Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1829-07-14

"eSt dissemination. These We Shall take Tie 90,
nest opportunity OF repubiishing. Meanwhile nm
readers will Su Interested in The ioowing ariel,
The Memoir and Correspondence of MIR. Jeff..r.on
=. JeGerSom's .Hemoir anil Corrsspoo5enc,
| III there Is no species of nriin,, ,ha, ca ;n,o,,
Us as the lives of ustrious men = ! -; eiesls
pleasure Is very greatly enhanced when th ~;
are written by themselves For besides tLa, &C.
oi the mrs, petso" gives freshness and n,mntion IN
tne narrative, which piace the scenes and ch.rao
OF the drama more fairly before our ewes We s 49,,
SUBJECT OF the biography in the double character of
oh rue THEATRE and narrator of the part he has
F." see MS own views of his own ,ct,ons.
ana although, Tor the most pa self complac.r,
oe seen to accompany most of the o,ts Viii ~
writer chses to record, yet there is such nm ni;n;,
variety OF modes in which this sentiment nav ,,a,;
.a. $50, .at even mere we learn important char
ac.efistIc T the individual. One man nrid,s H.
sen on one thing, another on ati,nb.s. ON, ,,., -;
,.is way and another III thatssone seeiss 10 nbaoc.
MS i.ort by eSaegeraion, aothcr by aii' cfnf, moi
esty. ana third prefers To hint iisinue his Good
quaiics. Besides, II rs agreeable To compare as
we often may do, the views of the writer al he ,;mo
' - wfting, WIN those which aCna.cd him at the
peftou he describes Autobiography in nrunhcrlcss
wuSs' III short, affords materials of speculation aud
interest nat a biography written BY another ucvcr
can 1t IL therefore that tn, memoirs of Suilv aud
re fctz had such welcome reception in tier tav-
that those or Rousseau Mormontc aud (,,n,berland
have produced still greater interest since AMI ,,
te ineagre sketches of Hume. Franklin and (,bbon
proved such acceptable treats to the reading por-
tioh oil mankind Indeed, such is the charm Which
autobiography nirisIcally possesses, that we can IN
ieratc, and even draw amusement from the coo ist c,
eiiGsinns aud vulgar gossip Of player Il musician
or denii'ep such O'Keec Mrs I}clIamy and NJ rs
Robinson, and all that tribe.
The American public then, will read Will, Tho live
nest curiosity and interest. the brief sketch which
Nr. Jefferson has, at the age of H. here made of his
very active and useful public lic and they will not
iaii to regret that the iust author has not ,vcp
us more complete and finished pictures Of the ptemo
rahie scenes he had passed through and the consp
cno'iS characters he had moved amongst when we
ma such mastery skill exhibited in these his hastv
sketches. lie often hits off the most striking features
OF character by single touch ,if his pencil Of all
me distinguished ndiy lduas ho have figured in the
Revolution, and the subsequent annals OF this conn
try Mr. Jeiicison will occupv.a place in the hstcrv
OF the times inferior only to that of Washington and
perhaps. OF franklin. His agency in PREPARING the
public mind for the Revoiuiidn-lis services as a
ihehincr OF Congress-as Governor of Virgua-as
one OF the Revisers Of It's laws-asa Ncnotiator-ns
Secretary of State-as President and as Founder
OF fs University, form together series OF services
That no other can tch in number or variety and
LieY make up, by their utility and long continuance
Tor line WALT OF the splendour conferred by military
fame
But we are not going to writefhe life Of Mr. Jef!ar
SON that Is familiar to al who will read this fuoitivr
sheet, and 1T were not it has been too hackneyed
u theme from ono end OF Union to the other tn
make II advisable. We-merely wish to remind the
's~'faI' "a pSeaIasls tos his talents his
services his tcrvd devotion5o his country and IL
cause OF civil liberty has here given the world his
own opinions ~ Ills own most ustrions acts; and
that after he ceased to be the parator of his own hui
sy useful life, his letters and correspondence, now OIL
ven 20 the world, exhibit his plans and schemes to i'm
prove The condition Of his country and his opini,us
OF men and things, i'll his own nervous pcrspicuous
aid often beautiful, composition. We think that
'heac Volumes VIII prove To the American reader the
most delicious literary treat that their own country
has afforded Here tie surviving actor of the
revolution, VIII at once have many fdn" rccnllcc.
tons revived, and learn much that was never before
Igis Ia I.,s,.., r1l H. a.
ton will see picture faithful as it is spirited of
that memorable which is sacred in his affections
To which his imagination fondIy rccurs and of
which the mlnutCst incident is read with he mos, do
lightful interest
But The pleasure which this work will rive &c its
smallest recommendation. IL is rcprcte with political
wisdom. Mr.. Jchcrsons preceps were drawn from
a close Observations of the characters of mon rs hc
had seen them exhibited i'll real life and not as they
are represented i'll history Firmly persuaded that hu
man societies are competent To their own govern
mem, and that their happiness aud prosperity are in
proportion to their freedom, he DISPLAYS GREAT saon
city III providing means for pcrpejuang that free
dom by either ncurailzng the interests and passions
OF individuals or 10y making them Cooperate to the
public good. NO American read this book with
attention without finding himself greatly instruct ed
in the difficult science of government nor without =
better understanding of the rationale of our poljti-
cal Institutions. On the less important concerns of
lie, the same quick perception Of right and wrong
and the same cicous mode Of presenting the grounds
of his opinions arc Conspicuous The whole too *
conveyed ID style of the most engaging simplicity
We have been fovoured by the respectable editor
of tins valuable work. with copies Of the volumes
already printed with liberty to make extracts from
them, for the Museum, and we shall avail ourselves
OF his kindness, by presenting readers with ex-
tracts from them, far as we do it without
abusing tue power, or teo mnch forestalling the
pleasure which the pcrusal of the whole work will
confer. Mr. Jefferson thus notices his first appear
ance IN that great political drama VI cl has so n1u-
eDced the desnies of this country and of mankind.
NYhcn the famous Resolutions OF 1855, against Stamp
act proposed, was student at law WILLIAMSBURG
attended the debate however, the door of the lobby
House of Burgeses, and heard tue splendid display MIR
HcnTy's talents popular They great indeed
such as have heard from any other He appeared
to- me to speak Homer Nh Johnson, lawyer and
member from the Northern neck seconded the resolutions
by him the learning and logic of the chiefly
tanned My recOlectiOns these transactions be
page go of the Life Of Patrick Henry, by Wrt, o,whom
furnished them.