Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1855-11-28
BY Il. BUCHER.. sSWOOPE


| painter and the greatest scholar of the age.
The spectacle had allured Reynolds from that
| easel which has preserved to us the thoughtful
! foreheads of so many writer's and statesmen,
| and the sweet smiles of so many noble matrons
1t had induced Parr to suspend his labors in
| that dark and profound mine from which he
mad extracted vast treasure of erudition-a
treasure toe often buried in the earth, too Oft
en- paraded with injudicious and inelegant os-
tentation; but still precions, massive, and
splendid. There appeared the yoluptuous
charms of her to whom the heir of the throne
| had in secret plighted his faith. There, too,
was she, the beautiful mother of beautiful
race, the Saint Cecilia, whose delicate fea-
tures lighted up by love and music, art has
| rescued from the common decay. There were
the members of that brilliant society which
| quoted, criticised, and exchanged repartees,
under the rich peacock hangings of Mrs. Mon
tague And there the ladies, whose lips, more
| persuasive than those OF Fox himself, had car
ried the Westminster election against palace
| and treasury, shone round Georgiana Duchess
|. of Deyoushire.
| The sergeants made proclamation. Hastings
advanced to the bar and bent his knee. The
| culprit was indeed unworthy of that great pre-
! sence HI had ruled an extensive and popu-
| lous country, had made laws and treaties, had
sent forth armies. had set mp and pulled down
| princess. And in his high place he had so
borne himself that all had feared him, that
most had loved him, and that Hatred itself
| could deny him no title to glory, except yir-
! tue. He looked like great man, and not
like a bad man, A person small and eniacia-
ted, yet deriving dignity from a carriage
which, while it indicated Difference TO the
court, indicated also habitual self-possession
and self-respect ia high and intellectual fore
head ia brow pensive, but not gloomy "a
mouth of infexible decision; face pale and
worn, but serene, on which was written. as le-
gibly as under the great picture in the council
chamber at Calcutta, Mens eqrta in ardias -
such was the aspect with which the great pro-
4 consul presented himself to the judges.
! His counsel accompanied him, men all of
whom were afterwards raised by their talents
and learning to the highest posts in their pro-
fession,-the bold and strong minded Law, af-
terwards Chief Justice of the Kings Bench; /;
the more humane and eloquent Dallas, after
wards Chief Justice of the Common Pleas;
and Plomer, who, nearly twenty years later,
Z successfully conducted in the same high court
the defence of Lord Melville, and subsequently,
became Vice Chancellor and Master of the rolls
But neither the culprit nor his advocates at
tracted so much notice as the accusers. In
the midst of the blaze of red drapery, space
! had been fitted up with green benches and Ia
= bles for the Commons. The managers, with
Burke at their head, appeared in full dress
The collectors of gossip did not fail to remark
that even Fox. generally so regardless Of his
appearance had paid to the illustrious tribunal
3 the compliment of wearing bag and sword
Pitt had refused to be one of the conductors
of the Impeachment; and his commanding, CO.
! pious, and sonorious eloqrenee, was wanting
| TO that great muster of various talents. Age
. and blindness had untitled Lord North for the
l duties of public prosecutor; and his friends
! were left without the help of his excellent
sense, his tact, and his urbanity. But, in
: spite of the absence of these two distinguish
$ ed members of the Lower House, the box in
$ which the managers stood, contained an array
: of speakers such as perhaps had not appeared
. together since the great age of Athenian elo-
2 quence. There stood Fox and Sheridan, the
English DeInosthenes, and the English Hype-
+ rides. There was Burke, ignorant, indeed, OF
{ negligent OF the art of adapting his reasonings
/, and his style to the capacity and taste of his
: hearers but in the aptitude of comprehension
r and richness of Imagination superior to every
G orator, ancient or modern. There, with eyes
e revsrentially fixed on Burke, appeared tire fin.
r est gentleman Of the age--his form developed
t by every manly exercise-his face beamine
: with intelligence and spirit--the ingenious, the
e chivarous, the high-souled Windham Nor
e though surrounded by such men did the young
s est manager pass unnoticed. at an age wher
f most of those who. distinguish themselves il
: life are still contendng for prizes, and fellow
6 ships at college, he had won for himself con
: spicuous place in Parliament. No advantag,
d of fortune or connection was wanting tha
e could set off to the height his splendid talent
a and his unbemished honor. AT twenty thre,
|, he had been thought worthy to be ranked witt
!, the veteran statesmen who appeared as tn
# delegates of the British Commons, at the ba
e of the British mobility. All who stood at tina
e bar, save him alone, are gone-culprit, advo
ri Gates ,accusors.s To the generation which
h now in the vigor of life, ,he is sole representa-
II tive of great age which has passed away
e But those who, within the last ten years, hav
;, listened with delight. till the morning su
Ii shone in upon the tapestries of the House
) Lords, to the lofty and animated eloquence
rs Charles Earl Grey, are able to form some est
ly mate of the nowers of n race of men anon