LESSON XLIX. Mr. Fox's Eulogium on General Washington, in the British Parliament. 1. How infinitely superior must appear the spirit and principles of General Washington, in his late address to Congress, compared with the policy of modern European courts! Illustrious man! deriving honour less from the splendour of his situation than from the dignity of his mind; before whom all borrowed greatness sinks into insignificance, and all the princes and potentates of Europe (excepting the members of our own family) become little and contemptible! 2. He has had no occasion to have recourse to any tricks of policy or arts of alarm; his authority has been sufficiently supported by the same means by which it was acquired, and his conduct has uniformly been characterised by wisdom, moderation, and firmness. He, feeling gratitude to France for the assistance received from her in that great contest which secured the independence of America, did not choose to give up the system of neutrality in favour of this country. Entrusted with the care of the welfare of a great people, he did not allow the misconduct of another, with respect to himself, for one moment to interrupt the duty which he owed to them, or withdraw his attention from their interests. 3. The people over whom he presided, he knew to be acquainted with their rights and their duties. He trusted to their own good sense to defeat the effect of those arts which might be employed to inflame or mislead their minds; and was sensible that a government could be in no danger, while it retained the attachment and confidence of its subjects-attachment, in this instance, not blindly adopted, confidence not implicitly given, but arising from the conviction of its excellence, and the experience of its blessings. 4. I cannot, indeed, help admiring the wisdom and the fortune of this great man! not that by the phrase fortune I mean in the smallest degree to derogate from his merit. But, notwithstanding his extraordinary talents and exalted integrity, it must be considered as singularly fortunate, that he should have experienced a lot, which so seldom falls to the portion of humanity, and have passed through such a variety of scenes, without stain and without reproach 5. It must, indeed, create astonishment, that, placed in circumstances so critical, and filling, for a series of time, a station so conspicuous, his character should never once have been called in question; that he should, in no one instance, have been accused either of improper insolence, or of mean submission, in his transactions with foreign nations. It has been reserved for him to run the race of glory, without experiencing the smallest interruption to the brilliancy of his career. 6. The breath of censure has not dared to impeach the purity of his conduct, nor the eye of envy to raise its malignant glance to the elevation of his virtues. Such has been the transcendent merit and the unparalleled fate of this illustrious man! But if the maxims now held forth were adopted, he who now ranks as the asserter of his country's freedom, and the guardian of its interests and honour, would be deemed to have disregarded and betrayed that country, and to have entailed upon himself indelible reproach. 7. Happy Americans! while the whirlwind flies over one quarter of the globe, and spreads every where desolation, you remain protected from its baneful effects, by your own virtues and the wisdom of your government. Separated from Europe by an immense ocean, you feel not the effects of those prejudices and passions which convert the boasted seats of civilization into scenes of horror and bloodshed. You profit by the folly and madness of the contending nations, and afford in your more congenial clime, an asylum to those blessings and virtues which they wantonly contemn, or wickedly exclude from their bosom! 8. Cultivating the arts of peace, under the influence of freedom, you advance by rapid strides, to opulence and distinction; and if, by any accident, you should be compelled to take part in the present unhappy contest; if you should find it necessary to avenge insult, or repel injury, the world will bear witness to the equity of your sentiments, and the moderation of your views; and the success of your arms will, no doubt, be proportioned to the justice of your cause! 1. LESSON L. The Grave. Invidious grave!-how dost thou rend in sunder Sweet murmuring: methought the shrill-tongu'd thrush 3. The eglantine smell'd sweeter, and the rose Assumed a die more deep; whilst every flower Vied with its fellow plant in luxury 4. 5. Of dress.-O! then the longest summer's day Too exquisite to last. Of joys departed, Dull grave! thou spoil'st the dance of youthful blood, Where the droll, Whose ev'ry look and gesture was a joke Before she was aware? Ah! sulien now, 6. Where are the mighty thunderbolts of war. From kings of all the then discover'd globe; And only mock whom they were meant to honour. LESSON LI. The same continued. 1. How shocking must thy summons be, O death! 2. O! might she stay, to wash away her stains, Mournful sight! 3. Like a staunch murd'rer, steady to his Sure 'tis a serious thing to die! My soul, 4. Nature runs back, and shudders at the sight, 1. LESSON LII. The same continued, On this side, and on that, men see their friends Were no concern of ours.-O! more than sottish, Unapprehensive; when, for aught we know, Yet treads more soft than e'er did midnight thief, |