manly negotiation-that, which he would not have presumed, we believe, to beg, while our hearts were up-our blood high-and our arms loose:-bad, because, at such a time, with such a hope-he made war upon us-took side with our natural enemy-the natural enemy of man-the destroyerNapoleon Buonaparte with him, who never spoke of America, but for the purpose of insulting her with him, who lost no occasion of deriding, affronting-outraging her principles and her policy-helping him to belea of the world-us, the natural friends of America-us, the children of her great fathers-when all the nations of Europe, in her vassalage, were upon us. Therefore do we call James Madison a bad man.-It is not in private life, that his natural temper is to be seen-Asaman, he may be well enough, in his way; but as a statesman, he was wicked, artful, and mischievous. MAGAZINES.-Till within a year or two, the periodicals of the United States have been partly, or chiefly, or altogether, compilations from the periodicals of Great Britain. A new temper begins to shew itself. MAGAZINES-full of original matter; with JOURNALS of SCIENCE, which are creditable even to the age, are beginning to appear. See DENNIE, vol. XVI. p. 566. -HALL, JOHN E. vol. XVII. p. 54. the point; reasons acutely-plausibly -and powerfully; but seldom or never like a downright honest man, who believes what he says. He is too fond of outwitting others-too plausible too cunning by half. Nobody likes to be convinced by him-he is one of those, who "never take their tea, without a stratagem"-who hate fair play -who do whatever they do at all, by finesse who had rather win by trick, than by honour.-But for James Madison, our last war with Americamay it be the last!—would not have been for years-perhaps for ages-guer us round about-us, the last hope might not have been at all.-Good has come of it, undoubtedly-good, even to the United States; but no such good as he looked for-no such good as any reasonable man had a right, either to calculate upon, or hope for. It was little short of madness-desperation-fool-hardiness-for his country to give ours battle, when she did-in the way that she did-unpreparedunadvised-as we know her to have been. We say no more than is true -no more than he deserves. It is to James Madison that we owe the last unholy-unnatural war with America. He was (he is) an ambitious, artful, bad man-without courage enough to profit as he might, of his own deep, dangerous cunning-after that power was within his reach-for which, he had played a game, whereby twenty thousand people were absolutely sacrificed. He shewed his cloven foot, years and years ago. He saw plainly that power could only come to the Chief Magistrate of his country, in a time of war. That very paper, which declares this truth, in the FEDERALIST, was written by James Madison. Therefore, had we the war, when he came to be the chief magistrate of his country. We have called him a bad man-he deserves it. He was bad as a politician-bad, as one having power only to abuse it-bad, for lack of that long-sighted wisdom, which causes men to overlook a temporary advantage-the temptation of to-day-while contemplating the future-the magnificent-wide-unbounded future of the statesman, or the philanthropist :-bad, because, hoping to obtain that from us, in the day of our calamity, while we were gasping under the pressure of confederated Europe-thata paltry advantage at best-which he could not hope to obtain by open, fair, VOL. XVII. MARSHALL JOHN, CHIEF JUSTICE OF THE SUPREME JUDICIARY, in the United States: Author of WASHINGTON'S LIFE-so called, a great, heavy book, that should have been called by some other name. As a lawyer-as a judge-whose decisions, year after year, in the Supreme Court of the United States, would have done credit, honour to Westminster Hall, in the proud season of English law-we must-we do revere Chief Justice Marshall. But -we cannot-will not-forgive such a man, for having made such a book, about such another man as George Washington.-Full of power, full of truth, as the work undoubtedly is, one gets tired and sick of the very name of Washington before he gets half through these four prodigious, uncomfortable octavos, which are equal to about a dozen of our fashionable quartos: and all this, without ever finding out by them, who Washington wasor what he has done. See HISTORY. vol. XVII. p. 57. 2 B MAYER-CHARLES F. Counsellor at law, in the Supreme Court of the United States, and Courts of Maryland: author of a capital Summary, in Judge Griffith's Law REGISTER, under the ourselves-that, among all the ways which have been hit on, for provoking or alarming a reader, there is none equal to this. Lay down your propositions, absolutely, in the fewest possible words.-Let your qualifications -follow at your own leisure-in your own way-after the interval, of a period-a paragraph-a page-a volume -or, like those of Cobbett, or Jeffrey-when it shall please God.-If you do this, you are certain of provoking somebody; pretty sure of alarming a multitude; and, with any tolerable, decent luck, may get abused for a week or two, or even quoted-we do not say remembered: for that fashion is overAsk Mr Jeffrey, and Mr Cobbett, also -(we beg pardon of both, for associating them.) title of MARYLAND. See GRIFFITHvol. XVII. p. 54: a young man, altoge--explanations-exceptions-&c. &c. ther, of great promise, who, from his great honesty of heart, sincerity of temper, and clearness of head, is now rapidly advancing to the foremost place in his profession. A word of advice to him, therefore-He is too fond of antithesis; given to crowding too much thought into a small space-wherefore, it is no easy matter for common people to understand what he is driving at, either as a writer, or as a speaker. This habit is bad for a lawyer-fatal for an advocate. If you would be understood, or cared for, by ninety-nine persons out of one hundred, you must repeat, without appearing to repeat. Never give the same illustration to more than two or three persons. That which is argument for one-is not argument for another. You should not only repeat-but you should vary— not only your arguments; but your illustrations. His language is pure; style badsingular-quaint-affected-capable, nevertheless, of becoming a nervous, original and superior style.-Be more natural, we should say. Dilute more. Strong water for strong men-strong meat only for those, who are not in their baby-hood. Leaf gold is better for the mob-will go farther among all who have no time to weigh, or examine -believe us than your unwieldy, ponderous, pure metal. You are too honest. You give too good measure too much weight-not only more than we bargain for; but more than we desire-much more than our money's worth of thought.-If you lay down a proposition, whatever it be, don't be blockhead enough to put all your exceptions all your qualifications, cheek by jowl, into the same period. If you do, every period will be worse than a book-a volume of parentheses -which nobody will understand, if he can help it.-People don't much like to forget the beginning of a period, before they have come to the end-or, to get a page by heart, merely to be certain of your meaning. If you would rouse, you should alarm, or provoke the attention.-Allow us to say we have some little experience, we flatter The great advantage of this plan, is that happen what may, you cannot be overcome by argument. If you are cannonaded, for ever-shattered fore and aft-without a plank or a spar in the right place-you have only to come out, with a QUARTERLY explanation-or exception-or qualificationor apology-or a- -something else. For example. We lay down this proposition. All men are thieves. People open their eyes, of courseperhaps their mouths at us, when they hear us. By and by-if we happen to think of it-we may add a sort of nota bene-or explanation, as thus. All men are thieves-" if we agree upon this definition”—(adding a definition, of course, that shall bear us out.)-What if people do misunderstand us?-What if they never see the explanation ?-What, if they die, of the poison, before the antidote arrives?-That's no business of ours, you know.-The fault is their own— they should not have taken what we said, without many grains of allowance.-It has always been our fate, somehow, to be cruelly "misunderstood." How much better this plan, for the ambitious, than to lay down the same bold proposition, as you very, very scrupulous men do-thus-we-(that is, ourself)-believe-(that is, have a sort of a notion)-that all men— -(that is, a large part)—are (and we have no doubt have been, will be, should be, etc.-here decline the verb)-thievishly inclined.-We leave this to the consideration of all young writers. MAXWELL-A Yankee-a lawyer of Norfolk, Virginia: author of sundry poems, published about six years ago, the whole character of which was given (by Neal) in the PORTICO (See WATKINS, p. 193–NEAL, p. 180)— by a short imitation, a copy of which fell in our way, not long ago. "There's a sweet little flower, by yon hill; By yon hill, there's a sweet little flower: And it blossoms, at night, o'er the rill: So it does-and it dies in the hour. MITCHELL. DR. SAMUEL L. A naturalista man of great erudition -the most credulous of God's creatures. Oliver Goldsmith, himself, was nothing to him. He would not only become a believer in, but a disciple of Munchausen, if he had leisure to look into him. His faith is of a piece with Uncle Toby's.-He believes a thing, because it is impossible:-Translator of CUVIER® (with valuable notes on the Geology of North America.) Has published-actually published a paper, containing the remarkable events of his own life, arranged in chronological order; among which is one, which we know to have been a hoax. Dr M. says that, on such a day (naming it) he was elected honorary member of the NEWTONIAN SOCIETY, MARYLAND-Now, it happens, oddly enough, that we are masters of this whole affair. There never has been a society of that name, or a society of the kind, which one would look for, from such a title, in Maryland. It was the trick of a boy (barely seventeen, we believe)-upon the credulous, vain Dr Mitchell.-He wrote a complimentary letter, under a ficti tious name, as the secretary of such a society, to Dr M.-informing him of his election-wishing him joy-and praying his opinion upon matters and things in general.-The Doctor was prompt and obliging.—He sent a sort of essay to the NEWTONIAN Societyabout organic remains, etc.-and about another society at "New York," to which he was going," right away," to announce the glorious revival in Maryland. See vol. XVI. p. 636.-It was profanation, to be sure; the boy deserved a whipping-but still, we cannot help enjoying the joke. Dr M.-is the writer also, of innumerable essays -which-with all their merit-are forgotten, as fast as they appear. MINOT-wrote a continuation of Hutchinson's History of Massachusetts. A good, plain, sensible book.See HUTCHINSON, Vol. XVII. p. 58. MORSE-DR.-A clergyman; father of MORSE the painter. See vol. XVI. p. 133.-Compiler of an excellent GAZETTEER; and of "A Geography," which has quite superseded all other "Geographies," in his part of the world. Some idea of its great value, may be gathered from what, we are told is a fact.-In the earlier editions, he gave a particular account of a brass mine, while enumerating the natural curiosities of a country. We would not have the reader to suppose-however-that his geography is all of a piece. By no means-Hardly any two pages are alike. M'HENRY-DR.-The "Popular Author" of sundry books: of the WILDERNESS-a novel; the SPECTRE OF THE FOREST-a-novel (there is no other name for it, as we know of!) and of the INSURGENT CHIEF-a -novel: Editor, also, of a "PERIODICAL," at ATHENS, North America. The novels are beneath contempt-so far, we should say, as we know anything of them.-We are not easily discouraged-but-we have never been able to do more than one volume, out of the whole.-We pushed on, till we came to a part of the wilderness, where George Washington falls in love weeps talks about oh's! and ah's!The book fell out of our hands. Who could blame us?-We have escaped all the rest-and, with God's blessing, • THEORY OF THE EARTH. hope to escape them-till our dying day. The MAGAZINE, however, is really good.-Success to him. See p. 85. NEAL-JOHN. A New Englander -a real brother Jonathan, or Yankee: one of those audacious, whimsical, obstinate, self-educated men, who are called by Dr Ferguson the selftaught astronomer, while giving an account of himself" THE SCHOLARS OF GOD ALMIGHTY." Neal has written more volumes, if those that he does acknowledge be his; or, one-third part of those, which he does not acknowledge, though laid, with all due solemnity, at his door, by the beadles of literature-than, perhaps, any other four of his countrymen. Yet he is now only thirtytwo years of age-with a constitution able to endure every kind of hardship has only been writing, at intervals, for seven years-has only gone through his apprenticeship, as an author, and set up for himself, within a few months.-His life has been a course of continual adventure. It will be one of great profit, we hope, now that he is out of his time, to the people of this generation, at least. He is a Quaker; or was, till the society "read him out" for several transgressions-to wit-for knocking a man, who insulted him, head over heels; for paying a militia fine; for making a tragedy; and for desiring to be turned out, whether or no. He was born, we believe, in Portland, Maine-formerly a part of Massachusetts Proper: was put into a retail shop, when about eleven or twelve years of age, where he learnt, he says, without his poor mother's knowledge, how to sell tape-lie-cheat-swearand pass counterfeit money-if occasion required as it would, sometimes, in a country, where that, which was counterfeit, and that, which was not, were exceedingly alike, not only in appearance, but in value:-Grew ashamed of cheating, he says, in a small way; and, after many years of adventure, became a wholesale " Dry Goods Dealer," in partnership, with PIERPONT("poet-painter-auctioneer" etc. etc.-See PIERPONT, vol. XVII. p. 190, and vol. XVI. p. 130:failed: undertook to study law; and, as if that were not enough to employ his faculties--to support himself meanwhile by his pen (a thing unheard of in America) while he was learning Latin, French, Italian, German, Spanish, Portuguese, etc. etc.-He succeeded, in all that he undertook; and is now a counsellor-at-law, in the Supreme Court of the United States. The works, which we know to be his, are the following-most of which he has acknowledged-namely-1. A series of CRITICISM, ESSAYS, and POETRY in the PORTICO, (See WATKINS, p. 193,) from the second, up to the end of the fifth volumebeing a large part of the whole.-N. B. This work he knocked on the head, it is thought, by an article on FREE AGENCY: 2. KEEP COOL, a novel, in two vols.: 3. BATTLE OF NIAGARA-a poem, in heroick verse, (3000 lines or so): 4. GOLDAN, another poem-chiefly in the eight syllable measure, with variations (about 1500 lines): 5. Отно, a TRAGEDY: 6. MISCELLANEOUS POEMS, a volume in all: 7. A multitude of EsSAYS, CRITICISMS, REVIEWS, etc. in the TELEGRAPH, while he was the secret editor-(See ALLEN, vol. XVI. p. 309: 8. The INDEX to NILE'S REGISTER-a volume of itself: 9. About one-third part of the large octavos, which pass for Allen's HISTORY of the AMERICAN REVOLUTION: 10. MisCELLANY, to the amount of many volumes, which has appeared in a multitude of the magazines, papers, journals, etc. etc. of America, and Great Britain. In addition to all these things, which are undoubtedly his, we must enumerate a few more, which he will neither acknowledge, nor deny; but which are now looked upon, throughout America, as books for which he should be answerable. They are LOGAN; SEVENTY-SIX; RANDOLPH and ERRATA, or WILL ADAMS. LOGAN has been republished here, in four volumes.-Another-SEVENTY-SIX, we believe, in three. The whole series would make about fifteen large duodecimos, here. We lay these at Neal's door, for several reasons. We believe that no other man alive could have wrote them, or would have dared:-We know that a part of the LOGAN MS., which came, by a strange mistake, with some other trampled rubbish, into the hands of a Washington bookseller, was, to say no more of it, in the hand-writing of Neal: He has never denied being the author-saying al ways that he is weary of denying such matters-that he who has been much in the habit of denying, makes a confession, by his very silence, when he refuses to deny that if a man would reserve to himself the power of writing anonymously, he should never deny the "authorship" of anything. We In reply to all this, however, with a great body of circumstantial evidence, that might be brought forth, to prove that Neal is the author of these adventurous, impudent, strange, foolish works, we are told by others-not by him that he has declared himself innocent of them. If this were true, it would settle the question for ever, with us. We know him well. know that, whatever else he may do, he will not say that, under any circumstances, which he, himself, knows to be untrue. He is quite remarkable for his caution-though of a hot, and imperious temper.-It is, in fact, this regard for truth-to which he sacrifices everything else, under heaventhat makes him so dangerous-absurd -ridiculous. We know him so well, indeed, that we believe implicitly, in what he says, whether it regard himself, or another; and shall, for that reason, give his own account of these works-whether acknowledged or not -precisely in his own words, by his own desire.—It is laughable-there is no denying it-excessively ridiculous, to hear a man talking seriously of himself, and his own labours, precisely as if he had no concern with himself as if himself were another person; puffing a part of his own works aloud openly without any sort of disguise; and gravely abusing the rest, with more severity by far, than other people do. We give his own words. The world," says he,-" The world are altogether mistaken. I am right-not in everything (I love modesty)—but in some things, about which they are mistaken. I shall prove this in spite of their teeth, some of these days. They won't be able to stuff it out, much longer, I promise you. Truth is mighty, and will prevail-that's my comfort. If I be wiser than other people, as I undoubtedly am, I believe, in a few things (I love modesty), they'll find it out, after I have told them of it, forty or fifty times more. If I be not-why--who knows but I may discover it, after a while, and become a rational man. All things are possible. We learn by teaching. I may grow wise by teaching others their alphabet. If you would understand a subject, said somebody-I forget his name, (though my memory is remarkable)-write a book about it. I like the rule-I have observed it. I have made books, I flatter myself, about a few things under heaven. I love truth; am not so set apart from the rest of mankind by my modesty-great as it is-or my amiable temper-about which I have nothing to say, here (I love propriety)— as by my hatred of untruth.-When I say that I love truth, I mean all sorts of truth; but, like other wise men (as Cobbett, Jeffrey, Solomon, &c.) I love my own truth much better than other people's truth. In short -I would rather find myself in the right, always; and all the rest of the world in the wrong, than myself in the wrong, while another is rightI don't care who he is. Other people, if you are blockhead enough to believe them, would not. I don't believe them. It's very common to hear a fellow say Well, well-that's my opinion. I hope I am wrong; afraid I am not -I pray God it may turn out as you say. All a pack of lies. He hopes (that) he is right: is afraid (that) he is not right; and prays God, all the time, (that) his prophecy may be fulfilled. "Not having been educated, or brought up, as multitudes are, having had, in fact, no education at all, I have not many of their prejudices, whatever prejudices, of my own, I may have. my opinions are peculiar. I know it I am proud of it.-My doctrines, whatever else they are, are not of the schools. I have been educated; or, in other words, kicked and cuffed about (figuratively, not literally)-in a school of my own-one that would make anybody wiser to the full extent of his capacity-the school of hardship, adventure-everlasting warfare with what are looked upon, by other men, as the giants of this world. "You want my opinion of these books. Very well. It shows courage to ask it. Others might call it impudence-I do not. Yet, if anybody knows what impudence is-I do.-I love truth. You know my real character. If you did not, you would sooner have put your hand, I believe, into that fire, than make such a re |