The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1839-06-08

and habits OF industry and Temperance more
deep than he did, whose genius was after
wards to rank with the Galileos and the New
tons Of the old world. No patrician, born TO
shine IN Courts or assist at the councils Of
monarchs, ever bore his honors in lofty sta
ioh more easily, or was less spoilt by the en-
Jpyment oil them, than this common workman
u'u when negotiating with royal representa-
ives or caressed by all the beauty and fashion
u me most brilliant Court in Europe.
RI Sa'n' he was self taught ia all he knew.
ii's hours OF study were stolen from those of
sieeP ahu meals, or gained by some ingenious
con'riVance Tor reading while the work OF his
daily calling went on. Assisted by none Of
the helps which afiluence tenders to the stu
dies Of the rich, he had to supply the place Of
tutors by redoubed diligence, and of COM
mentaries by repeated perusal. Nay, the
possession of books was TO be obtained by
copying what the art which he himself exer-
ciscd furnished easily TO others.
Next, the circumstances under which others
succumb he made to yield, and bent to his
own purposes successful leader Of a revolt
that ended in complete triumph after appear
ing desperate for years; great discover in
philosophy without the ordinary helps to
knowledge; writer famed for his chaste
style without classical education skilful
negociator, though never bred to politics;
ending as fayorite, nay, a patron OF fashion,
when the guest OF frivolous Courts, the life
which ne had begun 10 garrets and workshops.
Lastly, combinations Of faculties, in others
deemed impossible. appeared easy and natu-
raj in him. The philosopher, delighting in
speculation, was also eminently a man Of ac-
ton. Ingenious reasoning, refined and subtle
consultation, were in him combined with
prompt resolution and inllexible firmness Of
purpose. To live fancy, he joined learned
and deep reflection his original and inyen-
tive genius stopped to the convenient alliance.
of the most ordinary prudence in everyday
affairs the mind that scared above the clouds,
and was conversant with the loftiest Of human
CONCENTRATIONS, disdained not to make pro-
verbs and feigned parallels for the guidance
OF apprenticed youths and seryile maidens
and the hands that sketched a free constitu-
ilon Tor whole continent, or drew down the
lightning from heaven, easily and cheerfully
lent themselves to simplify the apparatus by
which truths were to be illustrated; or dis
coveries pursued.
His whole course both in acting and in
speculation was simple and plain, ever pre-
ierrlng the easiest and shortest road, nor ever
having recourse to any but the simplest
means to compass his ends. His policy re-
Jected all refinements, and aimed at accom-
plishing its purposes by the most rational and
obvious expedients. His language was I'M
adorned, and used as the medium of COM
municatlng his thoughts, not of raising admit
ration; but it was pure, expressive, racy.-
His manner Of reasoning was manly and CO.
gent, the address of rational being to others
of the same order; and so concise, that, pre-
ferring decision to discussion, he never ex-
ceeded quarter of an hour in any public ad-
dress. His correspondence upon business,
whether private or on State affairs, is model
of clearness and compendious shortness nor
can any State papers surpass in dignity and
impression those of which he is believed to
have been the author in the earlier part of the
p,i@sSp"h Tnsga' MIG war 80" mode OF
the inductiye. principle, so eminently adapted
TO his nature, and SO clearly dictated by COM
mon sense, that we can have little doubt it
would have been suggested by Franklin, if
it had notbcen unfolded by Bacon, though it
is as clear that in this case it would have been
eXpounded in more simple terms. But Of all
this great mans scientific excellencies, the
most remarkable is the smalness, the simpli-
city, the apparent inadequacy, of the means
which he employed in his experimental re-
searches. His discoveries were made with
hardly any apparatus at all and if at any
time, he had been led to employ instruments
Of n somewhat less ordinary description, he
never rested satisfied until he had as it were,
afterwards transplanted the process, by re-
solving the problem with such simple machi-
merry that you mghtsa he had done ii wholly
unaded by apparatus The experiments by
which the identity Of lightning and electricity
was demonstrated, were made with sheet
of brown paper, bit of Irvine, silk thread,
and an iron key
Upon the integrity of this great man, whe-
Their in public or in private life, there rests no
stain. Strictly honest, and even scrupulously
punctual, in all his dealings he preserved in
the highest fortune that regularity which he
had practised as well as inculcated in the
lowest. The phrase which he once used
when interrupted in his proceedings upon
the most arduous and important affairs, by
demand of some petty item in long account
-" Thou shalt not m,,zzlc the OK that treads
out the corn"-has been cited against him
as proving the laxity of his dealings when in
trust Of public money; it plainly proves the
reverse for he well knew that in country
Astounding in discussion, and full Of bitter
personal animosities, nothing could be gained
of immunity BY refusing TO produce his
vouchers at the fitting ti.,e and his ventur.
ing to use such language demonstrates that
he knew his conduct to be really above sus-
picion.
In domestic life he was faultless, and in
the intercourse Of society delightful. There
was constant good humor and playful wit,
easy, and of high relish, without any ambition
to shine, the natural fruit of his lively fancy,
his solid, natural good sense, and his cheer