In innocence as pure, as void of art; With fmiles fhe lov'd his toiling day to cheer,

And gave to ev'ry want a willing ear. When panting fteers in loofen'd trace recline,

And Labour paufing lent an hour to dine,

Her care the table plac'd along the shade With ruftick fare in neatest order laid : Ór when, with level beam, the parting day

Peep'd through the leaves that o'er their lattice lay,

With whiten'd pail fhe fought the lowly kine,

That meekly ruminate beneath the vine; While Evening foftly stole across the vale,

And heard her fong that died along the gale.

Their mutual care just watch'd their little all,

Enough for honest ease; enough, though fmall;

And, like pure ftreams, whofe tranquil bofoms bear

The richest bleffings of the opening year, As through the woods and freshen'd fields they flow, Reflecting foft the heaven's furrounding glow;

So they together wound, where peaceful Toil

With rofy plenty ftrew'd the laughing

foil;

So mild, fo pure, so tranquil were their days!

So clear their confcience to the brighteft blaze.

When winter's lengthen'd eves in ftorms fucceed, And dreary profpects defolate the mead, Lull'd by the rain, that rattled o'er their fhed,

Warm hous'd, how fweet the jocund moments sped!

Freed from the city's spruce and apish band,

Where Vice and Fashion circle hand in
hand;
Vol. II. No. 7.
Zz

361

Where frigid Form in awkward pomp prefides,

And courteous Virtue moves, as Folly guides;

Where prudent thought spontaneous fears to flow,

And Simulation fmooths the arched brow;

Cheer'd with the crackling faggot's focial blaze,

But more by rustick welcome's artless ways,

Befide their hearth I lov'd the focial feat, Where Age and Youth at evening us'd

to meet ;

widow'd dove

Pours her fad mulick for her murder'd love.

How folemn, dreary, death-like sleeps the scene,

As o'er thefe mould'ring walls I friendlefs lean!

Each ruin'd object draws the lengthen'd figh,

And pleasures past fuffuse my gazing eye;

Dark, cold, and cheerless broods the storm amain,

And evening's fhadows trail the dusky plain:

But ftorms no more fhall Bruno's reft

annoy,

Borne from the chase, on ruin worle

intent,

Tow'rds the fair mourner smiling Alva bent;

Alva, to all that's human, foul difgrace; Blacker his foul, than feeming smooth his face.

With oily fpeech and diffident advance, He spread his wiles, where innocence might chance ;

And, like hyena deadly, watchful lay, His monster part mid rofes veil'd from day;

On opening buds he breath'd his blighting breath,

And nipt their early bloom in fhrivel'd death.

But the dark deeds that crowd his foul to hell,

Let crazy Jane in moody laughter tell, When, wild as flowers that deck her wavy locks,

In ftormy eve at village door fhe knocks, And, wo-begone, intreats with haggard

form

ARTICLE 50.

Memoirs of the life, writings, and correfpondence of Sir William Jones. By Lord Teignmouth. From the Claffick Prefs. Philadelphia, printed for the proprietors William Poyntell & Co. 1805.

THE office of biography is to teach by examples. It then only fully attains its end, when the inçidents, which form, or illuftrate character and conduct, are fo felected and difpofed, as to leave juft, deep, and well defined impreffions upon the mind. If it be the felicity of the biographer to light upon fome rare individual, the ornament of his age, or of his nature, his task is indeed delightful, but it is high and difficult. A great mind is, like fome auguft temple, the flow work of labour and genius. It has effect as a whole. It has fymmetry among its parts. Its proportions are well preferved. Its foundations are laid among, and with materials of a grofs and earthy nature. Its fublime top yaults towards heaven. If fuch an object be prefented for the contemplation of the publick, we have a right to expect that all thefe characteristick harmonies fhould be noticed; and that our attention fhould be directed to each distinct excellence. Noth

ing, which contributes to its beauty, or utility, can be omitted in a in a just delineation. Nothing, which had an influence on its commencement or progrefs, can be fuperfluous in its true hiftory. Thus far the analogy holds. But moral, mental ftructures have ufes and relations, higher and infinitely more numerous, as well as more important, than fabricks of wood, of brick, or of marble. Thefe are objects of emulation, and give hints for architectural improvement to one or two monarchs, or nations in an age. Whereas thofe are examples of the progrefs of an individual towards the perfection of his nature and are the best inheritance of the whole human race, becaufe they are fenfible standards of moral and intellectual power, by which every man may measure the ftature of his own attainment. Like the works of the ancient mafters in painting and sculpture, they contain outlines of general beauty, which all may lawfully copy; and exemplify eternal rules of thought and action, by which it is the duty of each individual, making juft allowance for fituation and condition, to model and perfect himself.

Thefe confiderations impofe a high clafs of duties on him, who undertakes to write the life of an eminent man. He is not to con

tent himfelf with meagre diaries, or with tranfcripts from occafional correfpondencies, however elegant or interefting. His labours ought not to ceafe fo long as any fource of information remains unexplored. If the object of research have been cotemporary, much light may be gathered from the companions of his early youth, or the friends of his manhood; from thofe, who feared, and thofe, who envied him; from patrons and rivals; from all, who had occafion to obferve, and capacity to mark with a diftinguishing eye, his courfe and conduct. Out of this mafs of materials it is the duty of the biographer to select the discriminating attributes of character; to feize upon them; and, tracing them through the various flages of existence, to fhow their origin, their growth, and the utmost limits of their expanfion. Nor fhould he neglect to defcribe the obftacles, which thwarted his advancement; as alfo the means, by which he was enabled to fui mount them; whether fortune made fmooth his progrefs; whether genius, by its native force, At one flight bound, high overleap'd

all bound;

or whether his path of ascent was, like the way of the ancients, and like the way of the giants, to heaven;

-imponere Pelio Offam Atq offæ frondofum involvere Olympum.

A noble plan of biography feems to be imperiously requifite, when the character to be defcribed is of an extraordinary caft; uniting excellencies, rare either for their number, nature, or com

bination; when labour is found affociated with genius; high mental, with high moral, attainments; great ftrength of intellect with refined delicacy of feelings; and thofe fplendid talents, which make men admired and confpicuous on the great theatre of the world, are feen united, not obfcuring, but adding luftre, to thofe qualities, which make men lovely and amiable in the fmall circles and among the common relations of private life. Undoubtedly, Sir William Jones was a character of this clafs. We regret therefore, that in thefe memoirs of his life we do not find a plan, conformable to our general notions of an excellent biography. If ever a character required the hand of a mafter to do juftice to its beauties, to difcriminate them, to give relief to its great, and throw a ftrong light on its delicate, parts, it is that of this excellent, we may justly add, this wonderful man. Lord Teignmouth does not aspire to an high rank among biographers. His work is indeed worthy to be perufed, and even studied, by all; particularly by the young. The path he has taken is eafy and pleasant, fafcinating both to the author and reader, but lefs elevated and lefs luminous, than a genius like Sir William Jones has a right to claim, and will, certainly, in time command.

Taking a hint from fome fhort and imperfect notices of his life, found among his papers, the biographer has adopted the plan of tracing it from year to year; and by means of fucceffive correfpondencies, "as far as poffible, to make Sir William Jones defcribe