Another attempt equally flagrant in itself, and honourable in its bearing on the American character, was lately made in relation to our gallant countryman, the much lamented Lawrence. It is known to every one that shortly after his fall, that distinguished young officer was publicly declared, in the British prints, to have been a native of England. Nor is it recollected or believed that the report was ever afterwards contradicted in the same papers, although its fallacy was promptly and satisfactorily exposed in several of those of the United States. These facts are worthy of record, because they contribute not a little to American renown. We thank most sincerely the people of Great Britain for such evidences of their jealousy and such marks of their envy. They amount to eulogies on our countrymen which nothing can equal. Envy pursues exalted merit as the shadow does the substance: it points to it like the needle to the celestial cynosure. Britain, exalted both in reality and in her own estimation, envies nothing that shines with a secondary lustre. Wherefore did several of the cities and islands of Greece contend for the birth-places of Hippocrates and Homer? Because to these places were attached the idea of unfading honours, in consequence of their relationship to such distinguished individuals. In like manner do the Britons acknowledge and proclaim the great preeminence of the American character, in attempting to appropriate its lustre to themselves. By their want of wisdom, they convert into honour what they intend as degradation. CLASSICAL LITERATURE-FOR THE PORT FOLIO. FROM Some of our correspondents we solicit translations, in heroic verse, of the two following beautiful and celebrated passages from the Eneid of Virgil. This favour we hope we may feel ourselves authorized to expect, more particularly, from some of the literary youth of our country, to whom we cannot too often repeat the advice which we have already given, never to neglect their classical learning. Such neglect is the very bane of letters---the canker-worm of elegant knowledge. To classical literature in ge neral we would inculcate on our young friends the same unwearied attention, which Longinus, Pliny, or some other critical writer (no matter who) does with respect to the works of Homer. "Be Homer's works your study and delight, Read them by day, and meditate by night." Such would be our injunction, with regard not only to the writings of Homer, but to the whole body of the Greek and Roman classics. Next to the Holy Scriptures, Christendom is most indebted to these elegant and instructive productions, for the present enlightened state and ameliorated condition of the human mind. But for them, which never ceased to shed, to a certain extent, their phosphor radiance through the dismal gloom, the dark ages would have continued to shroud the world in their mantle" of dooms-day dye" even down to the present period. Let scholars, then, never turn their back on those brilliant sources, to which they are indebted for many of the comforts, and more than half of the elegancies they enjoy. Extemplò Libya magnas it Fama per urbes: Extremam (ut perhibent) Cao Enceladoque sororem Progenuit; pedibus celerem et pernicibus alis: Monstrum horrendum, ingens; cui quot sunt corpore plumæ, Tot linguæ, totidem ora sonant, tot subrigit aures. Virgil, Enid, iv. 1. 173. Tum Juno omnipotens, longum miserata dolorem, Sed misera ante diem, subitoque accensa furore: Sic ait, et dextrà crinem secat: omnis et unà Dilapsus calor, atque in ventos vita recessit. Eneid, 1v. 1. 693. AECIENT AND MODERN POETS. How wonderfully snail-paced was the march of the ancient, and how swallow-like the flight of the modern poets! Nor is this the only point of difference that exists between them. The former left behind them a track which time itself will never efface; whereas most of the latter, like the silken winged Trochilus---a mere thing of down, fluttering through the air with an arrow's speed---no sooner escape from sight than they escape from recollection. They are remembered only while we are reading them. The Enied of Virgil contains somewhat less than ten thousand lines. Its immortal author spent eleven years in writing it. He composed less than a thousand lines a year, and yet left his poem so imperfect, in his own estimation, that a clause in his will contained an injunction that the manuscript should be destroyed. Lord Byron's Corsair amounts to nearly two thousand lines; and yet the noble author composed it, stans uno in pede, for aught we know, in little more, perhaps, than a "little month!" Twentyfour lines, more or less, to one! a wide difference this between the cerebral movements in an Englishman and a Roman! It is true, the one is a Lord and the other was not; and who knows but a privileged order of men may be intended to form also a privileged order of poets? Yet on second thoughts, which are said to be generally the best, this explanation is not satisfactory: for Walter Scott, who is not a Lord, can do up poetry with almost as much rapidity as young Byron, who is. Whence, then, shall we account for this wonderful difference in the mental fertility and movements of different poets? Gentle readers, the answer is obvious. The great Roman wrote for immor VOL. IV. tal renown-and he has acquired it, but to do this he was obliged to study his subject, arrange his matter, select his thoughts, and finish his expressions with the utmost care. He admitted nothing into his verse but the very jewels of his mind, polished and brightened to the heighest lustre they were capable of receiving. The poets of Britain, on the other hand, write to please the multitude, to be fanned by the breath of popular applause, regardles, as it would seem, of the voice of posterity. To gain their object but little study is requisite. They need only empty the contents of their minds promiscuously on paper, varnished over with a few smart conceits, and glittering expressions, and their work is done. Let these hunters of popularity, however, bear in mind, that the applause of the million is as fleeting as a vapour; possessed today, lost to-morrow-Such, if we mistake not, will be the fate of no inconsiderable portion of their reputation-After a lapse of two thousand years, the writings of Virgil are still in the prime -the zenith of their fame. Two thousand years hence, what will have become of the writings of Lord Byron!! Virgil contributed, by his writings, to polish and refine, settle and dignify his native language; but no such advantages will result to the English language from the writings of the present fashionable poets of Britain. From their present style of writing, these scholars will rather injure than benefit their native tongue. AMERICAN ANTIQUITIES.-FOR THE PORT FOLIO. THE annexed representation of an aboriginai stone work, valuable in its present state, as tending to throw some degree of light on the antiquities of our country, would be still much more so, were it accompanied by a full and circumstantial description. Unacquainted with the name and place of residence of the gentleman who communicated the article as it now stands, we are unable to apply, directly by letter, for further information. We, therefore, publish the drawing as it was handed to us, in the hope that it may meet the eye of its author, or of some other person capable of furnishing us hereafter with the requisite explanation. We need, scarcely add, that the value of such explanation wuld be much enhanced by the early period at which it might be received. ED. AN ANCIENT STONE WORK Found in section, No. 34. Township No. X. south of base line, range No. 5. E. of third principal Meridian. It is situate on the most elevated point of a high hill-is built of stone and in form resembles a half moon. Time has long since demolished the walls which must have been erected at immense labour. Judging from the quantity of stone, the walls must have been at least six feet thick and as many in height. On the north and east sides the hill gradually descends about sixty feet perpendicularly. At the distance of a few rods from |