tiny, &c. charging their misfortune on every thing but the true cause: their own want of intrinsick sterling merit; their want of that copious, perennial spring of great and useful thought; without which a man may hope in vain for growing reputation. Nor are they always satisfied with wailing their own destiny, pouring out the bitterest imprecations of their souls on the cruel stars which presided at their birth, and aspersing the justice of the publick opinion which has scaled them: too often in the contortions and pangs of disappointed ambition, they cast a scowling eye over the world of man; start back and blanch at the lustre of superiour merit; and exert all the diabolical incantations of their black art, to conjure up an impervious vapour, in order to shroud its glories from the world. But it is all in vain. In spite of every thing, the publick opinion will finally do justice to us all. The man who comes fairly before the world and who pos sesses the great and vigorous stamina which entitle him to a nich in the temple of glory, has no reason to dread the ultimate result; however slow his progress may be, he will in the end most indubitably receive that distinction. While the rest, "the swallows of science," the butterflies of genius, may flutter, for their spring; but they will soon pass No enaway and be remembered no more. terprising man, therefore (and least of all, the truly great man) has reason to droop or repine at any efforts which he may suppose to be made with the view to depress him; since he may rely on the universal and unchanging truth: that talents, which are be fore the world, will most inevitably find their proper level; and this is, certainly, all that a just man should desire. Let, then, the tempest of envy or of malice howl around him. His genius will consecrate him; and any attempt to extinguish that, will be as unavailing, as would a human effort "to quench the stars.” I have been led farther into these reflec. tions than I had anticipated. The train was started by casting my eyes over Virginia; observing the very few who have advanced on the theatre of publick observation, and the very many who will remain for ever behind the scenes. What frequent instances of high, native genius have I seen springing in the wilder nesses of this country; genius, whose blossoms, the light of science has never courted into expansion; genius, which is doomed to fall and die, far from the notice and the haunts of men! How often, as I have held my way through the western forests of this state, and reflected on the vigorous shoots of superiour intellect, which were freezing and perishing there for the want of culture; how often have I recalled the moment, when our pathetick Gray, reclining under the mouldering elm of his country church yard, while the sigh of genial sympathy broke from his heart, and the tear of noble pity started in his eye, exclaimed "Perhaps in this neglected spot his laid "Some heart once pregnant with celestial fire, "Hands that the rod of empire might have sway'd, "Or wak'd to ecstasy the living lyre. "But knowledge to their eyes, her ample page, "Rich with the spoils of time, did ne'er unroll; "Chill penury repress'd their noble rage, "And froze the genial current of their soul. "Full many a gem of purest ray serene, "The dark, unfathom'd caves of ocean bear; "Full many a flower is born to blush unseen, "And waste its sweetness on the desert air. "Some village Hampden, that with dauntless breast, "The little tyrant of his fields withstood; "Some mute, inglorious Milton, here may rest; "Some Cromwell, guiltless of his country's blood. "Th' applause of list'ning senates to command, "And read their history in a nation's eyes, "Their lot forbade". The heart of a philanthropist, no matter to what country or what form of government he may belong, immediately inquires, “And "is there no mode to prevent this melancho"ly waste of talents? Is there no mode by "which the rays of science might be so dif“fused over the state, as to call forth each "latent bud into life and luxuriance?" There is such a mode: and what renders the legis lature of this state still more inexcusable, the plan by which these important purposes might be effected, has been drawn out and has lain by them for nearly thirty years. The declaration of the independence of this commonwealth was made in the month of May, |