, |
been submiliCd to the philosophic worIl it > |
dop'ed, improved, and gave consistency 10 tha
theory; bu. naturally circurnspcc', and hur,
observed how oi'en rashness and impemO.ly
had. while dealing with ethics and m,,aphJ
sIcs, brought talent into discrcdlt, be bean.
anxious to lortify himself with au,horv-
| This led him 10 trace the history Of his sccrr
which he did with much care, and we mig |
say, with unrivallcd Discrimination; but, VII. /
he selected nothing that WAS not OF great
trinsic value, and happily Illustrative Of d
points on which he was treating, he thus ca
traclcd habit Of dwelling venela,ey on d:
past, and exalling the genius that had toa
more than of attending 10 The yigoraI
products OF fresh and original contemporaries
There was, il mnSI be confessed, wIr, d sr|
righteousness here; but his industry and cf&I
riness uni,ed, gave boiler minds starting
pos, from vantagc grounds Of tie highest v.
lur; and all his labors and specull,io.s We;
| calculated 10 elevate The tone and meiOrgr %:
temper OF the mind TO iprigo,aie The ir,a
tual, and improve tie moral dspartmrr'3p' .a
nature. He was lover Of liberty and dsA
scholar, gentleman, philosopher M b
vopd al, he was, in the tIuest sCne OF .0c" u
a "philanthropist." A meeting iCok lI!t i
few DAYS afterwards 10 Edinburs, 10 rorH.a
the pro- ect Of erecting mouum"h' T. b.
moty: The Lord Chief Commissions r,rI@
and said "he felt peculiarly gratilied VITA
honor of being placsE in Inc chair ~ ms I
cas;nn both on account OF the ajmralOh
had always entertained for ,he highly giInGr|
di, idual whose loss had been the Cause Of Isl
meeting, and because he believed hlmsrl! ok
the only man now alive who had witnessed oa
Of the earliest displays OF Mr.. Stewart, ,A'i'
ordinary prec0city OF talents and iIsc. wa
an essay on Dreams, delivered in a .ocsY q
students in Glasgow, when ne was eiEhta
years Of age. And such was his IordshiDS a9
miration Of it AT the time, and so Vivid hI' ~
collection even now, that he felt himself lu'V'
fed in saying, tina; il eyincrd 'hose powers g
profound thinking, ingenious reasoning, Nea"t
full illustration, lofty generalization, ana amos
uneQualled felicity Of expression, WHICH u
the charm Of his subsequent WORKS. ih'S
this circumstances along with thar wei ~ "
to the gentlemen present, that he had "'.t'
tine predatory notice 10 his la, book 1" frN 't'A
before his death, a. the age oil seven!
could no, help mentioning il as proud e'!n'
Die of human intellect remaining, Ter 50 .'
a period, connected with a mortal BODY ~
STATE Of pure spendor, increasing to the ''''
Two anecdotes, said 10 beqnl,e an'h'H'"''
the early maturity Of iaIsn, in this emf" I,
philosopher have been published since ~ 4
cease. His father, DR.. Matthew Stewart ~
ing BEEN prevented from teaching his ca"
falling into had health soon after Tie '''
mr. ncemrnt of the College 0! Session, Il v.
though, advisable that his sou Dugsid, ~"
youth under twenty; should attempt ion' ID. !.
! fathers place, which he did TO the end o. .'
course. And so extraordinary was bis 'v ", .,
! such the spirit and love Of the study ".D' ~, !,
Infused into the pupils, tina, i, a'cans r a;
of general remark and surprise One nav.
! al asked the Young lecturer himseh no"
: tina, he; who had not devoted himself pl..,,.
} lury to mathematics, should have suec't 90.
teaching them better than his tlthcr.
So" said the philosopher; with 70 less w.. :.
| ~ than sagaoity and truth Of princ'p'r' q.
only accoun, for it by the fact. that oH'., -.