fate! But I am consoled by these reflections; first, that she sees her descendants among the most respectable families in Virginia; and that they are not only superior to the false shame of disavowing her as their ancestor; but that they pride themselves, and with reason, too, on the honor of their descent: secondly....that she herself has gone to a country, where she finds her noble wishes realized; where the distinction of color is no more, but where indeed, it is perfectly immaterial" what complexion an Indian or an "African sun may have burnt" on the pilgrim.

Adieu, my dear S. This train of thought has destroyed the tone of my spirits: when I recover them, you shall hear farther from me...... Once more, adieu.

*LETTER V.

Richmond, September 23.

THIS town, my dear S......., is the residence of several conspicuous characters, some of whose names we have heard on the other side of the

*The donee of the manuscript begs that he may not be considered as responsible for the accuracy with which certain characters are deline ated in this letter. He selects it purely for the advantage which he supposes, youthful readers may derive, from the writer's reflections on the characters attempted to be drawn by him.

.....

Atlantic. You shall be better acquainted with: them before we finish this correspondence. For the present, permit me to introduce to your acquaintance the ........ of the commonwealth of Virginia, and the of the United States: These gentlemen are eminent political opponents; the first belonging to the republican, the latter leading the van of the federal party. Such is the interest which they both have in the confidence and affections of their respective parties, that it would be difficult, if not impossible, for any Virginian to delineate either of their characters justly. Friendship or hostility would be almost sure to overcharge the picture. But for me, I have so little connection with this country, or her concerns, either at present or in prospect, that I believe I can look on her most exalted characters without envy, or prejudice of any kind; and draw them with the same cool and philosophic impartiality, as if I were a sojourner from another plannet. If I fail in the delineation, the fault must be in the hand or in the head, in the pencil or the judgment; and not in any prepossession near my heart.

I choose to bring those two characters, before you, together; because they exhibit, with great vivacity, an intellectual phenomenon, which I have noticed more than once before, and in the solution whereof, I should be pleased to see your pen employed: I mean the very different celerity in the movement of two sound minds, which on all subjects, wherein there is no mixture of party zeal, will ultimately come to the same just. conclusion. What a pity it is, that Mr. Locke,

while he was dissecting the human understanding, with such skill and felicity, did not advert to this characteristic variance in the minds of men. It would have been in his power, by developing its causes, either to point to the remedy, if it exist at all, or to relieve the man of slow mind, from the labour of fruitless experiments, by shewing the total impracticability of his cure..... But, to our gentlemen; and in order that you may know them the more intimately, I will endeavor to prefix to each character a portrait of the person.

The....... of this commonwealth is the same ..... who was, not many years ago, the at Paris. His present office is sufficient evidence of the estimation in which he is held by his native state.....In his stature, he is about the middle height of men, rather firmly set, with nothing farther remarkable in his person, except its muscularcompactness and apparent ability to endure labor. His countenance, when grave, has rather the expression of sternness and irrascibility: a smile, however, (and a smile is not unusual with him in a social circle) lights it up to very high advantage, and gives it a most impressive and engaging air of suavity and benevolence. Judging merely from his countenance, he is between the ages of forty-five and fifty years. His dress and personal appearance are those of a plain and modest gentleman. He is a man of soft, polite and even assiduous attentions; but these, although they are always well timed, judicious and evidently the offspring of an obliging and philanthropic temper, are never performed with the strik ing and captivating graces of a Marlborough or

a Bollingbroke. To be plain, there is often in his manner an inartificial and even an awkward simplicity, which, while it provokes the smile of a more polished person, forces him to the opinion, that Mr. is a man of a most sincere and art

less soul.

Nature has given him a mind neither rapid nor Fich; and therefore, he cannot shine on a subject which is entirely new to him. But to compensate him for this, he is endued with a spirit of generous and restless emulation, a judgment solid, strong and clear, and a habit of application, which no difficulties can shake; no labours can tire. With these aids, simply, he has qualified himself for the first honours of this country; and presents a most happy illustration of the truth of the maxim, Quisque, suae fortunae, faber. For his emulation has urged him to perpetual and unremitting enquiry; his patient and unwearied industry has concentrated before him all the lights which others have thrown on the subjects of his consideration, together with all those which his own mind, by repeated efforts, is enabled to strike; while his sober, steady and faithful judgment, has saved him from the common error of more quick and brilliant geniuses, the too hasty adoption of specious, but false conclusions. These qualities render him a safe and an able counsellor. by their constant exertion, he has amassed a store of knowledge, which, having passed, seven times, through the crucible, is almost as highly corrected, as human knowledge can be and which certainly, may be much more safely relied on, than the spontaneous and luxuriant growth of a more

E

:

And

fertile, but less chastened mind...." a wild where weeds and flowers, promiscuous, shoot."

Having engaged very early, first in the life of a soldier, then of a statesman, then of a laborious practitioner of the law, and, finally, again, of a politician, his intellectual operations have been almost entirely confined to juridical and political topics. Indeed, it is easy to perceive, that the mind of a man engaged in so active a life, must possess more native suppleness, versatility and vigor, than that of Mr. ....., to be able to make an advantageous tour of the sciences in the rare interval of importunate duties. It is possible that the early habit of contemplating subjects as expanded as the earth itself, with all the relative interests of the great nations thereof, may have, inspired him with an indifference, perhaps an inaptitude, for mere points of literature. Algernon Sidney has said that he deems all studies unworthy the serious regard of a man, except the study of the principles of just government; and Mr. perhaps, concurs with our countryman in this as well as in his other principles. What-ever may have been the occasion, his acquaintance with the fine arts is certainly very limited and superficial; but making allowances for his bias towards republicanism, he is a profound and even an eloquent statesman.

Knowing him to be attached to that political party, who, by their opponents, are called sometimes democrats, sometimes jacobins; and aware also, that he was a man of warm' and even ardent temper, I dreaded much, when I first entered his company, that I should have been shock