The States and Union. [volume] (Ashland, Ohio) 1868-1872, 1868-12-30

lege stafffing.r Few young iteE-ilave
ever left college with a mind better
j stored than his when he graduated
from Trinity in the nineteenth year
of his age. AT twenty, he was in
London, a student of iaw, and we see
by his letters that he keenly enjoyed
the rational pleasures of the mstropo-
lis hsing particularly fond of the
Drama he was one of the circle of
youpg mea who were proud to be styl-
ed the admirers of the celebrated ac-
tress. Peg. Woaap gton.
A young Irishmaa w.thout power
full connections has small change o;
making his way in the legal profession
in such q city as London. Burke's
allowance from his father was only
two hnndred pounds a year, and he
seriously thought at migrating to the
British Colonies in North America.
For two years he cherished this design,
and only gave it up in compliance
with the strang opposition of hjs faith.
er. Like so many 'yo1ag gneh OF that
day, and of every day, lie sought to
promote his extremely doubtful for
tune by his pen. He wrote an elabo-
aats iSaitation or burlesque of Lord
BoffnEbribks entitled : .s.N indication
of Natural Society. The name OF
Bolingbroke was as distinguished in
literature at that period as that of
Thomas. Carlyle is now, and this in
genious imitation attracted in conse-
quence very general attention. 1t
used to be thought the .rmost perfect
specimen of the imitativs art in exist
ence, and I do not know thatiit has
since been surpassed. Indeed, II was
so well done, that many people took
it serio ously, and he was taunted, forty
years after, with having seriously
taught in his youth the doctrines of
Bolingbroke. u s.;
Burke was twenty-six years of age
when he published the work which |
established his reputation asa writer, |
and which, after the lapse of hund- !
red and twelve years, is still consider |
ed one of the classics of the English |
language. 1t was entitled "a Philo-
sophical Inquiry into the Origin OF !
our Ideas of the Sublime and Beeud.
full" He used TO saY--stat he had
begun this essaYist st7nIneteen so that
he haS ksooded over it nearly seven
years. In the following, he produced
two large volumes giving an account
of the European Settlements in Amer
ica, soon after he undertook the edi-
torship of the Annual Register, .
rflicbk octave volume published ever
year, containing an account of the
principal, ,eTents Of the year previous
He received for this labour fifty
pounds per annunl. as we learn from
some .reeeipts i Lis handwriting
which are~stiil ,in fe9sstence. The
AnnusrEegister A is still td; be found
ip~an libraries of any completeness
[ once bought, at secondhand book
store in New York, twenty -four vol
uines.of it, at twenty-five cents vol
ume. This was cheap enough, for it isa
work of very great Falue and interest.
His abilities at length attracted the
notice of politicians. After holding
some small places, under ssp small Inea,
whp only regarded his talents as
means of their own advancement, he
was introduced into public lite. under
such auspices IS would have made |
the fortune of man far less gifted |
than Edmund Burke. The Wings,
under the premiership Of the Mar
ouis of Rockingham ,;one Of the wealth
lest of the British Dobility,: wss an
amiable and an honest man, but was
not endowed with remarkable ability. |
BLrke received the appointment OF
private secretary to this nobleman,
who also saaured him seat in parlia-
ment. Gaining the confidence Of the
premier, and his cordial frienship al
so, Burke was mare the Prime Minis
tel than the;the minister hinset.
But his grand opportunity was se
House of C51ntnons:' 1t was at the
time of the Stamp Act, in ITS, when
all America and muc.9 of, England
were clamoring for the repeal of that
odious measure. Burke's work upon
America had brought him into init
mate relations with DR.. Franklin, by |
whom the yoQng member was bun
dantly supplied with American facts
and figures. Burke's first speech IN
the House of Commons was in favor
of the repeal'of the Stamp Act. 1t
was never reported, and we can only
Judge of its qualities by the illusions
to it in the speeches of other members
and in the literature of the day. "lt
filed th t4sxz. sI.3;; -.cs,EfssI.:
4said DIR. johnson Fhe great MI.
Pitt, who followed Burke, began his
speech by COZ graduating the ministry
upon the value of their new aeoulsl-
.ton. ;l.,;d
"has proved q very able advocate.
7 myself intended to enter at length
into the details, but l have been an
ticipated with So snuch ingenuity and
eloquence that there Isl little istt Tor
me to say"
From this time to the end of his
life, Edmund Burke was one of the
nA;efs of the House, ranking as an
equal with Fox, Pitt and Sheridan,
and superior to either. IN Eowledge
and virtue. 1t will always berepeEE9- q
bered, to the .hoaor of Edmund BsEke
as long as, histoEyrof that period lasts,
that,~h he opposed every one of the
kings oppressive measures against
frAmerica from the time of the Stamp
Abt to the end of the American. war.
No American can read hss Speeches
on American sub. b.ects without wonder
ing anew - sae fnfatuation of king
who drove from their allegiance the
most loyal of his subjects, ana sever
ad from his dominions the most val.