ted all his faculties. Never was such a giant of enormity grappled by so powerful an opponent. The civilized world beheld the contest with amazement, while the hoary veteran instead of being exhausted, was renovated in every struggle. The issue is well known-the tomb of Burke breathes a solemn warning to nations still by the blessing of heaven independent. It is dif ficult for the mind of man to conceive of a situation more trying to the fortitude than was Mr. Burke's, on the discussion of the Quebec bill in parliament. For twenty-five years he had been the most confidential friend of Mr. Fox, and had never seriously differed with him on any subject but that of the French revolution. Burke had been regarded as the venerable champion of liberty, and it was the universal belief at that time that the revolution in France was auspicious to its promulgation. Mr. Fox joined in an admiration so prevalent, and it was opposed by Edmund Burke. The honours of a long life, the well earned laurels of many hardy battles for liberty were staked on the issue of the contest. Ignominy seemed the only retreat for the head gray with honour. From the ministerial side of the house Burke derived no support: from his former confederates and friends he encountered the warmest opposition. Mr. Fox advanced to the argument, supported by a popularity formidable enough to confound every hostile effort. This "was a scene for Burke to act in❞—he fought and conquered. Now it may, with emphasis, be demanded how would Burke have appeared to posterity, if the French revolution had not furnished him with an object large enough for his genius to encounter? He would have been in all probability considered as a visionary, as a man whose ardent habits disqualified him for the sober office of a legislator. I have been thus minute in delineating some, of the points in the character of this wonderful man, to caution young men against tampering lightly with his manes, to convince them that something further is required before they can inhale the true spirit of Burke than a servile imitation of his metaphors only to show them that they must be endowed by nature with minds of congenial vastness before they rashly adopt him as a model. This excessive propensity to illustration, this haroltry of metaphor, the predominant foible of the day, corrupt the purity of style and impair the energy of language. Composition, and more espcially an orator's composition, is made a cluster of glittering conceits. It cannot too frequently be repeated to a young man that it is one of his first duties to accustom himself to plain and perspicuous phraseology. Youth is naturally prone to ornament, and there is no apprehension that he will ever fastidiously reject a temptation so strong. The heads of universities are officially bound to repress this rage for ornament, and many of them are highly censurable for affording it so much of their patronage. Chief justice Jay was a model of just phraseology. He is never redundant: he is never ostentatiously brilliant, but his thoughts are strongly and concisely conveyed with a tempered gravity of dialect. Any one who has the curiosity to examine the style of the chief justice may consult the second vol. of Dallas's Reports, page 419, where he will find a very admirable specimen of the manly eloquence of this great man. He will likewise discover in the argument of judge Wilson, in the same case, a sample of brilliant conceit, much learning and very little sense. The chief justice advances to the point, clears away the sophistical rubbish, and conviction follows every step. His confederate struts "about it and about it," displays his peacock splendor at every turn, pauses to arrest our admiration, and then triumphantly stalks off with all his brilliancy of plumage erected. He achieved nothing, and attempted to achieve nothing in the argument, with great gravity he states what the question is not, and then leaves the point undiscussed and undecided. Such are the consequences of indulging this rage of illustration. The fancy collects and arranges a mass of brilliant materials, and after the work is done, we find to our astonishment we have prepared no argument to be illustrated. A. O. MR. OLDSCHOOL, FOR THE PORT FOLIO. A RIDE TO NIAGARA. Finding myself at Williamsport, in Lycoming county, about the beginning of May, 1809, and having a month to spare, I determined to take a ride to the Falls of Niagara. I had visited the Genesee country and the Falls of Genesee in the year 1796, but notwithstanding the four years' exertions of captain Williamson, the Genesee was at that time almost a wilderness, and I was not tempted to go further westward than the mouth of the river. It is now a very populous and well cultivated country, considering the short period of its settlement, and every year lessens the inconveniences attending so interesting a jaunt. Travellers, who, like myself, ride post through a country, have seldom much accurate information to give: but as I think the tour will yearly become more fashionable, because it deserves to become so, I send you the observations that occurred to me on the route. Even the designation of stages and the names of taverns, will not be without their use to persons in this state, who have leisure and curiosity to visit an object so remarkable as Niagara Falls. At any rate, the following notes will form a tolerable register of the present state of the country. I wish we had such, imperfect as it is, of every part of the United States. T. C. ITINERARY. I set out from Williamsport on Saturday the sixth of May, 1809, in the afternoon, and went to (14 miles) Reynolds's, a good tavern. Here the tolerable road ends. 15 Sunday 7th, to Higley's at the block house, along a villainous road, nearly impassable for a pleasure carriage. 10 To Bloss's at Peters's Camp: a very bad road through a very improvable country. Iron ore and bituminous coal found within a mile and a half of his house: the iron ore not rich, nor the vein of coal thick, A miserable habitation, but civil people. 9 To Jenyns's: a house to bait at only. The figures at the beginning of the paragraphs denote the number of miles from the place mentioned in the preceding, to that in the paragraph at which the figure is placed. 10 To widow Berry's: tolerable accommodation. The bottom lands of the Tioga* are almost all of them in the incipient stage of improvement. They are as yet chiefly settled by half share intruders, who are gradually becoming tired of their illegal and precarious title. The flats are not wide, but the land is very rich. 8 Monday, may eighth, crossed the Tioga and the Canisteo or Canister, to judge Linby's, about a mile over the state line: at the state line the road, from being execrable through Pennsylvania, from Reynolds's, (I may indeed say from Williamsport, considering the frequent crossings of Lycoming Creek) to the boundary line of the state, becomes suddenly pleasant and good. I do not now recollect how many times a traveller has to pass Lycoming Creek, and Trout Run, and the Tioga, and the Canister in the last fifty miles; but there cannot be less than between forty and fifty fordings altogether; I believe the latter number is nearest the truth. And yet the greater part of the road passes through or in sight of very good land. Between Reynolds's and judge Linby's, I met with no hay. 12 To Irwin's at the painted post: through a good country, along a good road, to a tolerable tavern. 12 To doctor Falkner's, who keeps tavern at Mud Creek. He is the president judge of the court of common pleas of Steu ben county. The judges of common pleas in Newyork state receive no salary: they are allowed some trifling bench fees, not worth their acceptance, and seldom inquired after. The courts sit three times a year. The judges of the supreme court attend (singly) to hold circuit or nisi prius court twice a year. The *I wish we had preserved more of the old Indian appellations. The head of Tioga was Cutcutticanay. The Indian name of Delaware was Mackerick Kitton; it is so called in the first purchase deed of fifteenth July, 1682. Schuylkill was Manaiunk. In another deed of same date, the islands in the Delaware within that purchase, were Mac&innicunk, Sepassinks, and Ouctons. The names of Neshaminck and Pemapecka, are preserved. Chester Creek was Mackopanackhan. Duck Creek, in Chester County, was Quinquingus. The Genesee River is the Chenèseō. The gut called in that country Je rundagut is Eūtĕnäntöqūōt. The Indians of that country lay the emphasis on the last syllable. court of common pleas lasts about six days: probably a lawyer as the president, with a decent salary, would abridge this two days, and save the time, the trouble, and the expense of the suitors, at least to the amount of one-third. The attornies (four at present) usually reside at Bath. There are from forty to fifty suits brought to a term. 6 To Bath, to William Spring's tavern. This is the county town of Steuben. It was the scene of the Genesee speculations so much encouraged by captain Williamson. It is situated in a high cold climate; almost surrounded by mountains; on a meagre, barren, siliceous soil. It contains even now, although the first town built by and the favourite residence of captain Williamson, but thirty houses. Captain Williamson's old house, a mile before you reach Bath, with eight hundred and forty-six acres of land, four hundred of which were cleared and improved, and sixty of them meadow, sold lately to a Mr. Hopkins for nine thousand dollars. The buildings alone cost captain Williamson at least fifteen thousand. Goods are purchased here chiefly from Newyork, which, as a market, is upon the average about onesixteenth cheaper than Philadelphia. The price of carriage hither is about the same, viz. two dollars and twenty-five cents per hundred weight; but the road to and from Newyork is much the best. I staid here on business part of Tuesday, May ninth, and in the afternoon went on to Terples's (twenty miles). He is the sheriff of the county, and keeps a tolerable tavern. Very bad road from Bath hither. Wednesday ninth, rain. In the afternoon to Rice's (eleven and a half miles) at Snell's town, nicknamed Pen Yang, from its being originally settled by Pennamites and Yankees in about equal proportions. This is a poor place and a very middling tavern. It is on the outlet of the Crooked Lake where there is an excellent mill-seat. I heard of limestone about nine miles from Terples's near to the bank of the Seneca Lake, but I saw not a particle of that stone on the whole road from the mouth of Loyalsock till I came here: an extent of ninety-four miles. Thursday May 11. To Powel's at Geneva (fifteen miles). About one hundred houses; a place of much trade. A delight. |