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FOR THE COLUMBIAN PHENIX.

THE LITERARY REVIEW, No. III.

A SUMMARY HISTORY OF NEW-ENGLAND.
By HANNAH ADAMS. [Concluded from our laft.]

IN
accompanying Mifs Adams,
through the progrefs of her nar-
ration, we are led, progreffively,
to a deep contemplation on the
inftability of human affairs: and,
it is in the indulgence of fuch re-
flection, that men should become
wifer and better.

As this is the most correct and impartial detail of thofe great events, which led to the establishment of this young and glorious nation, that we have perused; we feel interested in giving the merits of the Lady, as much publicity as we are able. The principles by which fhe is actuated, are, apparently, of the nobleft nature; fhe is willing and eager to keep alive a due remembrance of the

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fufferings and heroifm of her countrymen, and to render the force of memory fubfervient to the purposes of virtue, but not malignity: fhe knows, that any hiftorian who aims to make the hatred between two nations immortal, because they have originally contended upon a point of right; is an enemy to human good, and does not deferve to be quoted with honor or approbation.

In her description of the various outrages and cruelties, perpetrated by the European army, fhe is authentic, but not inflammatory: that the enormities occurred, cannot be denied; but, unhappily, fuch inftances are infeparably connected with the progress of war,

and

and cannot be charged to the exclufive account of any particular nation the people of Britain are unqueftionably both brave and generous; and, although the fpirit of the empire was improperly and ruinoufly directed, in that momentous conflict; we are perfuaded, that both the fovereign and the people would have revolted from fyftematic barbarity. But enough has been urged upon this diftreffing fubject; the Americans defended and established their liberties, like heroes: and we fervently hope, that their privileges may be eternal; yet this defire can only be accomplished, by rendering the general idea of freedom correfpondent with focial neceffity and in a rational obedience to the mildest and most perfect code of laws, that ever were promulgated for the regulation of mankind.

There is no part of this interefting performance, which fhould be more indelible with every member of both countries, than her candid and honeft elucidation of thofe principles and thofe acts which led to the feparation of the two nations: the Author explains herself with concifenefs and fidelity the baneful germ of contention lay in the trial to enforce the abominable Stamp A&, which was brought into the British Houfe of Commons, by Mr. Charles Townfend, who concluded a fpeech, on its introduction, to the following effect:"And now, will these Americans, children planted by your care, nourished by your indulgence, and protected by your arms, grudge to contribute their mite to relieve us from that burthen which we lie under?" "Col.

Barre took up Mr. Townfend's concluding words, in a most spirited and inimitable manner, faying, "They planted by YOUR care! No; your oppreffions planted them in America. They fled from your tyranny, to a then uncultivated and inhofpitable country, where they expofed themselves to almost all the hardships to which human nature is liable, to the cruelty of a favage foe: yet actuated by principles of true English liberty, they met all hardships with pleasure, compared with those they suffered in their own country, from the hands of them, that fhould have been their friends."

In the latter part of this work, Mifs Adams has confented to the introduction of a paragraph, which militates, in its fpirit, against the avowed tenor of the publication : we are acquainted with the name of the author, who is a perfon of confeffed talent and high refpectability, and directed, as we believe, by the best motives; yet, as it operates to throw a doubt upon the efficient and durable effects of popular virtue, we prefume to think, that the work under confideration would have been more confiftent, without the embodying of this article; which, though well written, is not perfectly free from the herefies of a political fcepticifm; if he is right, humanity is not equal to the preservation of good: it infinuates a provifional doubt, to counteract an exifting felicity; and feems to tell the world, that our governing health is not analogous to our phyfical vigour, and that our political bloom is the refult of a plethora, and not a found habit.

Her encomiums on the ability, integrity

integrity and fpirit of the Prefident are well timed and thoroughly juft: it is the duty of all thinking and virtuous perfons to fuftain the public refpect towards the Chief Magiftrate, as it is from the influence of this veneration, that the laws derive their efficacy. If a man, fo illuftrious in action and confirmed in principle as JOHN ADAMS, can poffibly be falfe to his great truft,

there can be no future reliance on

the public or private merits of any individual : our imbecility will give the lie to our hope, and we must be deftroyed through the medium of that exertion, which was employed to fupport our happinefs.

The Lady proceeds to finish her labours, with the following remarks: "After independence was obtained by the fword, and acknowledged by the neighbouring nations, a fpirit of anarchy threatened the fubverfion of our recently-acquired liberty; the interpofition of Providence was vifible, at this alarming crifis, in caufing thefe tumults finally to terminate in the eftablishment of the Federal Conftitution, which placed the privileges of the United States on a permanent foundation."

"Exalted from a feeble ftate to opulence and independence, the federal Americans are now recognized, as a nation, throughout the globe. From a comparifon of their former with their prefent circumstances, the mind is expanded to contemplate fcenes of future grandeur, and is led to conclude, that the United States are advancing in knowledge and happinefs, while the wealth and power of more ancient governments is rapidly declining. The highly

favoured Americans ought to raise their minds in grateful afpirations to Heaven, that the fair profpect may never be reversed, by a spirit of anarchy prevailing among the people: but that GENUINE LIBERTY, united with ORDER and GOOD GOVERNMENT, may continue to diffuse their bleffings through the widely-extended Union."

We have obferved, with fome furprife and much fatisfaction, that our fair Hiftorian has difdained to adopt thofe corrupt innovations upon the English tongue, which are too prevalent in the literary compofition of the minor authors of this nation: the ftandard of the language has been already fixed, by the examples of the most claffical and admired writers of our time and the preceding age: and it fhould be recollected by modern writers here, that all foreigners of illumination and taste will form a judgment upon their works, agreeably to the accuftomed rules of diction; and may be disposed to smile at any fubverfion of orthography, that has no ftronger claim to recommend it, than the love of novelty!-We have a gentleman among us, of more notoriety for the quantity, than the quality of his productions, who feems to have affumed the right (if fuch barbarifm can be fo denominated) to torment the parts of fpeech, and shake the venerable Syntax to the foundation: he boldly invefts the adjective Epidemic, who is but an aid de camp in the field of Literature, with all the honors and immunities appertaining to the fubftantive Disease, who has been heretofore confidered, and univerfally acknowledged,

as

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as a fuperior officer: he ufes the fame arbitrary difpofition with Executive and Authority, making the firft unlimited in his agency, and fuppreffing the appearance of the other, with his allotted companion. He has wantonly cut, like a mad Egyptian Prieft, the bowels out of the harmless participles Brought, Thought, &c. and filled up the vacuity, occafioned by the lofs of vifcera, with an apostrophe; and then faucily tells the world, that they are more beautiful and strong, by the lofs of flamina, members, and proportion. Any fondness that he might exprefs for the terms Vanity and Folly, would be admitted as excufable, at least by thofe who know him: but why he should treat other words fo cruelly, is truly wonderful: but perhaps the gentleman has a little of the old leaven of oppreffion in him, and as he cannot mangle or coerce any thing elfe, with impunity, in this free country; he is refolved to wreak his appetite for vengeance, on the offspring of profody: he is affuredly harmless, though his attempt is daring. Such a THING may cover his deformities amidft the ignorance and credulity of his af fociates, but he cannot hide himfelf from the ridicule of the world. He has made Common Senfe

antipodical, and confiders Wit as an hereditary foe: he has broken the limbs of Rhetoric, and fent Philofophy limping through the world: when he was a child he' lifped errors, and now he is a great boy, he reduces them to practice; he gained Academic honours by proving that Negation and Affirmation may be allied by Ingenuityhe has introduced the Ethics into vile company, and made Theology a caricatura-he has sophisticated the elements of Logic, and driven Metaphyfics into madness-the Grammar means to bring an action for damages, and the Nomenclature will petition Congress to bind him over to his good behaviour-he treads Adverbs under his feet, and bruifes Nouns without pity-he has no more paffion for Genders than Hermaphroditus dormiens.

He makes the first Perfon in the Prefent Tenfe, the Generaliffimo of all his arguments; which, it must be confeffed, is putting Tom Thumb in the van of difputation! He has made Alma Mater a punk, and deftroyed her reputation, by the traces of his own illegitimacy! Some have denominated this inundation of nonfenfe, as an illiterate deluge; but we, more mild, characterize it as Noah's flood!

WASHINGTON's POLITICAL LEGACIES ;-to which is annexed an Appendix, containing an account of his laft illness, death, and the national tributes of refpect paid to his memory, with a biographical outline of his life and character. Oct.1 Vol. Price 9/, Bofton, JOHN RUSSELL and JOHN WEST.

WE feize the prefent occafion to fignify to the Public, that this affemblage of important matter is now offered for fale. It is printed in a manner that would not dishonour an European prefs; and this fupremely valuable Volume is compiled with accuracy, circumfpection and tafte. It contains every letter and document appertaining to its good and great fubject, as an author or orator, that it is neceflary for The nation to know or study. [To be concluded in our next number.]

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[Extracted from a London Magazine of August, 1799.]

A CONTROVERSY having but which in truth and candour he

arifen concerning the real Author of the celebrated Letters formerly publifhed under this fignature, it is incumbent on the Conductors of a Literary Journal to take some notice of it. Our readers will recollect, that in our Magazine for December, 1797, p. 390, we declared our opinion that Hugh Boyd, neither was, nor could, from internal evidence, be the Author: we now infert two letters; the latter the teftimony of one who has had great means of information, and whofe decifion will have due weight with the public. They are both addreffed to the Editor of The Morning Chronicle in the following terms: "A FEW FACTS CONCERNING THE LATE HUGH BOYD, THE REPUTED AUTHOR OF JUN

IUS.

"MR. EDITOR,

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"The affertion of Mr. George Chalmers, in the poftfcript to his recent publication, That the late Mr. Hugh Boyd was the real Author of the Letters of Junius,' having given rife to fome comments in The True Briton of the 16th of last month, and having fince that period excited a good deal of attention in the literary circles, I think it due to the memory of Mr. Boyd, to give the public one or two leading facts with regard to the fuppofition of his having written the Letters of Junius, and to contradict fome expreffions highly injurious to his character, which Mr. Chalmers has thought himself juftified to use,

will find himself bound to retract.

"One of Mr. Boyd's nearest relations has long thought that he was the Author of the Letters of Junius, from the following pofitive facts:

"Ift. Towards the latter end of the year 1768, Mr. Boyd, who at that period refided in Great Marlborough-ftreet, began to be extremely fedulous in collecting political information of every kind, and being in habits of confidential intimacy with the late Mr. Laughlin Maclene, Secretary to Lord Shelburne, as well as with fome other distinguished political characters, whom it is unneceffary to mention here, he was enabled to obtain very early and accurate intelligence of all Ministerial proceedings.

"2d. Previous to the appearance of Junius's first letter on the 21st January, 1769, Mr. Boyd was at wonderful pains in accuftoming himself to difguife his hand-writing; and he fucceeded fo happily in doing fo, that hardly any refemblance could be traced between it and his common hand.

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