Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1850-12-21
g. Il Mise and Mastery Inactivity"

MEssRs. GALES 81 SEAToN. GENTLEMEN The object
Of brief article the 9Th, which appeared in your paper
Of the 9TH instant simply to show that the phrase wise
and mastery inactivity" whose authorship had been in the
public journals Of country, successfully claimed for Mr.
Calhoun and Mr. Randolph, owed its origin to neither Of
those distinguished Americans, but Of foreign birth, in
asmuch had been used by Sir James Mcintosh in his
celebrated "defence Of the French revolution" entitled
Vindicie Galics Moreover could not be agreeable to
American from time to time articles in the papers
giving credit TO his countmen for that which well read per-
every where knew not original with them quo
ted then, the passage from that work. in which the phrase
occurred In doing this, however, it by pure nadver,ence
marked appear in the text as quotation 1t is
not quotation in Mcintosh but bis text The correc
ton of this mistake deem important on its own account
and because an article in yesterdays negencer" signed
happens take notice Of the fact that the phrase in
my article is in quotation This writer also inmate though
very vaguely his impression that it first used by Lord
Chatham in speech delivered by him during the Of the
revolution" Another article, in the paper by B,
marks that the phrase does appear to have attracted
general particular notice until adopted BY Mr. CAL
boun that if he did not originate he gave celebrity"
This singular observation to make Of author like Nc
Intosh, whose reputation s world wide One might, with
almost equal popey, say that (when recent occason
the close Of the last memorable session of Congress- Mr.
Webster began Speech to the multitude who thronged his
door night by quoting "Now is the winter of our discon-
tent, &C., if be did originate that passage he gave
celebrity In one limited one, ndeed-both may
be said have ven celebrity to the respective quotations
But, more strangely still B. proceeds to say that Dean
Swift, in letter to Aburhnot employed the expression
wise delay and therefore he B edwards the prize to
the DEAN viz Of having been the author of the phrase
wise and mastery inactivity !"
The phrase wise and mastery inactivity is uncom-
mon one and is highly expressive and philosophical is
besides sufficiently redoent Of Sir James Mcintosh and Of
his peculiar mode of thinking, speaking, and writing Still 1t
may not have originated with but been derived by him from
higher source The ideas conveyed BY common enough
II only the way ofexpresng those ideas that renders Pc
cuia and striking. The policy, for example, which the
great Roman General Fabus opposed the "terbe ener-
Nv of Hannibal has been known and ever been called
wise deIay; it would more fifty have been denominsted
wise and mastery inactivity" which but synonyme
Of the expression, " Fabian policy"
had written so far when the learned letter Of your Rich
mond correspondent H. met my eye, announcing that the
phrase in question is used by Demoshenes feel quite
obliged to H. for this information, and for other sensible OBJ
serysons in his letter, in which, doubt all who take an
interest in such topics will unite. But he should have cited
the passage given the original WORDS and pointed out wne-
bes spy and what Of Demoshenes had made the
version in the very words Hse and mastery activity Ihis
hope may be done by who happens to possess
more leisure and facilities than your friend and servant
i D,crnpan IL. 1850. F.M.