Weekly national intelligencer., 1853-09-17

ton of intense and conflicting paradoxes but code sci
entifcay coherent and practically useful consider what
description and what quantity OF mind have been held
needfu by students Of mind in order conspicuous emil
long maintained in craftsmanship that great prac
tcal science that great philosophical art whose ends
the existence, happiness, and honor Of q nation
whose truths to be drawn from the widest survey of
man. of social man. of the particular and particu-
lar community for which government is to be made
kept policy to be provided philosophy in action,
demanding at once afording place for the highest
speculative genius and the most skfu conduct OF
and of affairs; and, finally, consider what degree and
kind Of mental power has been found to be required in
order to influence the Of an audience and ma
ton by speech-not magnetzing the mere nervous or
emotional nature by effort Of that nature but opera
pg on reason by great reputation in forensic
ana deberatve eloquence, maintained and advancing
M or me ume Il is thus that come to be sure that
ms ntslectual power was real and uniform its
remarkable.
II was not quite SO easy to anayze that power
pare or contrast IT with that other mental celebrities
and show how il differed or resembed as it was to dis
cern its existence.
Whether for example, he would have excelled as much
in other fields OF exertonn speculative philosophy for
example, in any Of its departmcnts-is problem impos-
sbe to determine and needless to move To me il seems
quite clear that the whole wealth his powers his whole
emotional nature his eloquent feeling his matchless ca
paciy affect Others conduct by affecting their pract
cal judgments, could not have been known could not
have been poured forth in stream rich and strong
ana Iu, could not nave SO reacted and aided and
winged the mighty intelligence in any other walk of
mind life than that he chose that in any other there
must have been disoinng Of qualities which God
had untcdsome divorce Of pure intellect from the helps
or bndrances companionship Of common sense and
beautiful genius and that in any field speculative
ideas but half Of him. part Of him. could have found
its sphere Whatthat part might have been ordone it
vain to inquire.
have been told that the assertion has been hazarded
that he " was great in understanding deficient in the
large reason" and to prove this distinction he is
pared disadvantageousy with Socrates Aristotle Plato
Lebnitz Newton, and Descares If this that he
did not devote his mind such wa their specula
ons, 1t is true but that would prove that he had
not as much higher reason" Where Bacons higher
reason when he composing his reading the Statute
of Uses? Had he lost it? was he only not employ
ing it? he employing it investigation of law?
Ii it means that he had not much absolute intellectual
power they could not, in their departments have
done what they did, it may be dismissed dogma in
capable OF proof and incapable of reutaton Intellectual
as disparagement unphilosophical o comparison.
1t is too common with those who come from the
ries OF coistered speculation to judge practical life,
say Of him, and such he that they do not enlarge
universal law, and first principles and philosophical
ideas;" that " they add maxim formed by induc
on out of human history and old thought In this there
is truth and yet it totally fails prove that they
do not possess all the intellectual power and all the spe
cfc form of intellectual power required for such de-
scrption of achievements and it totally fails, too to
prove that they do quite truly the glory
of God and the betering of mans estate" Whether
they such power not the evidence does not dis
prove and it is pedantic dogmatsm, if it is not
gnant dogmatism which, from such eudence pronounces
that they do not but it is doubtless So that by orig
nal bias by accidental circumstances deliberate choice
he determined early to devote himself practical and
great Duty and that to uphold arecen delicate, and
complex political system which his studies, his sagacity
taught him, Solon learned was the best the people
could bear to uphold it, adapt essential principles
and its actual organism to the great changes of his me
the eniargng terrtory enarging numbers sharper an
tagonisms; mlghuer PASSIONS a new nationality and
under it, and by means of it, and by steady government
wise policy of business temperate conduct Of foreign
relations to enable people to deveoe their resources
and fulfil their mission This he selected his work
earth this his task this if well done his consolation,
his joy his triumph To this, call it, in comparison with
the medatons of philosophy, humble high he brought
all the vast gifts Of intellect whatever they were where
with God had enriched him. And now do they infer that
because he selected such work to do he could have
possessed the higher form Of intellectual power do
they say that because having selected it, he performedit
with inaserly and uniform sagacty and pruencs, and
good sense, using the appropriate TO the
eced end that therefore he could have possessed
the higher form of intellectual power? because oil his
life long he recognised that his vocation that Of
statesman and jurst not that of thinker and dreamer
in the shade, still less of general agtator that his du
ties connected themselves mainly with existing supen
dous political order Of things to be kept to be adapted
with all possible civil discretion and temper the growth
OF the nation, but by TO be exchanged for any
quantity Of amorphous matter in the form Of universal
law new maxims and great ideas born since the last
change OF the because he quite habtunlly spoke
the language of the Constitution and the law not the
phraseoiogy Of philosophy confning himself very
much to incucang historical traditional and indispen-
sable maxims neutrality, justice good faith, obser
vance OF fundamental compacs Of Union and the like
because il Amerca-our America-he sought pre-
serve and to set forward to her glory, much
abstract conception of humanity; because he could
bine many ideas, many elements, many antagonisms
in harmonious and noble practical politics. instead Of
fastening only andthat sign of small or per-
yerted abiltyaggravatng it to disease and alsehood
1t therefore inferred that he had the larger form of
intellectual power?
And this power was not oppressed, but aided and
compshed by exercise the most constant the most
we're, the most st;mulan and by force of will
markabe as his genius, and by adequate mental and
tasteful culture. How much the eminent greatness it
reached is due to the various and lofty competition
which he brought if he could the careful prepara
on competition with adversaries quibas crtore erat
gloriosus, guam advsarios habere prGse-
modo nnngudm orun aJ ipso cursus inpedi-
us db sis suus sed scmper alter ab aero dduus
e commUnicando, d naonendo taDendo, you may well
appreciate.
claim much, too, under the of mere mental cul-
ture. Remark his style allow its full weight to the
Horatian maxim, scrtbend recte sapee est princpum
ons and admit that he had deep and exquisite judg
ment largely Of the gift of God But such style as his
is due also to art to practice in the matter Of STYLE in
cessant to great examples Of fine writing turned by the
nightly and the daily hand to Cicero through whvse pei
lucid deep tho pearl shows distinct and large and
near, as If within the arms reach to Virgil whose
c OF words whose exquisite structure and erich
my OF expression other writer ever cquaed: TO
English Bible and especially to the propheca writings
and Of these especially to Ezekiel of Of whose pc
cuiates, and among them that Of the repetition of sin
gle words phrases for phass and impression friend
has called attention 10 very striking illustrations
to Shakespeare, CT the style Of whose comic dialogue
may in the language Of the great critic assert that it
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