temptation, he preserved his morals not only pure, but even unfullied by the breath of fufpicion. However the applaufe of mankind, and the wealth and honours which Fortune, no longer blind, bestowed on him with a liberal hand, might have attached him to the world, he never forgot that he was mortal, and deftined to another state of existence. In him religion was a steady principle of action. It not only taught him fortitude in danger, and patience under misfortunes, but instructed him in the yet harder leffon of moderation, of even humility in the full fwell of profperity. How often does hiftory inform us of commanders, tranfported with the tide of fuccefs, and grown giddy in its eddies, forgetting their dependence, and arrogating even divine honours! As a counterpart to this, our annals may record the concluding paffage of the general orders, published on the furrender of Yorktown. "Divine

fervice fhall be performed to-morrow, in the different brigades and divifions. The Commander in Chief recommends, that all the troops that are not upon duty, do affift at it with a ferious deportment, and that fenfibility of heart, which the recollection of the surprising and particular interpofition of Providence in our favour, claims."

That WASHINGTON was affectionate and endearing in his conjugal relation, the anguish of his widowed wife fufficiently evinces and no language can do fo much juftice to her fenfibility, as her own affecting anfwer to the condolence of Congress, and her more recent return of thanks for thofe expreffions of fympathy, which you, my refpected brethren, thought it your duty to communicate to her. That he was compaffionate and humane, is honourably told by the tears of his difconfolate domeftics. That he was benevolent, his emancipated flaves will long remember, and even their posterity acknowledge with gratitude. How amiable, how confiftent is the character of this illuftrious man Himfelf the champion of political freedom, he difdained to hold his fellow-creatures in abject domef

tic fervitude. An advocate for mild and equal laws, he disclaimed the right of unlimited control over the actions of others. Not fatisfied with barely reftoring to them that freedom, of which, in common with their countrymen, a cruel policy had deprived them, but yielding to the claims of juftice, though unaided by law, he gave them in a freehold the hire that had not been ftipulated, and bleft them at once with competency and independence. Highly honourable would it be to our fellow-citizens in the South, if this magnanimous example fhould have its proper effect; if, in their treatment of the wretches fubjected to their power, they would emulate the benevolence of WASHINGTON; if, obedient like him to the voice of humanity, juftice and religion, they would abandon the favage claim of holding human beings in flavery, and repeal every ftatute in their code, which countenances a principle fo derogatory to the laws of freemen.

Having already contemplated fuch a variety of dif tinguishing features in this great and amiable character, does it ftill admit of addition? Is there room in the portrait for another trace of the faithful pencil, that will increase its beauty? Yes, my brethren, to us another and no less interefting view remains. Animated with a generous philanthropy, our deceafed Brother early fought admiffion into our ancient and honourable fraternity, at once to enable him to cherifh with advantage this heavenly principle, and enlarge the sphere of its operation. He cultivated our art with fedulous attention, and never loft an opportunity of advancing the intereft or promoting the honour of the craft. While Commander in Chief of the American revolutionary army, he countenanced the establishment and encouraged the labours of a travelling Lodge among the military. He wifely confidered it as a school of urbanity, well calculated to diffeminate thofe mild virtues of the heart, fo ornamental to the human charac ter, and fo peculiarly useful to correct the ferocity of foldiers, and alleviate the miseries of war. The cares

of his high office engroffed too much of his time to admit of his engaging in the duties of the chair; yet he found frequent opportunities to vifit the Lodge, and thought it no derogation from his dignity there to stand on a level with the brethren. True to our principles on all occafions, an incident once occurred, which enabled him to difplay their influence to his foes. A body of American troops, in fome successful rencounter with the enemy, poffeffed themselves, among other booty, of the jewels and furniture of a British travel, ling Lodge of Mafons. This property was directed by the Commander in Chief to be returned under a flag of truce to its former proprietors, accompanied with a meffage, purporting that the Americans did not make war upon inftitutions of benevolence.

Of his attachment to our order in general, you, my refpected brethren of the Moft Worshipful Grand Lodge of this Commonwealth, have had perfonal knowledge. His answers to your repeated addreffes, breathe throughout the spirit of brotherly love; and his affectionate return of thanks for the Book of Conftitutions, which you prefented him, and for the honour, as he was pleased to confider it, which you did him in the dedication, must be evidence highly fatiffactory of the refpectful eftimation in which he held

you.

The information received from our brethren, who had the happiness to be members of the Lodge over which he prefided many years, and of which he died the Mafter, furnishes abundant proof of his perfevering zeal for the profperity of the inftitution. Constant and punctual in his attendance, fcrupulous in his obfervance of the regulations of the Lodge, and folicitous at all times to communicate light and inftruction, he discharged the duties of the chair with uncommon dignity and intelligence in all the mysteries of our art. Nothing can more highly conduce to the profperity and honour of Masonry, than a fuccessful imitation of this bright example. It cannot fail of its effect upon our brethren in its immediate neighbour

hood in the fouth; they will beautify their column. And shall we be outdone in zeal? Placed geographically in the East, in a quarter of the Union from which the nation has been accustomed to learn wisdom, it should be our peculiar care to diffuse light through the temple of Masonry. As it is known that we fhared largely in the esteem and affection of our deceased brother, it is easy to perceive that our good conduct will itself be an encomium on his memory. We fee before us, among the fad emblems of mortality, not only the fword which in this neighbourhood he drew in defence of his country, but also the very attire which he has often worn as a Mafon. How devoutly is it to be wished, that these striking memorials may ftimulate us to a noble emulation; that, like the mantle of Elijah, they may infpire us with an unalterable attachment to virtue and benevolence! This day witneffes to the world in what veneration we hold the memory of departed greatness: let not the folemnity be without its appropriate effect upon ourselves. While with funeral pomp and Masonic honours, we celebrate the obfequies of our deceased brother, while we bend with anguish over the urn which contains a part of what was mortal in him,* let us like him remember, that we are animated with a heavenly flame, which the chilldamps of death cannot extinguish; like him refolve to Square our actions by the rules of rectitude, perfevere in the line of our duty, and restrain our paffions within the compass of propriety, knowing that the all-feeing eye of our Supreme Grand Mafter above continually obferves us that when we shall have performed the task affigned us here, we may, like him, be called from our work to the refreshments which alone can fatisfy our immortal defires: that when we put off this earthly clothing, we may be arrayed with the garments of glory, put on the jewels of light, and fhine forever in the

fublime arch above.

*A lock of General WASHINGTON's hair was deposited in the urn borne in the Masonic funeral proceffion on this occafion.

An Eulogy

ON GENERAL GEORGE WASHINGTON.

Pronounced at BOSTON, February 19, 1800, before the AMERICAN ACADEMY OF ARTS AND SCIENCES, by their Appointment.

BY JOHN DAVIS,

Member of the Academy, and of the Massachusetts Hiftorical Society.

IN common inftances of mortality, when

a father or a friend returns to duft, we do not take our final adieu, though the funeral rites be accomplished. Grief first admits, then invites confolation, from converfing on the lives of the deceased: a recapitulation of their virtues and of their meritorious actions is like Offian's mufic, at once "pleafant and mournful to the foul."

When the father of his country; when a nation's friend defcends to the grave, it is fit that public commemorations fhould mingle with private condolence: that we fhould frequently call to view his revered image, and repeat our votive honours to him, who was never weary in contributing to our happiness.

With fuch impreffions, my literary fathers and friends, you have appointed this folemn meeting: with fuch impreffions only, could I prevail upon myfelf to attempt the task, which it has been your pleasure to affign to me.

Death has frequently taken a diftinguished victim from the circle of your affociation. You have mourned the lofs of the venerable BOWDOIN, your revered president, your liberal patron, the friend and promoter of all that was excellent and pure: the public fpirited, the. munificent HANCOCK: the claffical, eloquent CoopER: CLARKE, in whom fhone forth all the beauties of