SEMPER

REFULGET.

No. 43.

Boston, Saturday, February 21, 1807.

THE MAN who will venture to depart from the common customs of society, who without regarding what other people esteem or even asking what they practice, will make his own system the foundation of his actions and pursue the novel forms of his own mind in his intercourse with society, will draw the attention of the spectators, though he may not ensure their respect, and bring himself into notice if not into esteem. Whateyer is rare will be the subject of wonder, and whatever is bold will attract the gaze of admiration, and few stop to inquire whether the novelty be worthy their regard, or whether the boldness be the proper exhibition of valor.

Custom has so long and so universally been acknowledged as a ruler, and its decrees been treated with so profound a reverence that the rebel from its government, the conspirator against its laws is considered as an original and enterprizing character and draws with him the admiration of vulgar minds who mistake eccentricity,

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for greatness. There is a hardihood required to stand against the current of public opinion which is sometimes associated with the con sciousness of determined integrity, and sometimes imitated by that dull and heavy insensibility which knows not the force it opposes and has no end to answer by opposition. Semetimes the inconvenience of a contest with public sentiment is the necessary tax which a man pays for his honesty, and is sometimes the mere labor which he voluntarily assumes, to elevate himself into notice and attract popular attention-In those matters however where there is no good reason against prevailing customs, a strong argument exists in their favor, and he must be destitute of every quality worthy of praise, who seeks it by a contemptuous disregard of common habits and general manners. There are some things indifferent in themselves which become of consequence by the authority of custom; somethings might originally have been conducted one way as well as another, but when custom has determined the manner, the original indifference ceases, The intercourse of society, the forms of politeness, the dress and general deportment are within the control of custom, and he who discovers the originality of his mind by a departure from its decrees shows more captiousness than judgment, and though perfectly at liberty to act in whatever manner he chooses, exercises

his liberty in this way at the ex- to the united voice of the commupense of his understanding.

nity. The reformer of public morYet there are men in society who als, or the censor of fashion and are never so well pleased as when prevailing sentiment must assume acting in direct opposition to gene- by virtue of the office he underral habits. That which is regular takes a mind beyond the common and uniform, which has been prac-standard, he must be known by a tised by their forefathers and will superior understanding or a better be followed by posterity, which ev-heart; steady in his purpose, the ery one besides is ready to assent to very original of the tenax proposibecause it is not of sufficient con- tum viri, of the poet, no obstacle sequence to alter, is the first ob- must diminish his zeal and no difject on which they fix their oppo- ficulty be more than a momentary sition, and when by separating check to his enterprize-but the themselves from the mass of soci- eccentric man, whom we would ety they are known as eccentric hold up to contempt, has a cast of and singular characters, they feel character of very different model all the pride of self-importance and and as some people are said to asall the consequence which belongs sume the cloak of gravity to conto the discoverer of some new and ceal the defects of the mind, so he grand public good. decks himself with a singular and I never see one of these eccen- many coloured plumage to draw tric geniuses, but I think nature the gaze of the vulgar when he must have given some unfortunate cannot command the approbation of twist to his mind; and as phi-the wise. Like the Indian, he mislosophers tell us that all objects are takes gaudy colours and singular seen inverted by the eye, but that decorations for the chaste ornaments judgment corrects the mistake, I of a correct taste. should think that nature had forgotten to supply them with that necessary adjunct to the mind, and that they are acting as if the world was really turned upside down.

But while we censure that folly which is always in opposition to public sentiment we would not be thought to encourage the depravity which meets with indiscriminate The eccentric man is indeed a praise every action of the multivery ridiculous character. He takes tude. No wise man will submit much pains to little purpose and his sober judgment to decisions instead of acquiring the esteem of that are oftentimes affected by pashis associates, is always bringing sion and intemperance, nor can any himself into contempt and disgrace. prudent man so far extend his resThe individuals of society are plac-pect for the customs of his couned in a situation so dependent on try as to adopt all the thoughtless each other that it is very impolitic variety of fashions and the extravafor one to censure and affront the gencies to which it gives rise. rest by a practical assertion of his But the erratic and uncertain conown superior wisdom ;-by a refu- duct of eccentricity is in no way sal to join in ordinary pursuits or connected with the bold hostility to be governed by customary rules. public and general corruption which But this eccentric genius sets up his marks the character of a great and own plans in opposition to general honorable man. Far be it from us opinion, as if the unstudied sugges-in advocating a concurrence with tions of his own mind was superior the public will to sacrifice one mor

al virtue or one praise-worthy ac- jascertained. We have here none tion. The multitude will often go of that family pride which derives astray, and hard and thankless as its support from ancestorial dignity. is the task, it is always the duty of an honest man to raise his arm against the error, and lift up his voice against the delusions of his countrymen.

The nobility we honour is personal virtue. The labors of an honorable ancestry transmit very little respect to the descendant. Those who are contemporary with the ilThe mean and little sycophancy lustrious deceased find his memory which bows to every error of a delu- respected as far as it is known, and ded people, and assists in thickening those who follow anticipate but litthe darkness that blinds then to tle advantage by rescuing it from the ray of truth, and that vain and the common lot of humanity. The contemptible affectation which as-duty of the biographer is hence sents to no general forms, to no re-transferred from those who are able ceived opinions, but delights in ex- to perform it, to the general histori ploring new courses and following an, and the records which should' its own path, are equal extremes from the grand medium of propriety and equally unworthy the countenance of an honorable mind.

The pages of the Emerald can never be more usefully employed than in preserving the record of those great and elevated characters, whose worth entitles them to dwellin the memory of posterity. To these however, the first place is due to the patriots of our own country whose integrity and talents have conspired to erect the scattered strength of the colonies into a free, sovereign and independent republic. The biography of American worthies unfortunately may be compressed into a very narrow compass, not indeed from the scantiness of materials, but the want of laborers-" the harvest is indeed great but the laborers are few." There is a criminal want of attention to this department of our history, which may in future times diminish from its splendor. But the cause is not difficult to be

exemplify the life and character of our great men in the council or the field, are either lost by this kind of neglect or curtailed in the account by the multiplicity of other subjects. and the necessity of a general at-, tention.

Under these impressions I send you the following short sketch of a great character in our revolution, personally known to many of your readers. It appeared soon after his death. We have arrived at that distance from the revolution, when time is exerting his preroga tive over the illustrious actors of that eventful history. Our statesmen and generals are rapidly falling in the arms of death. The record of their virtues should be trusted to some more durable fabric than memory and tradition, and if facts respecting them be preserved, the future PLUTARCH when he explores the archives of our country shall find himself surrounded with the records of more than Grecian great

ders of the American Republic. He was defeated) his coolness and intrewas born in Chester county, Pennsylva-pidity, in the midst of a bloody scene, nia, in 1745. His grand-father bore a finally sustained his character above captain's commission, at the battle of censure, and added credit to the Ameri the Boyne, under king William, and can arms-In 1778, he shared in the was distinguished for his attachment honour of the victory over the British to the principles of liberty. The gen-army at Monmonth. In the same year, eral's father was a respectable farmer, he distinguished himself by a bold at and served for many years as a repre-tack upon a block-house, on the North sentative for the county of Chester, in River; it was rendered unsuccess ul, the general assembly of Pennsylvania, according to the account given of it by before the revolution. His son succed-general Washington, in his letter to ed him, as representative for the coun- Congress, only by the intemperate valor ty, in 1773. In this eventful year, he of his troops.-In 1779, he distinguished began his career, as a patriot and friend himself by surprising and storming of the rights of man. He took an ac- Stoney Point. In effecting this business, tive part in all the measures of the as- he marched several miles through a sembly that year, which were opposed deep morass, in the middle of the night. to the claims of Great Britain; and, in In the attack upon the fort, he was connection with John Dickinson, Thos. struck down by a ball, which grazed his Mifflin, Edward Biddle, Charles Thomp-head. It was expected that he was son, and a few other gentlemen, pre-killed; but he soon rose, so as to rest pared the way for the decided and use- upon one knee: feeling his situation, ful part which Pennsylvania afterwards and believing his wound to be mortal, took in the American revolution.-In he cried out to one of his aids, " carry the year 1775, he quitted the councils me forward, and let me die in the fort." of his country, for the field. He enter- When he entered it, he gave orders to ed the army of the United States, as a stop the effusion of blood by the sword, colonel. His name recruited a regi and to make the garrison prisoners of ment in a few weeks, in his native coun- war. This humane command was the ty. In the close of this year, he ac- more generous, as the garrison consiscompanied general Thompson into Can-ted of some of the troops who had used ada: here he was soon led into action. the bayonet without mercy at the PaoIn the defeat of general Thompson, heli.-In the year 1781, he bore an active behaved with great bravery, and was part in the campaign, which reduced singularly useful in saving a large body the army of Lord Cornwallis to the of the army, by the judicious manner necessity of surrendering prisoners of in which he conducted their retreat, war. After this event, he was sent by after the general was made prisoner. general Washington to conduct the war In this battle, the general, then colonel, in the state of Georgia. Here, his received a flesh-wound in his leg. In prudence, courage, and military skill, the campaign of 1776, he served under were amply tried: he contended, with general Gates, at Ticonderoga. Gen-equal success, with British soldiers, eral Gates esteemed him highly, not only for his courage, and other military talents, but for his knowledge as an engineer. It was said of him, that his eye was nearly equal to a measure, in judging of heights and distances; a talent of incalculable consequence in an officer. At the close of this campaign, he was created a brigadier-generalHe bore an active part in the campaign of 1777. He fought at Brandywine, and, for a long time retarded the progress of the British army, in crossing Chad's ford. He fought at Germantown, and at the Paoli, on Lancaster road in the last of these battles (where he bad a separate command, and in which he

Indian savages, and American traitors. In a short time, he established peace and liberty, in that once distracted state. As a reward for his eminent services, the legislature of Georgia presented h`m with a valuable farm.-Upon the return of peace, he retired to private pursuits. In 1787, he subscribed, as a member of the Pennsylvania convention, the instrument which declared the present federal constitution of the United States to be part of the supreme law of the land.-In the year 1792, he accepted of the command of the Amer. ican army to be employed against the Indians, who, for several years, had carried on a successful and desolating

war upon the frontiers of the United ciety, in its exposure of the monstrous States. In this situation, his military deformity and venom of scandal, by disgenius broke forth with accumulated robing it of its seducing attire; and lustre. He disciplined and created an in its pursuit of the moralizing hypoarmy, and, by uniting in his system of crite through all his windings, circumtactics Indian stratagems with civilized venting his designs, saving innocence bravery, he led on his troops to victory, or credulity from his machinations, and, over numerous and confederated tribes, finally devoting him to severe punishand thereby gave peace in a single day ment. The characters are numerous, to the United States. He died in a hut natural and distinct. The testy, but in the wilderness, remote from his affectionate husband in Sir Peter; the friends, that his coutrymmen might enjoy susceptible yet extravagant, the gidin safety, beneath domestic shades, dy, yet uncontaminated wife in Laand in cultivated society, the peaceable dy Teazle; the frank old fashioned fruits of their labours. Traveller, who-friend and relation in Sir Oliver, the ever thou art, that shalt visit the shores canting and villanous hypocrite in Joof the lake on which his body is inter-seph, and the warm-hearted, though red, stop and drop a tear, in behalf of his country over his grave. Plant near it a willow, which shall convey to it the dew of heaven, and cut npon its bark, in letters that shall grow with time, the name of Wayne, with the precious epithets of Patriot, Hero and Friend!

FOR THE EMERALD

THE ORDEAL.....No9. 17.

extravagant profligate in Charles, are characters so exquisitely painted, so naturally connected, and so effectually contrasted by the artist, that the whole picture engrosses all our admiration. The inferior agents are complete characters; Mrs. Candour, Lady Sneerwell, Sir Benjamin and Crabtree. In these persons the streams of calumny have their rise in the same fountain, but vary in appearance and taste from the difference in their beds.

The screen scene in this play is probably wrought up more effectually (consistent with probability) than any other

Alexander the Great, (Lee) and Perouse. in the whole mass of English comedy.

Friday Feb. 13.

School for Scandal, (Sheridan)
Too Strings to your Bow.
Monday Feb. 16.

The performance of this evening, combined much excellence and many and defects; excellence that has seldom been surpassed, and defects no less apparent, but much less extraordinary.

THE character of the School for Sir Peter Teazle by Mr. Bernard is Scandal is so well established that it one of his most judicious personations. would be needless to vindicate it among This evening his first scenes were not those who have any pretensions to taste. remarkable for force or nicety of disWith others who, affecting to despise crimination; but when the occasion dethe judgment of the critical, hazard manded peculiar efficacy to be given, remarks prejudicial to this comedy, it "then roused the lion," avl his manshould be a sufficient counterbalance ner of exposing Joseph to Charles was to their opinion to be informed, that irresistibly comic. We could not but the School for Scandal has contributed regret the superindiction of extraneous more than any other production to ex-expressions into the text; as in the scene alt the name of Sheridan to the high with Joseph, the constant repetition of station in the sphere of literary gen-the word Joe, which, while it is not in- ius which it has attained. The celebrity of this name whether in the eloquence of the forum or in the sed entary efforts of literary invention, is supported by the wise and learned of all countries, unassisted either by interest or passion.

troduced by the author, in our opinion, savours of vulgarity. We noticed too several grammatical inaccuracies, as the connexion of the plural noun and pronoun with the singular termination of the verb. On the whole, the part was admirably delineated; and if the Of this comedy, its tendency is high-execution sometimes wanted force, the Jy conducive to the best interests of so-apprehension was generally complete."