Washington sentinel. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1856, 1855-07-12
Compliment TO Lieutenant Maury.

AT the dinner Of the Alumni Of the University
Of Virginia, the President Of the Society, Mr.. b.
Johnson Barbour, il proposing the health of
Lieutenant Maury, made the following remarks;
Il do not think any Of this company will refuse
to DO honor 10 the last of our regular toasis I'M
less perchance it be some over ardent friends of
Campbell or Of Byron-for the person to whom il
IS ohered has done much To make some of their
most glowing thoughts seem tame and spritless.
Campbell exclaims
When Science from Creations face,
Entertainments veil wthdraws
What lovely visions yield their place
To cold material lawt'
But we listened yesterday 10 one whose prose i
poetry, who has made gorgeous Imagination the
humble handmade of science, and who not admir-
ing as much as Campbell the rude and cumbrous
veil woven by the enchantment Of ignorance.
which takes the unknown for the magnificent,
has torn It of TO display the far lovelicr visions Of
the beauty, order and harmony of nature
Byron's address TO the ocean is, | fear too some
what endangered BY the coming of tins new and
practical poet, who makes better use of his Stars
and seas, than Mr.. Alexander Smyth Under
Byron lead we have all exclaimed a thousand
times:
.RolI on, thou deep and dark blue ocean. rollr
with no very definite idea as TO where it would
roll, what the objects Of its mission or the
sources of its power-bnt very much In the spirit
that n Scotchman would tell "daft chiel," or a
wifu man TO gang his ain gait" But at length
we have son Of science who seems to have
studied the ocean best in its fercest moods, and
from 'the wild waves play has discovered some
OF their nobest purposes. Perhaps some of our
young friends who have a lingering affection for
the heather mythology, and are fresh from the
reading Of Lcmpriere and Anthem, may think that
Lieutenant Maury has taken unwarrantable ber-
with no ma md iunft yyzr
ia asking, for instance, how he learns his salt, :"
and what he does with it-stripping him Of his
flowing robes TO discover his anatomy-sounding
the depths Of what Byron has imposed upon us as
''fathOmless" waters-taking the metes and
bounds Of his submarine estates, and proclaiming
their topography and sunless treasures TO the
world-iaying his hand upon his heart and feeling
his pulse, as though he were his family physician
and finally, when all other schemes have failed
throwing bottles overheard continually, as though
he would get the old tyrant into n conyval mood,
and thus extract his choicest secrets.
But, more seriously, my friends, should we
express our gratitude 20 Lieutenant Maury-
% this Harvey Of the Scas--for his discovery
and explanations of the laws Of their circula-
ton; 10 this "chronielcr Of tho winds" as they
travel IN their circuits. Especially, should We
admire him for tho spirit in which all this has
been donr--that pure and hcAthful spirit which
has sought tho light of science 10 read Alright tho
aginniion ~ the iu6dcl poet seems tame by such
man. ~ his side how poor and paltry and in
sufficient seems tho science Of the sceptick talk
ING # tho laws of nature, without an acknow-
lcdgmcn, 81 The great Law-gvcr Ills is a |
higher pocty-his q lolicr mind. with grandcr |
hopes and brighter visions, who secs the bound |
les mercy ~ Providence displayed IN tho small. |
80 and Tho graudcsi of ~ works--in the coral |
insect and Tie iUighiicsi Lcviathan-and bows 10 |
iif influence and hears - voice IN the hghtcst /
breeze that duuplcv the surface or tie sea or in
To most firloas gale that thunders on thc wca.
ihrf -lioW. We cannot wonder NJ tho results Of
investigation pursued III such 4 spirit az THE Ma.
inrs delights ~ teach her lovers Heaven i /
Wa'rhtil oct T. worshippers, and allows them 10
ifarn 80 story ~ the drifting scn-wecd. and 90
gather wisdom FROM The relies of tie Storm,
- care vith caim delight .'till some new planet
svimr intp tartf ken, a. book with lhourhtfuI
serenity upap "tss hurricane eclipse Il the sun"
AID thns ioarns humhly - depend upon the one
INTEL Fcprr vhfrh rciens tlrrough al Honor 10
W. philosopher always, bot especially honor "a
70 unr Nt1 runes With flal devotion 10 Law his
ifnphas q m0thsre Fret and a. teach his
lNFihfru, lutr and Gath, and st with Amplrst
hnoN f1rr that ever fresh discovery IN science
IL lai frightening ~ = hnk IN that Rrrat chain
Nh.th unfrs - - the architect IL architect,
tiai rsrh, snd -. auA az. an bound Together
tf &C., Hrea, hani, nud tl.st an their fountains,
MatfRs anl currents, bui che pulsations III
,h.' Ertat hfar' ohirh tbroi~ n msrry through.
cut the WnNtrr
Won A. eager, grutlensn, ~ honor sneh
mao. eiirf Ipn, thsn plrdrr me with yopy
hearts, ai'd "i IL u0t a. 81 wine"
9aiihfw Nfart The rght minded mae.
30 arr irff Philosopher Ntte,nis sroWna wi,b
her love tht hae which 4 World hsstoos go I
ADDS hef hlfs-.aR - che Titles which proclaim
him NJ ofnsmsft a stienes and the friend n
humanity ,