years ago, with Fox and Sheridan, and who has since borne its brunt, with Holland, and Brougham, and Melbourne, and Russell, now lives in the enjoyment of a green old age, reposing in peace, after the turmoil and heat of political strife, an object of veneration and admiration to the countless multitudes, to whom his wisdom and perseverance have extended the privileges of free

men.

In comparison with the fame of such men, what is that unstable popularity worth, to obtain which men sacrifice their noblest aspirations? And what too can such men care for the malignity which party bigotry, and party malice, pour on their devoted heads? No pressing right onward in the road to truth, unscathed, and unharmed, they stand in the oft quoted language of Goldsmith,

"Like some tall cliff that lifts its awful form,

Swells from the vale, and midway leaves the storm;
Tho 'round its breast the rolling clouds are spread,
Eternal sunshine settles on its head."

Fearless in the purity of conscious innocence, clad in the panoply of their own rectitude, they soar above the foul breath of the multitude, who know not their virtues; looking forward, with an eye of faith and assurance, to a righteous decision, final and irreversible in that "high court of errors and appeals, which men call posterity." J.

EPILEGOMENA.

READER, whoever thou art, we salute thee in friendship. So vacation's over, and our little world has started again into life and action under auspices-how fair! Lift up thine eyes and look around thee! What a delightful spirit has perceptibly crept over the face of nature !-weaving green bowers in every wood, and breathing forth the incense of flowers where, but a short time since, all was gloomy and desolate freeing the prattling streams from the icy thraldom of winter, and waking the cheerful melody of birds where long there has been nothing but silenec and sadness.

The spring is here-the delicate footed May,
With its slight fingers full of leaves and flowers,
And with it comes a thirst to be away,'
Wasting in wood-paths its voluptuous hours.'

Verily here is a climate in which nature, descending from the stately character of dame,' and assuming that of some whimsical Miss, eternally delights herself in every kind of caprice: now, cold and chilly, she wears her brow as if it had never known a smile: freezing is the glance she casts upon her disconsolate lover,

6

EPILEGOMENA.

with co

and ruthless she drives him away to shield him from her cruelty: now, quettish air she at once torments him with hope and chagrin-with smiles and frowns: and now, all of a sudden, she bursts forth into an array of pomp and beauty-lavishes out her charms in wanton profusion-decks her head in every kind of blossom-merrily sings along the grove, and hill, and stream; and brings a 'born-full' of enjoyment to each and all of her devotees. Go forth, then, good reader, into the streets of the city, and the paths of the grove-into the high-ways and by-ways, and look around thee. This is the season for pleasure, and whether thou agreest with us or not, give us college life, after all, for real enjoyment. However much the ambitious spirit may long to be acting its part on a higher drama— or the proud spirit may writhe under the tyranny of a certain set of rules, and a fixed course of conduct-or the lazy spirit may sicken at the warning notes of a malicious prayer-bell, and the actual state of being 'harnessed up,' and forced to proceed nolens volens,' yet after all, give us college life, for real enjoyment. What a mental rush is here, constantly hurrying on a little world to higher attainments, and higher perfection! What a concoction of various characters! What an olla podrida of different tastes, and different talents! We like to encounter at every corner some peculiar genius, distinguished by his own traits, steering his own vessel to his own harbor: now, the doubly refined epicurist, bound upon enjoying the present, and careless of the future, and now, the little man stuffed with a big principle-he so little and it so big, that the man is lost in the principle: here the philosopher, either he who mounts into the clouds, or he who dives into the 'deepest depths' of human character, and there the moralist, bent upon the reformation of the universe: on this side, the poet, 'living in a world of his own creation,' and on that, the politician, discussing some party tenet with surprising vehemence, and presenting us with a Websterian confidence on a small scale. Extremely different characters are all these, and yet through each runs that 'nescio quid'—that expansion of thought and touch of refinement which point him out here as a fellow student, and when you meet him abroad and among strangers-as a friend. Moreover, reader, what an effect has been wrought upon the fair ones of town by the return of spring! Swarming forth like ' hybernating animals suddenly awakened by the balmy sunshine from their long repose,' they people the Elysian bowers of this fair city with angels which it would require a Mahomet's brain to picture. Oh! reader, this is the season for pleasure. Shut up that ponderous lexicon of thine-heave those ugly conics into the nearest corner-let nature be thy directrix-and leave the presiding genius of thy study to solitude awhile.

And now, reader, for a passing glance-it must be passing--at that medley of character, the 'Editorial' club! At one of our late meetings, Boniface was called to the chair. He is a man who thinks that he has studied human nature profoundly, and in obedience to one of his general principles, made sundry apologies, excuses, and avowals of inability. But no sooner was he in his seat than he deliv-· ered himself of a most elaborate address. He complimented warmly the 'able management of our predecessors'-alluded with much animation to our 'bright prospects for the coming year,'-and concluded by informing the club that we should be enabled to increase our future numbers from forty to forty-eight pages. During the whole of this speech, Tubal had been rocking about most uneasily in his chair, as if his head, loaded with dark thoughts, had become too heavy for the nether portions of his person-though extensive enough in all conscience. No sooner had the president taken his seat, than up he started, and after a magnificent peroration on duty (apparently prepared) inquired with much energy of declamation, 'What is the benefit of a well-stocked treasury: what, of an increas

ing reputation: what, of enlarging the Magazine, if we have not the perseverance He conrequisite to preserve the first, to sustain the second, and to fill the last!' cluded with a torrent of comparisons between his conduct and that of Phaon in particular, and the club in general, with the exception of Og. (It was evident the honorable member was irritated on account of the vexatious disappointment occasioned by the deferring of the day for issuing our present number.) No sooner had he taken his seat, than Phaon, who was touched by the honorable gentleman's remarks, with much glow and energy of delivery, recited the following, as he styled it,

HEBREW MELODY.

'All hail to ye! hail! ye spirits of Canaan,

Thou gingerbread Tubal, and buttermilk Og-
'Gainst you and your duty, temptation is vain—and
Without you we would surely "have been in a bog!"

Oh! thou learned knight of the sorrowful nose,
Integer vitæ scelerisque purus,'

What an admirable handler of logic and prose,

6

All cut up and dried' before dealt out to us!

But we'll sing to your praise, worthy kinsman of Jacob,
We wish you long life and joys by the cask,

Provided you keep all the wisdom you

rake up,

And not give it to us until you are asked.'

Before the applause which followed this sally was half over, Fadladeen arose, and after adjusting his shirt collar with uncommon care, and smoothing down his moustache, proceeded very coolly and summarily to dissect this (so styled) Hebrew melody. We cannot stop to record to thee, good reader, the wise remarks of the above gentleman upon this and other pieces of poetry which were presented by the President. Several prose articles were also read and acted upon, among which was a piece 'On Sir Walter Scott.' After its reading, Og observed,' that the author had some fine ideas and some happy expressions, but that he had touched upon all the English poets he had ever heard of, and a few more beside. Fadladeen hinted,' that this fact was not at all surprising,' and moved that it be put under consideration' for the author's reviewal.' The motion was seconded and passed.

Next came a piece styled 'The Character of Democracy.'

6

that we

Before it had been half read, Tubal moved with tremendous energy, have no party piece upon our pages. 'If,' said he, it be necessary in a philosophical essay to touch upon the great principles of policy, well and good-but a piece written evidently from party motives, may create unpleasant feelings, and will not certainly elevate the character of the Magazine. On his motion the following resolution was unanimously adopted

Resolved, That no article written on party politics, and from party feelings, shall be inserted in this Magazine.

*

*

* .

It was remarked by an orator* of distinguished ability, when addressing an assembly of Pennsylvanians; "If ever it be allowable for men to give utterance to feelings of pride and exultation, in contemplating the character and achievements of their ancestors, it may be permitted to us, who on this day would recall to public recollection, the virtues and sufferings of those by whom the foundations of this state were laid. * Some, like the first travelers in Florida, have wasted their lives in vain search for the fountains of immortality, others have embarked in crusades against the heathen, for the glory of God, and the acquisition of their lands; but the patriarchs of Pennsylvania, with a single eye to the welfare of their race, raised up their primitive settlement, as an asylum for the desolate and oppressed; as a land of refuge, for virtuous and pious men, and of hope for a long posterity of freemen and christians."

Influenced by such a spirit,-a spirit which cherishes the memory of the past, not from a desire merely to regard with feelings of self-complacency, the virtues of our fathers; but which makes such memories the ground of an ennobling pride of ancestry, in all good minds the spur to perpetuate as well the recollection of their lofty virtues, as to render their influence eternal, we would dwell briefly on the characteristic qualities of the immortal founder of our native state. It is true, we can promise but little original on this topic; it would indeed be strange if the memory of a man, who attained the greatest ends by means then ridiculed and despised, but to which we looking back on the tide of events, and tracing its progress, must award, as the advocates of free principles, unqualified applause, was not embalmed and familiar in a

VOL. III.

* Thomas I. Wharton, Esq., of Philadelphia.

41

certain degree, to the hearts of all. But notwithstanding, we conceive nothing can be more purifying in its influence, in this day of feverish political excitement, when a recurrence to the fundamental principles of our government, seems almost forgotten, than to turn aside at times, and drink of the ever-living freshness of that fountain from which streams break forth, diffusing gladness and plenty over the face of the land. Such an object, we believe cannot be better accomplished than in reviewing the course of one of the great fathers of our political faith. Another motive has suggested our undertaking, which we would advance with all becoming deference. From what opportunity we have had of judging, we fear that a proper appreciation of the subject of this notice, is not generally felt in New England. It may be that here, the lofty virtues of the puritans engross all the admiration with which the people look on "the days of eld," or that a pride of ancestry regards with a sentiment akin to jealousy, the policy of a legislator, so different in every respect from that of their fathers, and which was so pre-eminently successful. However this may be, we shall quarrel with no one who is disposed to look with an eye of candor, on the deeds of his ancestors, and who turns not a deaf ear to the voice of history and truth. But we can never join in that shout of indiscriminate applause which every Plymouth oration re-echoes throughout the land of the puritans; still less can we approve of that spirit of implied depreciation of the founders of other colonies, contained in those hosannas annually sung to the godlike fathers of New England.

But we have wandered, from a sense of injustice,-fancied it may be, in regard to the spirit which prevails here on this subject, firmly convinced as we are, that there were men who were pioneers in this wilderness, of abilities as transcendent, and of virtues as stern and ennobling as the renowned Pilgrim Fathers. Let us examine the character of one of these men, and judge for ourselves.

The early life and course of William Penn, as showing the germs of those principles, which he carried out in after years so successfully, is fraught with instruction. Born of a family, the head of which was distinguished, both as a soldier and a civilian, having been vice-admiral of England, and commander-in-chief, under the Duke of York, in the Dutch war; representative in Parliament, and governor of one of the counties of Ireland-William Penn was born heir alike to the fortunes and honors of his father, and endowed with a mind which needed but worldly selfishness to have perpetuated in the history of his country, the glory of that name, which to those who estimate greatness, but as the reward of successful ambition, his father had rendered so illustrious. Of abilities which were ever more sterling and solid, than glittering and showy, he made rapid advances to maturity, and depth of