Virginia advocate. [volume] (Charlottesville, Va.) 1827-1860, 1830-01-15
THE ADVOCATE.
FRIDAY. JANuARY j. 1sa
THE LIFE OF ARTHUR LEE.
RerieaCcd in the Yankee.
BENEVOLUS.


Some one has done us the favor To forword 70
us the December number of the monthly peri
odical, called the Yankee, published in Boston,
and edited by one John Neal On the cover n
hand directs us to the Life of Arthur Lee"
We have very rarely seen number of this Bos
ton periodical. In those which have come I'M
der our observation it has appeared to be the OBJ
Ject OF the editor 10 attract notice, by startling
paradoxes and extravagant speculation, convoy
ed In 4 sprIghty and piquant style. Of tho
Editor himself We know but little, and that lit
tie is not calculated to add much weight bcyond
the merit which his productions themselves
may ciaim' or to redeem the superficial and COM
Diohpiace character of thoughts to which the
mere articles of style have contrived to confer
something OF the appearance of originality
We have understood that he commenced his
career of literary ambition in this country. OF
The early labours of his pen We know nothing
Ihey attracted notice, we believe, chiefly as
objects OF severe criticism, and sarcastic rd-
Guile Finding that his productions were not
suited to the public taste in hs native country,
and stung by the reception they met with here,
he resolvedsto change the scene of his labors,
and to transfer those merits which his own coun-
trymcn were to dull to appreciate or too envious
to acknowledge. to another Hemisphere, and
more congenial theatre. He accordingly emf
grated to Great Britain, and, for some years.
sought and earned lrecarious livelihood as a.
hreling contributor to Blackwood's Magazine.
In the pages of this periodical, devoted, as it al
ways has been, to the principles of Ultra-Tory-
s'1, and distinguished by its hostility to his ma
tive country, its laws, manners and institutions,
he found tit outlet for his own cxasperated re-
sentiments, and delighted to spread that venom
which is known to rankle, with peculiar malig
nifty, in the bosom of the renegade over the fair
reputation OF his native land. The glory of our
heroes and the fame OF our patriots, our man
ners and our morals, our claims to distinction in
science, literature and the arts, all, all were
ruthcssly assailcd by this degenerate son, and.
bad they been composed of the weak and perish
able clements which he would have persuaded
the world to believe, would have shrunk mil
dewod and blasted before tho breath of his en-
veDomed ISLANDERS. He returned to the United
states, how long since do not know, n or is it
material. But this is well known; that he. in
no long time, and with characteristic effronterv.
assumed the functions of an Editor, and threw
himself on the public theatre of the country
whose character and institutions had so recent
" been the objects of his inveterate abuse as a
censor m0rum ct arbitcr clegantiarum.
While he confined himself to disuusitions
purely literary, to criticisms Cd the Dram \. and
TO Biographical notices of eminent men wh,ro
names have seldom passed beyond the Ii mits of.
the villages in which they lived and died g.
would i't'ic concern the public who he is ar.
what MS claims to the confidence which no
ltinaiio"ses Enl the case wears FAR different,
aspect "heh his indiscriminate appetite for CEN
sure ro's IN the characters ofthe llustrious dc,d
ne pubic have right TO know tho grounds IF
claims he advances to their confidence ,vbo 49,,
dertakes to disturb the verdict by which crots.
iui and admitting world have CONSUMED sscb
men as Washington and Franklin TO imnor,,,;
w. ana to require that an attempt so rash and
parficidal, should rest on evidence the stronaos,
and most iDcontestible. The censure which bo
passes on Washington is in mere wontopess a,
70 NOTICE MN al all In . review ofthe Biography
oi ARTHUR LEE, so far as appears from the review
itself, was altogether gIatuitous and uncoIlod
tor, AVID rests on no facts not lopr since /, H.
possession of the public. His motives ore or1,,
70 DO sought Tor in Chat morbid ambition Of no.
Icriety which constitutes, if we arc fi0btlv in.
formed ono ofthc most striking traits Of his char.
ac'er; and are ofthe same family with that which,
IN a"tent times prompted the conaagraiion ofthe
hFncsiah Temple. But the fame of Wasb;,r.
ION Is composed Of more enduring materials
than pciishabIc wood and marble. This free
government and this fair land ara tho NOM
mems OF his glory, and the record of his a.
cneVlnen's IS inscribed in tie boaris of bis
gra'e'pi t''E'rymcn, end will DO lyana.n, ted to