human happiness and improvement, neither of these illustrious men relaxed in his exertions. They seemed only to concentrate their energy, as age and increasing infirmity contracted the circle of action, bestowing, without ostentation, their latest efforts upon the state and neighbourhood in which they resided. There, with patriarchal simplicity, they lived, the objects of a nation's grateful remembrance and affection; the living records of a nation's history; the charm of an age which they delighted, adorned, and instructed by their vivid sketches of times that are past; and, as it were, the embodied spirit of the revolution itself, in all its purity and force, diffusing its wholesome influence through the genera tions that have succeeded, rebuking every sinister design, and invigorating every manly and virtuous resolution.

The Jubilee came. The great national commemoration of a nation's birth. The fiftieth year of deliverance from foreign rule, wrought out by the exertions and sufferings and sacrifices of the patriots of the revolution. It found these illustrious and venerable men, full of honours and full of years, animated with the proud recollection of the times in which they had borne so distinguished a part, and cheered by the beneficent and expanding influence of their patriotic labours. The eyes of a nation were turned towards them with affection and reverence. They heard the first song of triumph on that memorable day. As the voice of millions of freemen rose in sounds of gratitude and joy, they both sunk gently to rest, and their spirits departed in the midst of the swelling chorus of national enthusiasm.

Death has thus placed his seal upon the lives of these two eminent men with impressive solemnity. A gracious Providence, whose favours have been so often manifested in mercy to our country, has been pleased to allow them an unusual length of time, and an uncommon continuance of their extraordinary faculties. They have been, as it were, united in death; and they have both, in a most signal manner, been associated with the great event which they so largely contributed to produce. Henceforward the names of Jefferson and Adams can never be separated from the Declaration of Independence. Whilst that venerated instrument shall continue to exist, as long as its sacred spirit shall dwell with the people of this nation, or the free institutions that have grown out of it be preserved and respected, so long will our children, and our children's children to the latest generation, bless the names of these our illustrious benefactors, and cherish their memory with reverential respect. The Jubilee, at each return, will bring back, with renovated force, the lives and the deaths of these distinguished men; and history, with the simple pencil of truth, sketching the wonderful coincidence, will, for once at least, set at defiance all the powers of poetry and romance.

The dispensation which has thus connected itself with the first Jubilee of our Independence, mingling with our festivities the

parting benediction, and the final farewell of our two illustrious countrymen, cannot fail to bring with it the most serious reflections. Marked, as it is, by such an extraordinary coincidence, methinks it seems to announce, with solemn emphasis, that henceforward the care of their great work is committed to our hands; that we are to guard, to protect, and to preserve the principles and the institutions which they, at such an expense, have established for our benefit, and for that of our posterity; and may I not add, for the common benefit of mankind. Of the signers of the Declaration of Independence, but one now remains. Health and peace to the evening of his days! The single representative on earth, of the Congress of 1776, he seems to stand between two generations, and to be the visible link that still connects the living with the mighty dead. Of all, indeed, who had a part in the achievement of Independence, whose counsels aided, or whose arms defended,' few and feeble are they who survive. Day by day their numbers are reduced; yet a little while, and they will have followed their illustrious compatriots. Not a footstep will be heard throughout this land, of all who rushed to danger in their country's cause,-not an eye will beam, that borrowed prophetic light from afar to illumine the hour of darkness,-not a heart will beat, whose pulsation was quickened by the animating hope of a glorious triumph."

When he represents Mr. Adams and Jefferson, as "living in patriarchal simplicity, the objects of a nation's grateful remembrance and affection; the living records of a nation's history; the charm of an age which they delighted, adorned, and instructed, by their vivid sketches of times that are past; and, as it were the embodied spirit of the revolution itself, in all its purity and force, diffusing its wholesome influence through the generations that have succeeded, rebuking every sinister design, and invigorating every manly and virtuous resolution;" and again, when he says of Mr. Carroll, that he is now "the single representative on earth of the Congress of 1776, and seems to stand between two generations, and to be the visible link that still connects the living with the mighty dead;" and. again, the Jubilee, at each return, will bring back with renovated force, the lives and the deaths of these distinguished men; and history, with the simple pencil of truth, sketching the wonderful coincidence, will, for once at least, set at defiance all the powers of poetry and romance:" these are strokes of true beauty, and would have been worthy of any orator. There is but a single sentence in these introductory remarks, which, we think, might be improved by amendment. Instead of saying, the "dawn of the fiftieth anniversary beamed upon two venerable and illustrious citizens;" it would have been

To conclude; we cannot too strongly recommend the introduction of this treatise, as a text book, into the colleges and universities of the United States. We have expressed our opinion of the geometric method, and believe it must be abandoned; a step to which has already been made in the translation of Lacroix for Harvard University. But the work before us is far simpler in its basis than that of Lacroix; more elementary and direct in its attainment of the parts applicable to ordinary calculations; and far more extensive in its views and objects.

ART. III.-A Selection of Eulogies, pronounced in the several States, in Honour of those illustrious Patriots and Statesmen, JOHN ADAMS and THOMAS JEFFERSON. Hartford: published by D. F. Robinson & Co., and Norton & Russell. 1826. 8vo. pp. 436.

We have before us a volume bearing this title, published at Hartford, in Connecticut, together with a single eulogy in a pamphlet form, delivered at Charlestown, in Massachusetts, by Edward Everett esq.; comprising altogether twenty panegyrical orations. It is a circumstance of national congratulation, and encouraging to our patriotic hopes, upon the decease of our distinguished benefactors, to find the learning and eloquence of our country so readily enlisted in the task of celebrating their talents and services. One of the natural and most amiable tendencies of the human heart, is, to bestow honours upon the meritorious dead-and, perhaps, the gratitude of nations is seldom more usefully employed, than when erecting monuments over the ashes of their departed worthies-If Christian states cannot, like the Pagans, elevate their heroes and sages to stations among the gods, and, after the ceremony of their deification, anticipate beneficial influences from their future sway within the system of nature, they can, at least, by public demonstrations of gratitude and affection, sow the seeds which shall produce future sages, statesmen and patriots, who shall become emulous of the talents and virtues of their predecessors, and be animated to like achievements in their country's service. This was one of the expedients by which Greece and Rome anciently produced that bright succession of heroes, statesmen, philosophers, poets and orators, who have conferred upon their names such deserved celebrity.

The orators, therefore, who have devoted their learning and

eloquence to pronouncing funeral orations, over our two lament ed presidents, have deserved well of their country. The task which they undertook, is a delicate and interesting one, but very difficult of execution. Perhaps, there is scarcely any liter rary performance, which, in order to a finished execution, re: quires a more skilful operation, or a more masterly hand, than that of a funeral oration. It is an easy task, indeed, to the orator, to indulge in hyperbolical encomiums, and to render himself and his audience giddy by glittering images, bombastic phrases, and overwrought delineations of ideal greatness-but aptly to decide upon the distinctive merits of those whose panegyric we undertake to pronounce, seize with accuracy their traits of eharacter, assign them their due proportion of praise, and extol their talents and virtues in a style elevated, indeed, and sufficiently ornamented to meet the public expectation; but not swoln or florid; chastened and simple, but not tame; requires a mind not only of the highest order of native endowments, but also furnished with the treasures of literature. As Cicero justly remarks, in his treatise upon oratory, there is a style suited to each kind of speaking and writing-Nam, says he, et causæ capitis alium quendam verborum sonum requirunt, alium rerum privatarum atque parvarum; et aliud dicendi genus deliberationes, aliud laudationes, aliud judicia, aliud sermones, aliud consolatio, aliud objurgatio, aliud disputatio, aliud historia desiderat.

In philosophical disquisitions, a just taste expects nothing more than neatness, simplicity and perspicuity; in history, these qualities, added to a talent at description; in oratory, a more free indulgence of ornament, and in panegyrics, the highest degree of legitimate decoration. As panegyrical orations are delivered with the professed purpose of pleasing, and have not within their scope either to instruct or persuade, a liberal criticism must allow them a range of embellishment, limited only by the principles of sound sense and Correct taste. This rule seems to have its foundation in the acknowledged barrenness of the subject, as well as in that state of admiration and enthusiasm to which the minds of all, on such occasions, are excited. It is expressly allowed by Quintilian upon those grounds:→ Quoque, says he, quid natura magis asperum, hoc pluribus condiendum est voluptatibus et nimis suspecta argumentatio, dissimulatione ; et multum ad fidem adjuvat audientis voluptas. As each kind of writing has its characteristic excellencies, so each also has excesses to which it immediately tends. The natural tendency of eulogies is to excessive exaggeration in

praise, overstrained similitudes, and bombastic representations of characters and events.

In regard to those eulogies which we have undertaken to notice, it may be remarked, that there is a very great disparity in their degrees of excellence. The most finished pieces among them, are those of Messrs. Webster, Sergeant, Peleg Sprague, Duer, and Wilkins. These would not discredit any age or nation. Those of Joseph E. Sprague, of Massachusetts, and of William Johnson, of South Carolina, are very respectable productions. The piece of Mr. Wirt, discovers in many parts great fertility of fancy and considerable native genius, but is too florid and declamatory, and is altogether in a style more adapted to poetry than to prose. Mr. Everett's oration also, is not without its beauties, and discovers an imagination enriched with classic learning; but we cannot refrain from the observation, that it is, throughout, bespangled with too much ornament, la boured and artificial; and discovers but too plainly, that the author is more intent upon setting off his own rhetorical powers to advantage, than recommending the good and great qualities of the deceased patriots. Concerning the remainder of these orations, it may be said, that while some of them are by no means destitute of merit, for the most part they are so tawdry and inflated, and so stuffed with conceits, puerilities and overstrained hyperboles, that the fruit of whatever good sense may be contained in them, is completely overshadowed and obscured, by the superabundant efflorescence in figures. Their authors appear to be tugging, sweating, and spurring onwards their lagging invention, to reach the sublime; but unhappily, failing in the attempt, sink into bathos.

To proceed, and make good our assertions, by a recurrence to the several pieces in their turn. That circumstance which so greatly increased the sensibility of the American people, upon their late privation, was rather a disadvantage to the orators, who were called upon to utter the sentiments, and awake the sympathies of their fellow-citizens on that solemn occasion; viz. that they were constrained to portray the characters, and commemorate the lives and deaths of two distinguished patriots at the same time, and of patriots too, who performed similar parts in the same drama. This breaks in upon that unity of subject, which attracts attention, and enlists the feelings in behalf of the personages concerned; it subjects the speaker to the necessity of a second recurrence to the same events, which, under other circumstances, would be tedious, irksome and inelegant. Under this disadvantage of the subject, however, several of the speakers have acquitted themselves with considerable address,