The weekly mountain Democrat. [volume] (Placerville, El Dorado County, Calif.) 1861-1862, 1862-04-12
EdmunA Burke. the Irish Crater.

Perhaps the most perfect specimen oi
Burke's 0ratory is to be found in his great
speech on administrative reform, delivered
on the l1th Of February, 1880. At the
height of his powers, and in the full blaze
OF his fame, he was likewise Of more gen.
tie temper than he afterwards became.
All England sang his praises. While dlf-
ficulty is good for man, as Burke himself
declared, there are occasions on which
sunshine is one Of the most joyous things
on earth. He opened his address by lay
ing down the principles OIL which n wise
reform should be founded, neither too lib
eral nor too conservative, and then pro.
ceeded to apply those principles.
But it it impossible, in this dry skele-
ton form, to give anything at ali like M
adequate idea of his extraordinary pow
ers.- The sound political wisdom which
held the reins while the bold imagination
went forward on the work Of refsrm
thc 'Siidsing charms Of poeticai illUstvatioO
which clothed the past with life, and the
future with radiance; the brilliant flashes
of wit which played up like electric CO.
ruscationS over the House; the conden-
sing reasoning, the burning emotion, and
the fervid appeals to the most noble pas
sions, rendered this speech the most re-
markable one in a small compass that the
orator ever delivered. For three hours
the audience were spell-beund. Ministe-
rialistS, courtiers, sycophants, amid tu-
multuous cheers, bore testimony to the
greatness Of the success. The historian,
Gibbon, though kings friend, praised II
and even Lord North condescended to say
of it that it exceiled all that he had ever
heard ia the W,TSc- ,..
1t is a matter of regret that the achieve
meals of Ghe RrStOr sa1d actor Dass away
with the breath OF me Individual perform
ers. 1t would be gratifying, in studying
Cicero, to be able actually to confront
him with his great rival Burke or, in
quiring into the histrionic powers of Cice-
ro's friend Roscius, to place him face to
face with Burke's friend Garrick. But as
no such magical gifts have been given TO
us, We must content ourselves with the
meagre linning of such men which histo-
ry records. When Burke came forward,
as his custom was, to the middle of the
House Of Commons to speak, the first Pc
culiarity which caught the eye Of the
spectator was the glasses which he almost
constantly wore in the days of his celeb
rity. He was tall and noble-looking, with
decidedly prepossessing appearance by
no means smart in his dress, yet possess
ing a personal dignity which the tailor
could not have given him. He seemed
full of thought and care; and the firm
lines about his mouth, the strong jaw, and
the severe glance of the dark eye, spoke
of many an inwand battle which was
known to no human observer. The head
was solid and intense, rather than heavy
and massive, high rather than broad, and
tolerably prominent; fuller, one would
say at first sight, of the reasoning than oi
the imagIng power. His nose, which was
straight as if it had been cut after bevel,
opened out into two powerful nostrils
made apparently only to sneer. AltOgeth-
ev he looked like great man, with great
lesson to read to men, more than like O
gentle one sent into the world to please
He spoke with decided Hibernian accent
even uitHOuSu he lCIt tuc COuuIty curly u
life. But it is to be remarked that mer
of genius hardly ever lose the tongue ol
their youth. lie had n voice of great
compass, and he never required to hest
tate for words They came quickly and
vehement, frequently almost beyond the
power Of utterance. As he spoke, HI,
head rose and fell; now it swung, and
anon it oscillated from side to side of hi,
body, moved by the intense nervous ac
ton of his frame. Young Gillray, the
foremost of English caricaturists, sketches
Burke in various postures and attitudes
One Of the most characteristic of thest
represents him as rapt in the delivery O
some splendid GRAFTON, with his hands
clenched and his arms raised erectly ovel
his head, his whole body the picture o
living energy. Yet Grattan complained
Of the want of grace in Burke's manner
Of speaking.