Virginia advocate. [volume] (Charlottesville, Va.) 1827-1860, 1830-07-30

The Literary AutO- Biography Of Sir Walter
What a mass of interest lies in ,boss
few words - says the London Literary Gazette !:
and who will not echo the sentiments The
above work has been published at Edinburgh,
but we are not aware of any copies having been
yet received in this country. The Literary Ga.
zette, hwoever, contains some extracts from il
of which we hasten to give our readers a speci
men.
"My birth, without giving the least preten.
sion TO distinction, was that of a gentleman, and
connected me with several respectable families
and accomplished persons. My education had
been a good one, although l was deprived of its
full benefit by Indifferent health, lust at the me-
Rod when l ought to have been most sedulous in
improving it. Tho young men with whom |
was brought up, and lived most Familiarity, were
'hose VINO, from opportunities, birth, and talents,
might be expec'.d to make the greatest advances
In the profession to which we were all destined:
andi have the pleasure still to preserve nv
youthful intimacy with no inconsiderabIe Nun.
Der oil them, whom their merit has carried for.
ward TO the highest honour of .heir profession.
iseither was l IN a situation TO be embarrassed
by the res ang uSta domi, which might otherwise
have interrupted my progress in a profession in
which progress is proverbially slow. enioved
a moderate degree of business for nv standing.
and the friendship of more than one person of
consideration sufficiently disposed ITO aid nv
views in life. The private fortune, also. which
l might expect, and finally inherited, from nv
family, did not, indeed, amount to afluence. bu,
placed me considerably beyond all apprehension
OF want. l mention these particulars merely be.
cause they are true. Many better men than NV.
self have owed their rise from indulgence and oh.
security TO their own talents, which were, doubt-
less, much more adequate to the task of raising
them than any which ] possess. Although il
would be absurd and ungracious in me TO denv
that owe to literature many marks of distinc-
ton to which | could not otherwise have aspired
and particularly that OF securing the aconaint.
ance, and even the friendship, ofmany remarks.
BILE persons Of the age, to whom, / might pot
otherwise have made my way it would on the
other hand, be ridiculous to affect gratitude to
the public favor, either for my position in soc;e.
ty, or the means Of supporting it with decercv
matters which had been otherwise secured urder
the usual chances of human affairs. Tins m,cb
J have thought Ut necessary to say upon the sub.
Ject which is, after all, of very little conseopence
to any one but myself ] proceed to detail the
the circumstances which engaged me in literary
pursuits. During the last ten years of the
eighteenth century, the art of poetry was at a
remarkable low ebb in Britain Haley, to whom
fashion had some years before ascribed a higher
degree of reputation than ~posterity has confirm
ed, had now lost his reputation for talent, though
he still lived admired and respected as an anna.
BILE man. The Bard of Memory slumbered on
his laurels, and he of Hope had scarce begun to
attract his share Of public attention. Cowper ,