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ly pastor of the FIRST INDEPENDENT CHURCH, at Baltimore, (a taking title for UNITARIANISM): Author of a large volume 8vo-upon the doctrine, ordinances, &c. of the EPISCOPAL CHURCH-a powerful, clear, cool, impudent book: a very able theologian a good scholar-and a strong, plain writer, with a disposition to be a fine writer, which plays the devil with him, Occasionally. He was also editor of the UNITARIAN MISCELLANY-i. e. the author-and is yet a large contributor. The U. M. is a clever thingdone up in good style-sent all over the country-and sold for a song. Mr S. was chaplain to Congress for a time (See Dec. 1824, p. 426); but, much to the credit of his good sense, after two or three years of trial, has given up the pulpit-a place, for which he was not well qualified, (as a speaker, we should say,) and has betaken himself to writing; a business for which he is qualified-save when he forgets himself and presumes to be rhetorical, warm, or generous.

SPRAGUE-CHARLES. A young man of Boston, Massachusetts-a merchant's clerk, we believe, who obtained prize after prize, among the poets of his country, for his ADDRESS on the opening of sundry theatres. There is not much poetry in these papers, thus written; but-after all they are about as good, and about as poetical, as the best of ours, by Johnson, Pope, Garrick, Byron, etc.

STITH. We have confounded several persons, (each of whom has written a HISTORY OF VIRGINIA,) with one another, in our recollection. -That, by STITH, however, if we do not mistake, is a very good account of the state. SMITH is not an American writer-if he were, we should like to spend a little time upon his heroick achievement, from the time of his adventures among the Moors, until he went, in the same spirit of chivalry, among the North American savages.

STEWART-Professor : An able writer on theology: the champion of ANDOVER, a place where Calvinistic theology is taught (the College of the PRESBYTERIANS): The CATHOLICS, by the way, have their Colleges in MARYLAND: The EPISCOPALIANS theirs at PRINCETON, New Jersey: the UNITARIANS theirs at Harvard University--Cambridge-MASSACHU

SETTS.

TUDOR-A New England man : Author of LETTERS on the EASTERN STATES (the land of the Yankees) and of a book_recently brought forth -called the LIFE OF JAMES OTIS. We have read neither of these works: we have only seen a few extracts. They, however, gave us a high opinion of the author. Oris was a man, whose biography would be interesting here: He was a very able, devout republican; a chief mover in the “rebellion” of the Colonies.

TUCKER JUDGE.-A Virginian: a profound lawyer. His BLACKSTONEthat is, our Blackstone, with CHRISTIAN'S notes-republished by him, with comparative notes, which amount, in truth, to a steady, lawyer-like parallel, between the laws of England: and the laws of America-is a work of great value.

TRUMBULL-Author of a HISTORY of the UNITED STATES: a solid, faithful, tedious book. (See HISTORY, Vol. XVI. p. 57.)

TRUMBULL-Author of THE FINGAL; a Hudibrastic poem of great merit-for doggrel-rich, bold, and happy.

VERPLANK-A sound, beautiful writer. We know but little of him, or his writings, which are only a few papers: one of the SALAMAGUNDI people, we are told: A DISCOURSE of his, before the New York Historical Society, about 1818-is a fair specimen of his power.

WALTER-WM. В.-A young man, of Boston, Massachusetts; educated at Harvard University, for the business of preaching Unitarianism: But, having anticipated his time; preached before he had got a "licence"-gone about, rather too freely, giving unto others, what had been rather too freely given unto him;-having, to say the truth, done some very foolish, incoherent, brilliant, queer things (for a preacher) in the way of poetry, lec, tures, &c. &c.-he was never able to obtain a preaching "licence."-He wrote SuKEY (an imitation of Don Juan)-with a few other POEMS, published afterwards.-They are a compound of strange, beautiful poetry; audacious plagiarism; and absolute, vulgar nonsense.-Logan, therefore, was laid at his door. But Neal, who, undoubtedly knows the truth, declares that Walter is entirely innocent of Logan: that he never saw a line of that;

or of the other crazy books, that followed by the same author, while they were in MS.

WARREN-MARY. Wrote a very agreeable HISTORY of the American Revolutionary War. She was the widow, if we do not mistake, of Gen. Warren, who fell at Bunker's Hill.Her means of information were excellent-herpowers respectable-her candour exemplary.

WEBSTER-NOAH: a very learned man-whose Dictionary of the American Language, we take to be one of the most curious things in the history of literature: He is making another, now, which we are told is to supersede our DR JOHNSON.

WEBSTER-DANIEL. A lawyer of Boston-a man of great powers: a good scholar and a senator in Congress.-His ADDRESS, delivered on the "return" of the two hundredth year, since the New England Fathers landed at Plymouth, is no great affair, though it is looked upon as miraculous. He has written much better for the North American Review.

WALSH, ROBERT, Jr.-AUTHOR of a small book on the aspect of AFFAIRS IN FRANCE, which was handsomely puffed in the Edinburgh-(quite enough that, we suppose, to show its value:) EDITOR of a quarterly journal, in America, for which he has fifty times more credit than he deserved: Of the AMERICAN REGISTER, (if we do not mistake the name,) a large compilation, with some original matter of his, under the head of "ELEGANT LITERATURE:" Of the APPEAL, from the judgments of those (among others) who had been puffing him here:-And of the NATIONAL GAZETTE, Philadelphia.

The first BOOK is well written with a little over-doing: the JOURNAL was clever, solid, and useless: The review of the FEDERALIST in it is quite ridiculous, though it is talked about, as a commentary thereon. The REGISTER was badly contrived: So was the APPEAL, which, by the way, "clumsy" as it was, must not be looked upon, as the work of "ROBERT WALSH, JUNIOR, ESQUIRE;" but, in truth, as the work of a great multitude, who had been diligently employed, for a long time before, in collecting -material-which, whatever else we may say of it, is authentic.

VOL. XVII.

The

whole, taken together, is a bad, mischievous, provoking, unavailable piece of work. It might have been made, with half the talent of Mr Walsh, a popular, and useful book. It might have done much, to allay the prejudices of our countrymen; the foolish apprehension-the blind, absurd, perpetual deference of his.-Nobody reads it, now: nobody ever will read it, here.

Mr Walsh is a man of highly respectable talent; a pretty good scholar; and a well-trained, serious, heavy writer. But he has no strong originality-none at all. His writings are like those of any other plain, sensible man, who knows how to express himself clearly that is, when, like Mr Sparks, he is content with doing what is possible for him to do.-He has been rash enough to venture into the hot, glorious atmosphere of Burke once or twice; to imitate him-with a show of eloquent, bold indignation, excessively ridiculous in Mr W.: to steal some of his ideas, which he could no more handle or hide in his own workthan he could so many red-hot thunderbolts, in a snow bank.

His NATIONAL GAZETTE is one of the very best papers, that we know of.

WATERHOUSE, DR. A medical writer of great notoriety, in Boston, Mass: a good man-a very useful one-a pretty good writer-nevertheless.

WATKINS, Dr TOBIAS. A man of good, sober talent: a fine reasoner-a classical writer: Editor of the PORTIco-a so-so sort of a journal, taken altogether; but, for a wonder, in America, entirely original: the reputed Editor of the NATIONAL JOURNAL, (Washington, district of Columbia)— a weekly, or semi-weekly paper, which is authority, in political, and literary matters.-Watkins brought Neal out.

WEAMS, DR:-a D. D. perhaps : Rector of MOUNT VERNON-the seat of George Washington, whom he knew from his boyhood: author of A WASHINGTON'S LIFE-not one word of which we believe. It is full of ridiculous exaggeration.

WILSON-JUDGE-Author of some Lectures on the Law, which are beautifully written: the Editor, we believe, (but we may be mistaken,) of the AMERICAN edition of BACON'S ABRIDGEMENT, which contains all the American authorities: a work of inestimable value, in America. He was a

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judge of Pennsylvania: or president" rather of some court.

WILSON.-The ORNITHOLOGY of this naturalist, we look upon as quite a magnificent affair for America. The plates are good: colouring fine: typography capital: editorial matter excellent.

WILKINSON-GENERAL JAMESAn officer of the American revolutionary war: (See IRVING, KNICKERBOCKER, p. 62,) a general in the last : His LIFE, by himself, in three or four arge American 8vos; equal to as many English 4tos, will be valuable, though it is not now. It is well written crowded with historical facts, of which he was an eye-witness: with good military and political criticisms -for which he will have credit hereafter. His open attack, upon some other American generals; Mr President Madison; John Randolph, and some others, will be pleasant reading, some half a century from this time.

OF

WILLIAMS. The HISTORY VERMONT, by this Mr W., is a good, substantial book. The information is particular, without being tiresome; the style quite good enough, we think, for the subject.

WIRT-Attorney-General of the United States: a Marylander. The works of this man are, THE British SPY-a beautiful duodecimo, with some fine writing in it: THE OLD BACHELOR-a parcel of Essays, not worth reading: and Life of PATRICK HENRY, (one of the most extraordinary men that ever lived:) a piece of extravagant eulogy, wherein the biographer has overlooked everything but himself, in his passion for rhetorical ornament.-Mr Wirt is, nevertheless, a good, and beautiful writer; but he has never yet written a book worthy of himself. See vol. XVI. p.

644.

WOODWORTH-a poet-a novelist -a critic-an editor. We know little or nothing of him, in either capacity. A few of his little songs are tolerable; his novel, the CHAMPIONS OF FREE DOM, is intolerable; his talent, as a critic, and editor, somewhere between the two-neither tolerable, nor intolerable.

WYATT-Rev. Mr, pastor of an "Episcopalian church" at Baltimore; author of a book upon the Rites, Usages, and Authorities of the PRO

TESTANT EPISCOPAL CHURCH; a controversial work of no great merit: One of the best men that ever breathed.

Enough. Our undertaking is now over; our labour done; our end, for a time, accomplished. Now, therefore, are we willing to put our whole character; our character, not only for plain dealing; but for truth and soberness; wisdom and humanity, upon the issue. We knew well what we were about. We had no common purpose to serve; no idle, sneaking, dastardly spirit of any kind-either of hatred, envy, or uncharitableness: no unworthy motive; no mischievous inclination to gratify.-We had only that within us, which will do the great cause of English literature-that literature, which is put forth in the English language, we should say, on both sides of the water-more good, fifty times over, than gentleness, or daintiness-we had only a feeling of stern impartiality in the matter; a bold and courageous determination—we believe a wise one-to say whatever might be of use; and, whatever we said at all, to say truly, come what would of it.

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This we have done. Many mistakes; a few omissions, a very few, may at our door, perhaps; but nothing worse; not a single word of wilful misrepresentation. We have been doing that which was never attempted before we have been giving a critical history of the literature of a whole people, without having a book to refer to, (except in two or three cases lately,)

without having a note, or a memorandum of any sort-altogether from recollection. There must be some errors, therefore; it cannot be otherwise.

We undertook this; we have done it. Our work is complete. The adventure was a serious one; worthy of any man's power; no lazy pastime, for a warm, summer afternoon. It has been seriously done-however it may appear-conscientiously done.-Whatever may now be thought of our disposition or purpose-abroad, or at home-in Great Britain; or in America,-we dare to say that our motive is honourable, fair, and open; that our good wishes toward America-and so it will prove-are sincere: that our feeling of brotherhood for the people of America; and for those, in particular, who are addicted, after any fa

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shion, to literature, is hearty and what is more-that our very language, inconsiderate, or intemperate or unworthy as it may seem; bitter and cruel, as it may be-low as it undoubtedly is, now and then, is nevertheless the language of truth; and always that which it deserved.

It is never the language of habitmere habit; nor of levity, however it may appear. We never use words of course, are never taken by surprise (in these matters)-wherefore, we do hope to have the credit of choosing our words with a full knowledge of their power, in every case. Is our language low? -we stoop, only that we may heave the greater load: we draw back, only that we may run forward, with more power. We bend lower than other people, only that we may spring highergo nearer to the earth, sometimes, only that we may bound further from

it.

We have continued, as we began using low words, unless they were wholly beneath us, whenever the subject required it; whenever they were more suitable, expressive or vigorous, than high words: whenever-for that is the only criterion of propriety in language, after all-whenever they were the natural, instantaneous coinage of our thought-whenever they were the mother-tongue, as it were, of our ideas. -We never much liked raising our voice; or talking beautifully-anywhere at any time. We had always rather lower it, even for emphasis.We had rather be understood-feltremembered, for a little time, with censure; than be praised-read-and forgotten, as people of high breeding or soft, pretty words, generally are, before the sun had gone down.-Of all emasculation, that of a man's thought -his own language-his own offspring, for fashion-sake-is most abominable. We would have our children go unmutilated; and we, ourselves, would rather talk English, than sing

Italian.

Our object, after all, was nothing but what is now obvious to everybody. We would bring about, so far as in us lies; by every means in our power, - without flattery or falsehood, a speedy reconciliation between two great empires-the people of which have been foolishly, wickedly warring together, openly or otherwise, for nearly fifty

years:-we would promote, by our steadiness; our honesty; our impartiality, a good understanding between, perhaps, twenty-five millions of human creatures-children of the same fathers-members of the same family

who, in the division of their inhe ritance, have been scattered all over the world: we would set a fashion between the literary men of Great Britain, and those of America-(knowing well, that it is they, who set what fa shion they please, in the two countries) the fashion of plain dealing-cordial manly-and worth attending tosparing nobody-neither ourselves, nor our brethren, if they come in the way of our enterprize.

To do all this effectually, in a way that would be permanently usefulconclusive-and, as we hope, leave nothing for future explanation, we have undertaken, among other serious matters, to do that for our brethren, over the seas, which no journal of their own, will, or can do for them-with anything like the same beneficial effect;

;-we have undertaken, while furnishing our countrymen, with amusement, we hope; with solid information, which they may depend uponwhich they could not get in any other way, and which will be more valuable twenty years hence, than it is now, we are certain; while doing this, we have undertaken to show the people of America what has already been accomplished among themselves, by themselvesand what may yet be accomplished, if they will go about it worthily, among themselves-for the world of literature.

We do not say this, lightly-arrogantly-or without caring what we say. It is true-perfectly true- and we know it. Our journals here, have done the literary people of America, nothing but mischief. Their own have done them little or no good. We, ourselves, in our small way, severely as we have spoken throughout, of their faults, have positively done more for their encouragement, fifty times over, than all their own journals together; and all of ours-except our own.

The Quarterly; the Edinburgh,nay, even the Westminster, which would be, if it were not for great zeal, without knowledge, the friend of all their other institutions, on "t'other side,"-good or bad-have so abounded in error-blundering self-contra

diction-or absurd, miserable, selfdestroying falsehood-one way or the other, about America-now for now against her ;-one day, with a ponderous gravity; another, perhaps, like a fellow, who goes about breaking heads, or spitting in people's faces, for the fun o' the thing that now, they are never taken up, in America, but for the purpose of proving from their pages, that, while they are all quarrelling with one another, they all agree in abusing America.

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They our brethren over the Atlantick-have journals of their own, courageous enough: with temper and ability enough, to do that work, which we have now done for them.-The NORTH AMERICAN REVIEW-80 called, we hardly know why-is anything but a review of North American Literature. It is made up chiefly of prize essays upon the learning or policy of Europe-under the name, perhaps, of reviews upon some foreign books. And why? Because, if they handle the same questions there, in that Review, which are handled here, by our reviews, they will be better understood, here and obtain a reputation sooner here, than if they confine themselves to American affairs; of which, by the way, our chief men, here, in the literary world, know just nothing at all. The reputation of every American journal, in America, depends chiefly, upon its reputation here.

Not one book, perhaps, out of every two hundred, actually written by native Americans, at home, is ever mentioned at all, in the North American Review: not more than a tenth part of the whole in the quarterly list' of new publications: nor one author, out of every dozen or twenty, who really deserve it. Besides, when they do undertake an American writer, it is in such a pitiful way-to be sure. They go shuffling and wriggling about him like young puppies about a strange animal-undetermined whether to yelp or fawn-run away—or bite.

They dare not praise heartily, lest WE should laugh at them: They dare not condemn heartily, lest, peradven

ture, their own countrymen should pull them over the coals. They dare not play the devil with anything—as we do however willing, or able they may be-or however fine the opportunity-They are quarterly' people, forsooth; and, whatever may be their duty-whatever may be the temptation-they must keep up what such cattle are pleased-we dare say-to call their dignity.

We pity them for it.-We-thanks be to Him, that made us-and filled us, we hope, with blood of another temperature-we have no such bugbear in our way.-Dignity !-A curse on such a word, where it interferes with justice! It is-though but a word-a place of refuge-one of the old sanctuaries, to which the manslayer might fly, with his plunder about him.-We would abolish them, utterly.-We give no quarter-we take none.-Our periodical attacks, whatever else they may be thank Heaven-are not like theirs-the people of dignity. They would sooner let a great criminal escape, than give judgment upon him-without a wig -a gown-or a long quarterly speech. But we-if need be-like Haaroun Alraschid himself, will see the bastinado given, before we leave the spot, in our knightly perambulations: tuck up our gowns: away with our wigs, into the kennel: do execution upon him, with our own hands-or cut him up, for all eternity-if the ends of justice require it.

In short-we can get along without stilts or trumpets; aye, and in our ge neration, of a single month, drive more vagabonds, more fools, more banditti from the Temple of Literature, than all the quarterly people, together, for a twelvemonth: put more bold, impudent ruffians to open shame, while they are chousing the public

the pilgrim-or wayfaring mantwenty times over, than all of those dignified, awful personages-whoif they use their pocket-handkerchief, give due notice thereof; and blow their X. Y. Z.

noses.

P.S. We hear of a pleasant "awakening" over the "other side" among the Yankee people. They have just given WASHINGTON ALSTON (see 1824, Aug. p.133: Nov.p. 560) 10,000 dollars (L.3000) for his BELSHAZZAR'S FEAST --a price unheard of in America.—We take some credit for this affair to our

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