Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1832-06-12

cd questions in the Law OF Nations, the rights acquired
by conquest discovery, and which conclude with most
interesting account Of the names, characters dispersion
and adventures of the OF Noah.-I do now Sir,
call your attention TO the very original and profound pecu-
aons OF the author these various topics tho
mirable skill and still more admirable imparahy with
which hc weighs and balances and in succession demo
fishes the rival hypothesis OF rival philosophers; but 10
earnestly call your attention to the learning cxten.
sivc, vast accurtc and profound, which these chapters
exhibit. Why, Sir, in this respect they are absolutely
without parallel, only in the literature of our oy b
OF any country Without parallel in the mass Of cru
don which in the compass of few pages thcv ccnccn-
tratc and condcnse Ii is evident Sir in readpo these
chapters that the authors well acquainted with ~ writer's
Industrious and obscure of every country age nation and
tong 40, ana was more particularly with the
Hebrew Arabic, Soncrit and Greek literature in all their
pr9hehcs lie quotes nom writers IN all these languages
q have, OF course, verified the quotations. with am case
precision and icy that marks his perfect knowledge of
their contents Why Sir, in these few chapters, in the
compass OF these few pages, he quotes Plato, Aristotle
hcnophon, 1maeus the locrian Donysis OF Iaicarnas.
sus, Dogcnes IacItus Polybus, Plutach, Sabo Siro-
bacus Photu Porphyry, Proclus, and Jamblichus Gas
soorS and JOrnancs Ben ManaSsch Benz Icta and Ben
Eyre, Abal- NIanzar, Abu Fedo, aud Abul- phaapius
with host OF others, forgetting the favouc authors of
Erhram Jepknson, Sauchoniahon, Maneth and Berosus
on see, sir the argument is at end. smile in the
pride oil conscious victoyI smile, when ask could
Washington Irving have written these chapters Did he
ever possess wash he suspected possess will not
say little, but the smallest imaginable fractional part of
that dark difficult aud aSrusc, and in which these chap
tiers show their author deeply versed Mr. Irving
himself, if can catch his cyc-havc it, sir--NIr Irving
himself shall and does smile when put the question:
when and where he acquired his knowledge of Hebrew
Arabic, and SanscriG As to the Greek do not push him
he may have had Homer, Pinlar and Anacreon but he
VIII not am sure assert that he has wasted the oil
OF his midnight lamp the visions of Plato; or the sub
tcteS OF Aristotle Bn ask not, sir, that Mr.. Irving
himself should reply ask not his confessions-T refer
sir, 10 his workshis acknowledged wri,ings-hose
TO which his title author is Disputed they shall
furnish all the evidence desire. Take. for example, the
Sketch Book, Braccbridge Hail. he Tales OF Traveller
DO ALL any either Of hose productions or any other OF
productions, exhibit any the lghtest that ''pro-
digous crulion which would have called forth the sne
cial wonder of Dominic Sampson himself and which Di-
cdcnck kmckcrbockSr in the first book OF immortal hiso-
ry actually displays? That these writings of friend
and guest manifest considerable talent not disposed
to deny The world seems disposed TO attribute to them
merits, of very high order bur their merits what
ever they arc, L affirm with confidence, are not
such "a books have supplied or ever will or can SIM
py-Tho writer il is evident depends foo much nm he
own resources His sentiments such his own OBJ
scrvatons, reflections and feelings have suggeste,-and
his books, far from being transcript of the books of other
men, are the transcript merely of the mind heart of
their author Rate them high as YOU please the merits
and cScclcncies of these acknowledged writings of our
guest, my is still their exceences hav c nothing
III common with those OF my nimitabe chapters and il
would be absurd therefore TO attribute them common
origin
What avas it then tell me- sir that in the productions
10 winch nave referred, guest has evnced mastery
almost unrivalled OF ournobc language that his English
is not rich and copious but genuine and idoma;ic-
mancsting his intimate familiarity with the best writers
OF ,'S peSt age oil our literature The age of Elizabeth
and Shakcspearc-shewing with what delight he has
bathed in those livng iounts of pocSy and thogh-wh
what delight lac has drawn from those pure wells of En-
gsh undced What avails il TO tell inc of The varied
structure the rhimetcal ow the harmonious cadence of
ms sentences oil all those thousand nameless beauties
style, which taste and feeling alone suggest asto and
feeling alone appreciate?
What avais it, to persist to tell OF those higher quail
ties OF his mind, which his productions are bv his partial
friends supposed TO cxhbhs deep knowledge of the hu-
man hear-his nice discrimination of characteristic ex-
qustc Scnsbltyhs racy and original humour-his keen
and delicate w-hs bright and boundless fancy? (much
cheering)l am not so foolish, sir take this applause
any portion OF 1t, TO myself weak, permit it TO
divert me from my argumcnt-You mean all of YOU to
| desp and
true BE it So Endeavoring conquer YOUR prciudices
I my guard against my own-wisbina Won to bc
Just TO kmckerbocker would be myself unjust TO r.
wing The praises may be but they concern me not,
listen to them calm and unmOved; for they touch not
| my argument they do not prove-they have nothing
to povc-tha Washington Irving ever did ever could
write the unequalled chapters which rest my cause
resume thcn-how does it affect my argument tina, in
some OF these writings OF friend, guest and towns
man, grow confess and more fond Of on
ana most elective irony that reminds irresisby of The
haPpest efforts OF Cervantes and Fielding that in some
he has nvacd the humor Of Swift unpolued by an atom
OF his gossnessin Others the pahos of Sternc
from any mixture of afectaton and quantness? How
does aiect my argument that in of his productions
he likes our attention and steals into our hearts with all
thoSc unobrusve graces, that unprcending and quiet
ye,i most oewcGing and intelligent simplicity that gives
10 me writings OF Goldsmith their peculiar charm whilst
in others, he mcs and elevaes and pures our affections
by strain OF moral sentiment, lofty and rencd
as 10 leave IN the whole circle of English Literature Ad.
olson aud Mackenzie as his only rivals cloud and re-
peatcd cheers) Again. Gentlemen, understand Won
Again. whilst discaim the applause Won cemncI mo 10
say you move me not You mean TO Te-echo and ratfv
the praises that others have bestowed and repea Re
1t sobut planted within the circle of the Five Chapers
the praises ana The echo pass by the idle wind
for they shake not the slightest Ouwor of the
bic fortress IN which am stationed. Some however of
the friends OF our guest may think possible TO refte me
by referring to what they may deem the greatest and most
valuable OF his works the Life of Coumbs They nav as
Sert mat tins work contains evidence that our
Die oil the application and may therefor well possess the c
qnrenens OF the schOlanOt of ordinary and super-
cla but oil thoroughly instructed deeply learned scbo-
ar They tell me that the information contained in this
work. tucr, more curious authentic and original than
TO be found IN any similar work. in any language on the
same subject That they show the researches of the au
thor TO have been most extensive and prove him 10 have
explored with an unring and successful zeal every ms
sibc source whence light and knowledge could have been
derived or expected All this may be admitted but when
admitted what does ii prove? Does il prove that Wash
lngton Irving ever possessed that abstract love of study
Tor the sake OF study those habits of unntermittnp plod
Ding diligence, which Dederck Knickerbocker must have
possessed and exercised for years. TO enable him to oc
CURE nose stores OF literature which in his first book he
p0us ioh with all the profusion of unbounded wealth,
moi at aI any man. when stimulated by poyyerGil mn
I'VE may evnce Tor time, the application of student
any man engaged In the composition of work. which he
hopes may extend his fame or the fame Of those be
wishes TO celebrate may submit with checrlnes and
success TO all the labor which the performance of his task
requires In the preparation of his work. il is plain tbe
author oil the Life of Columbus influenced bv strono
ana peculiar teelngsfeelngs, that not only melted him
10 commence iabors but animated and sustained his tolls
lie was inspired with very sincere and deem I had
almost sad passionate many will think romantic adj.
raon oil the character, virtues, talents of his selected
nero Tie was DESTROYS TO dispense forever tle "a.
unes and misrepresentation, that when he med-