of discord, and reconciled and confolidated the clashing particles of the fyftem in an indiffoluble union of government.

Poffeffing, as well from experience, as intuition, the master science, that could direct the impulses of human action; and invested, by the crowded benefactions of a life of glory, with a charm of eloquence, which impreffed the convictions of reafon on the pliant gratitude of his countrymen; he ruled in the councils of that auguft body of statesmen and patriots, the fruit of whofe co-operating talents was the present Conftitution of America. By the unanimous fuffrage of an enlightened and confiding people, appointed to the adminiftration of a government, in whofe conftruction he had exerted fo beneficial an influence, he brought, to the execution of that important and arduous truft, the energy of a mind, whose elevation could borrow no dignity from station, and the integrity of a heart, whofe fenfibility could receive no bias but from his country. With what wisdom and vigour he discharged the hazardous and thronging duties of an incipient magiftracy, the revival of political harmony, the extended confidence of commerce, the unexampled increase of national credit and wealth, and the happiness and morality of the people, will furnish a more fatisfactory evidence, than the most brilliant defcription of the panegyrist. In this unprecedented tranfition of office, his character had affumed a new and astonishing attitude; the impenetrable hardihood of the conqueror was rivalled by the intelligent policy of the statesman. Pierced by the glance of his administration, PARTY, like the recreant eye of the felon, fhrunk abashed from his fcrutiny; and, unnerved by the fanctity of his perfon, DegenERACY, like the viper at Melita, fell harmlefs from his hand. Appalled by the oppreffive contemplation of his greatness, the "cloud-capt" creft of AMBITION was overawed by the majesty of virtue; and, maddened to desperation by the invulnerable purity of his life, the fnakes of ENVY recoiled upon the head of their mif

trefs, and burrowed to the brain, that fupplied their

venom.

EXEMPLAR OF HEROES! in what favoured nation, or era, fhall the exulting philanthropift record the exiftence of a character, uniting, like thine, in one bright constellation of talents, every civic and military glory, that blazons in legend, or beams in hiftory? Should we fearch in the archives of claffic antiquity, we might find a wife and venerable FABIUS, who, like thee, could "fave a nation by delay;"* but never, like thee, could feize victory by enterprise, and outstride fortune by the forefight of philofophy! We might behold the majeftic CINCINNATUS, who, like thee, in the vigour of Roman heroism, could return from the conquest of his country's enemies, to his humble Mount Vernon beyond the Tyber; but never, like thee, to protect from faction the liberties he had wrefted from invafion! We might trace the great JULIUS, extending the terror of his eagles, through realms, before unfhadowed by their pinions; we might follow him to the forum, and liften to an eloquence, like thine, when applauding fenates inftinctly moved at his control; but where, in the map of thy victories, fhall we find the banks of a Rubicon !

Encumbered with honours, the father of his country once more returned to the unambitious abodes of his affection, followed by the tears and bleffings of his fellow-citizens !-The glory, which had encircled the scenes of his action, could not be excluded by the folitude of retirement. He had devefted the infignia of command; but his empire was not diminished. He had furrendered the badges of fame; but the gaze of the world did not fufpend its veneration. The name of WASHINGTON was ftill a battlement to his country, under whose protection liberty exulted, at whofe terrors hoftility trembled.

Though remote from the caufes of European conteft, yet affected by the convulfions it excited, in vain

* PHILENIA.

had our nation attempted to maintain with honour an unprotected neutrality. Piracy plundered the ocean ;— Invafion threatened our fhores. Again, were the eyes of America directed with trembling folicitude to her venerable deliverer; and, again did this MAN WITH

OUT EXAMPLE, THIS PATRIOT WITHOUT REPROACH, whofe life was his country, whofe glory was mankind, refign with alacrity, to the cause he had fworn to defend, the tranquil hope of repofe, to which he had devoted the unclouded evening of a life of toils!The character was perfect! WASHINGTON now touched "the highest point of all his greatness." A more than human fplendour furrounded him. The etherial fpirit of his virtues towered above the globe they adorned, and feemed to meditate their departure to their native manfion. Of the frailty of man, nothing now remained but his mortality; and, having accomplished the embaffy of a benevolent Providence-having been the founder of one nation, and the fublime inftructor of all-HE TOOK HIS FLIGHT TO HEAVEN;

-not like Mahomet, for his memory is immortal without the fiction of a miracle;not like Elijah, for recording Time has not registered the man, on whom his mantle should defcend ;—but in humble imitation of that OMNIPOTENT ARCHITECT, who returned from a created univerfe, to contemplate from his throne the ftupendous fabric he had erected!

The auguft form, whofe undaunted majefty could arreft the lightning, ere it fell on the bofom of his country, now fleeps in filent ruin, untenanted of its celestial effence. But the incorruptible example of his virtues fhall furvive, unimpaired by the corrosion of time; and acquire new vigour and influence, from the crimes of ambition, and the decay of empires. The invaluable valediction, bequeathed to the people, who inherited his affections, is the effort of a mind, whose powers, like thofe of prophecy, could overleap the tardy progrefs of human reafon, and unfold truth without the labour of investigation. Impreffed in indelible

characters, this LEGACY OF HIS INTELLIGENCE will defcend, unfullied as its purity, to the wonder and inftruction of fucceeding generations; and, fhould the mild philosophy of its maxims be ingrafted into the policy of nations, at no diftant period will the departed hero, who now lives only in the fpotlefs fplendour of his own great actions, exift in the happiness and dignity of mankind.

The fighs of cotemporary gratitude have attended the SUBLIME SPIRIT to its paternal abode; and the prayers of ameliorated pofterity will afcend in glowing remembrance of their illuftrious benefactor! The laurels, that now droop, as they fhadow his tomb with monumental glory, will be cultivated by the tears of ages; and, embalmed in the heart of an admiring world, the temple, erected to his memory, will bet more glorious than the pyramids, and as eternal as his own imperishable virtues!

An Eulogy

ON GENERAL WASHINGTON.

Delivered before the Inhabitants of MEDFORD, (Maff)

AT THE REQUEST OF THEIR COMMITTEE,

On the 13th of January, 1800.

BY JOHN BROOKS, A. M. M. M. S. & A. A. S.

SUSPENDING the ordinary employ

ments of life, we, my refpected friends, have entered this temple, to pay our laft, fad tribute of respect to the memory of one, who was "the first in war, the first in peace, and the first in the hearts of his countrymen. And how fuitable is it, that we here unite to mingle our griefs, and affociate our folemn obfequies, with religious rites! We thus declare to the world our veneration of wifdom, and appeal to Heaven for the fincerity of the applaufe we beftow on virtue.

The interjunction of public eulogies with funeral folemnities, is a practice neither novel nor unufeful. Emanating from the ftrength and poignance of grief for departed merit, it is the expreffion of an affection of the human heart, which may be beneficially indulged; and may the present occasion not only atteft our fenfe of the irreparable lofs we mourn, but lead us, individually, to fuch reflections as fhall tend to fortify our virtues, and mend the heart.

Vain would be the attempts of the most accomplished eulogift, to do juftice to a character fo tranfcendently illustrious, as that of our late dear and muchloved WASHINGTON. What language, indeed, can portray his worth? What powers of utterance are adequate to the delineation of an image corresponding