The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1861-02-06

before-set out for Woolerhaughhead on SUNDAY morn
ing in February. Before had gone far discovered
that bard had mode of carrying his precious trea
thought enough Of but hardly foresaw
that was to be pronounced perfect tragedy by
Judges for when David Hume gave it that praise he only
spoke the sentiment of the whole republic of bellies etreS
The tragedy in pocket of his greacoat and his clean
shirt and nghcap in the other though they balanced
each other, was thought an unsafe mode of convey
ance; and our friend, who like most of his brother
poets was unapt to foresee difficulties and provide
against them had neglected buy pair leather bags
as he passed through Haddington. We bethought US
that possibly James Landreh, Minister Of Simprin
and Clerk of the Synod would be provided with such
convenience for the carriage of his synod records
having wife, dtrd to resist our request we
unanimously turned aside half mile to call at James,
and concealng intention at first easily persuaded
the honest man to join in the convoy to his friend Mr.
Home, and then observing the danger the manuscript
might run in greatcoat pocket in journey of four
hundred miles, we inquired II he could lend Mr.. Home
his valse only far Wooler, where he would pur-
chase new pair for himself This he very cheerfuIly
granted But while his pony preparing, he had
other trial to through for Cuppes had any
money though he bachelor too, and had twice the
stipend of Landreth took the latter into another
where the conference lasted longer than we wished for
so that we had to bawl for them come away We af
forwards understood that Cuppes having only four sh
lings, pressing Landreh to lend him half guinea
that he might be able to deay the expense of the Jour-
ney. Honest James, who knew that John Home, if he
did not return his own valise, which was very
improbable, would provide him a better pair
had frankly agreed to the first request, but as he
knew Curpes paid anything, he very reluctant
to part with his half guinea However, having at last
agreed at last set out and think gallant troops but
so and-so acquired to make nrOad the English
border. BY good luck the river Tweed net come
docn and we crossed safely at the ford Norham
Castle and as the day mended gotto Wooerhaughhead
by four O'Clock, where got but an Indifferent dinner
for it but miserable house in those days. but hap
pier or more ocose and merry company could hardly be
assembled. John Home and who slept in one room or
perhaps in one bed, usual in those days dis
urbed by noise in the night, which being in the next
room, where Laurie and Moneith WERE we found they
had quareed and fought and the former had pushed the
latter out of bed After having acted medaors this
quarrel we had sound sleep till morning Having break
tasted as well as the house could afford, Cupples and
who had agreed to two days journey further with Mr.
Home set off southward with him. and the rest returned
by the way they had come to Berwickshre again
Also from the same:
PERSONAL HISTORY OF LORD BACON, from unpublished
papers By VIM. HEPwoRTH DIXON. 1861.
No one, We are sure, ever closed Lord Macauay's
brilliant and trenchant essay on Bacon, without
sense OF pain and humiliation, such as men feel
when the weaknesses and crimes of those whom
they have been taught to respect and love, are for
the first time detected and exposed. 1t is imposs-
bic to turn away, to quote the language of the
critic, "fr0m the checkered spectacle of so much
glory and so much shame" without having learned
lesson that makes US sadder and ought to make
US better. That story Of his life awakens emotions
similar to those aroused within US when we look
upon the remains of one of the most magnificent
monuments that ever testified to the Skill taste and
intelligence of man. As we come to know more and
more about the wondcous beauty of the original
structure so does the regret with which we regard
the ruin grow more profound; and this is precisely
the mood in which we study, under Lord Macaulay'
guidance, the history OF the great Lord Bacon. We
know that his was an intellect that few men
OF genius of that or any age would have cared to
take as the standard by which to compare their
own capacity; and that his mind was stored with
all the learning of the schools and strengthened by
the experience which is gained through familiar
contact with the world. He was both wise and
witty-a scholar, a jurist a statesman, phioso.
pher-the most eloquent orator and the most yigor-
Gus and graceful writer Of his day. He was of a
generous disposition and serene temper, and his
personal habits were unstained by the low vices OF
the times But, notwithstanding these shining at
tributes, he was, it has been charged, venal Judge
and false friend, sychophant, coward and a
knave. All this is hard to believe, but Lord Ma
1t home with all his accustomed force lie has con-
CURED in the verdict of Pope and has thus stigma
ttzed Lord Bacon as
1.-THE wisest, brightest, meanest of mankind"
AS we have said, this is hard to believe, and we
have always been disposed to think, notwithstand-
ing the high authority 70 the contrary, that the
reputation of the great philosopher had been "done
to death by slanderous tongues" 1t was with no
little satisfaction, therefore, that we welcomed Mr.
Dixon, when he appeared in the arena to champion
Bacon's fame. lie has, it seems, had access to pa
pers never before published, which throw much
new light on the personal history of his hero. and
he has unquestionably studied his subject labori.
ously and intelligently We cannot refer here even
in the brieest way to the points of the controversy
on which Mr. Dixon dwells. We can only say that
if be has not convinced the world that Bacon was
one of the purest and nobest, as well as wisest of
mankind, he has at least relieved his character
from the load of infamy which has weighed it down
SO long. In his will, Bacon wrote, ''for my name
and memory, leave it to mems charitable speeches
and to foreign nations, and to the next age" If
the posterity to which he appealed failed to do him
justice, let US endeavor to repair the wrong. Let
us judge him not less charitably than fairly, for if
his faults were many, he had also many virtues
and the inestimable services he has rendered to
mankind, demand that we should shield his memory
from undeseryed reproach.
From Van Evrie, Horton & Co., New York, and
for sale by Entz. & Bash:
NEGROES AND NEGRO "SLAvERY.n The first an inferior
race-the latter its normal condition By j. VAN
~ ME, NJ H. VOL, lZnO PIP. COY. 1861.
This is an ambitious attempt to discuss and to
solve very difficult problem. Upon a very slen-
der and insufficient basis of ascertained fact, the
author generaizes and dogmatizes with marvellous
abandon and rashness. His leading idea seems to
be that there different species of men, of which
the Caucasian is the highest, and the African the
lowest, IN point of organization and capacity The
hrst alone is able to conceive and give practical ex
preston to the idea of civil liberty, while the
latter Is entirely incapable of independent pro-
gress, making and maintaining its advances by
imitation only, and not by any process of
rational induction. The negro is unable to com
prehend ideas, though he adopts forms with
facility, and forgets them just as soon. This race
has been in direct contact with civilization from
the remotest period Of authentic history-frst, in
the valley of the Nile then with the Roman EN-
pire and afterwards with the Mahomedan or Moor
ish institutions; yet it remains to this day essen
TALLY the same that it was four thousand wears AGO.
No part of the Caucasian species at any period
or under any circums tances can be shown to have
been as low in the scale of human existence as the
African tribes in their native state at the present
time. The idea seems to prevail with those who
specially sympathize with negroes, that they are so
" sPSah, otae" WHue-meH, VINO only require the
treatment of white men to exhibit the same re.
suits. This is error, folly, or, as an attempt to
interfere with the evident designs of Providence,
crime.
The soundness of these propositions NAV be ad-
mitted, and yet that does not justify the author in
that they clearly recognized by the
founders of our institutions, which were conse.
quenty shaped in accordance with such ideas On
the contrary, there can be no doubt that the ten
dency of the political philosophy of the leaders of
our revolution was towards the broadcast recogni-
ton OF abstract human equality and brotherhood
Slavery was dealt with existing but exceptional
fact is only subsequent investigation and obser
walton which have shown that the question fdomes-
tic slavery in the United States not one which can
be settled by simple application of the logic
of the Declaration of Independence, but depends
upon chronological considerations which refuse to
submit themselves to such test. This however
is conclusion of recent date. Thirty years ago
it was the fashion for everybody to denounce
slavery an the abstract. The border States
were the of abolishing it; yet it is now de-
Tended in every part of the country on religious,
and chronological grounds, which seem
altogether impregnable.
We submit that philosophical speculations are
none the less forcible from being stated in good
English. Mr.. Van Evrie, we are sorry to say, emf