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To those even moderately conversant with literary labours it is unnecessary to state how elegantly a writer of even mediocre talents may polish and refine his productions, when he devotes to a column or two of a newspaper the labour of one, two, three, or four weeks. It is not to be wondered at, that with so much of the lima labor, as Junius bestowed upon them, they remain models of the elegance, force, and refinement of the English language.

I have the less diffidence in writing thus of Junius, because I am happy to find that one of the most elegant of the modern English historians, Belsham, a most unequivocal advocate and friend of Liberty, has pronounced sentence upon this writer in these words: "When a man brings forward anonymous accusations of this nature, and basely shrinks from the subsequent investigation, he stands recorded to all future times a liar, an assassin, and a coward."-History of Great Britain, vol. v. p. 290.

Philadelphia, Dec. 15, 1809.

From the same.

THEOPHRASTUS.

A STORY is told of Theophrastus, from which an inference has been drawn, that it does not appear to me to warrant. I submit my objections to the reader.

The story is, that Theophrastus, who imagined he spoke the Attic dialect in its utmost purity, went into a market-place in Athens, and accosting one of the women there stationed, mis

pronounced some word, whereby she directly, to his surprise, pronounced him a foreigner. It has always been thence presumed that even the lowest of the Athenian populace were so well educated as to be minutely acquainted with all the niceties of the language.

This, like thousands of other ancient stories, is entirely fallacious. Let us test it by our own market women. Suppose a Cockney was to ask a market woman for a peck of happles, an Irishman for a pound of buthther, a Scotchman for a pund or twa of beef, a New Englander for some keeow's milk, or a Virginian to hollor for some tobaccor, she would directly pronounce them all foreigners; but would it be fair to deduce from her accurate knowledge on this point, that she had received a refined education, or even ever gone to school? Philadelphia, Dec. 20, 1809.

TO THE CITIZENS OF THE UNITED STATES.

ROBERT FULTON.

"Hos ego versiculos feci. Alter tulit" præmia:

"Sic vos-non vobis-nidificatis, aves:

"Sic vos-non vobis-vellera fertis, oves:

"Sic vos-non vobis-mellificatis, apes:

"Sic vos-non vobis-fertis aratra, boves."-VIRGIL.

FELLOW CITIZENS,

I respectfully invite your serious attention to a subject interesting to every generous and magnanimous individual, disposed to duly appreciate the merits, and adequately reward the services, of those whom heaven has endowed with genius, and who have devoted that genius to the noblest work that can employ time and talents, that is, to add to the sum of human happiness. I trust I address myself to a description of citizens not less respectable for numbers and influence in society, than for their strong regard for national character.

It is very doubtful whether any man ever conferred more solid benefits on his fellow men than Fulton, by the perfection of the invention of propelling boats with steam. Without entering into a comparison, (which could answer no valuable purpose,) with Columbus-the inventor of the art of printing-or any

other of the great benefactors of mankind-suffice it to say, that he holds a conspicuous rank among that illustrious class.

To certain portions of our country, particularly those depending on, or connected with, the navigation of the Mississippi, however remotely, this grand invention has produced the most inappreciable advantages. It has accelerated the improvement of the western states a century. The mind is lost in astonishment at the contrast between the present situation of that navigation, and what it was a few years since. Formerly a passage downwards required a month, and the ascending navigation was so difficult, that many of the traders preferred taking passage from New Orleans to New York or Philadelphia, and returning over land, at an oppressive expense of time and money. At present a passage from Cincinnati to New Orleans, and back, requires only from fifteen to twenty days, and costs from fifty to sixty dollars. It is difficult to calculate the saving of the expenses of freight on the immense amount of goods conveyed to Tennessee, Kentucky, and Ohio, from New Orleans; but it is probably half a million of dollars annually.

The population of the western country has probably been increased a third or a fourth by the facility of intercourse afforded by steamboats.

Now let us suppose for a moment, that Fulton, as soon as he had fully ascertained the practicability of his project, had made an offer to any body of men, duly authorized by congress or a state legislature, to treat with him, to propel boats by steam against wind and tide, at the rate of eight or ten miles an hour, provided he was paid a million of dollars on the satisfactory completion of his plan, no cure, no pay;" would it not be regarded as the height of folly and madness to have refused his offer? That the purchase would have been cheap at treble the amount will not admit of a doubt.

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From this view of the subject, let us turn our attention to what has been the requital for this invaluable benefaction-and here we must heave a sigh over the fate of genius, which is doomed to labour for the general benefit of mankind, and debarred from partaking of the fruits of its labours. Virgil had this class of beings in his eye, when he wrote the verses prefixed to these paragraphs. Great geniuses "make the honey”— but it is devoured by the drones of society.

The enormous expenses attending the various experiments on this great improvement-the long delay in completing it

the numerous difficulties and embarrassments Fulton experienced and his premature death, at the period when he was about to reap a rich reward for his labours, put it out of his power to make that comfortable provision for his family, which his splendid talents would have secured, had they been devoted to any other congenial object. The annulling his patent deprived his heirs of a rich inheritance—and while they are, it is said, in straitened circumstances, hundreds are making splendid fortunes by his discovery-and thousands and tens of thousands of people are enjoying all the comforts of life, in towns and villages, which are springing up in places which would otherwise have remained deserts. And there is scarcely a district of the United States, that does not mediately or immediately benefit by the invention.

And do not honour and gratitude, the brightest ornaments in the escutcheon of nations, loudly call on us to make an effort to render his family a portion of the debt due to their founder? So mighty a debt can never be fully repaid-but something may be done to elevate our character, by insuring comfort and independence to the descendants of a man to whose memory so much is due.

The simplest mode of accomplishing this very desirable object, would be by an arrangement among the proprietors of steamboats generally, to make a small addition to the price of passage for one year-the whole to be converted into a fund for the benefit of Fulton's children. Perhaps motives of generosity might impel some of those proprietors who are making large fortunes, by steamboats, to devote a very small amount of the passage money, say two or three or four per cent. for the same period, to this laudable purpose.

These ideas are very respectfully submitted for public consideration. They have had the approbation of some enlightened citizens, to whom they have been communicated. Should they fail of answering the desired purpose, I shall at least, "have discharged my conscience," by the suggestion of the measure.

In order to ascertain the general feeling on this subject, I venture to propose, that a few citizens who are actuated by motives of gratitude and generosity, and disposed to regard this plan favourably, meet together-consider how far it is feasible -if so deemed, consult on the best means of effecting it-and present it to the public in its most practicable and acceptable

form. It could scarcely fail of a success honourable to the nation.*

Philadelphia, March 17, 1828.

PHILO-FULTON.

When this project was announced, it met with great approbation, and would probably have proved successful, but that Mr. Dale, who had married Mr. Fulton's widow, and was guardian to his children, in the public papers expressed his disapprobation of it-probably expecting some magnificent appropriation from congress. By that body, it is to be regretted, his application was rejected.

(CIRCULAR.)

To the Members of the American Philosophical Society.

GENTLEMEN,

Sincerely desirous to promote the reputation of the American Philosophical Society, of which I have the honour to be a member-convinced that a proposition now before it, respecting the mode of publishing its transactions in future, is of vital importance to its usefulness and respectability-and finding that it meets with a very strenuous opposition from some respectable and influential gentlemen, I wish to place before the members individually the proposition itself-the facts and arguments in its favour-and the objections alleged against it, that they may vote understandingly on the subject, when a decision takes place.

PLAN.

To publish in 8vo.-in numbers, nearly of the size of the Quarterly and Edinburgh Reviews, as often as sufficient matter offers; the printing to proceed pari passu with the decision of the publishing committee;-and the authors, under certain restrictions, to be furnished with 25 copies each, of their respective communications within 15, 20, or at most, in the case of

* A writer in one of the papers suggested an alteration in this plan, which would be an improvement—it was to appropriate one day, say the 4th of July, on which the whole of the profits of the steamboats, throughout the United States, owned by such liberal persons, as might unite in the plan, should be devoted to the benefit of the heirs of Fulton.

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