“The world, though oft to merit blind, "Alas, I cannot blame ; "For they have oft the knee inclin'd; "And pour'd the sigh....but, like the wind "Of winter's cold it came. "Ah, no! neglect I cannot rue." And ever, as the sad lament While mournful o'er her pictur'd face She seem'd, she thought, a marble grace "Ah, what avail those eyes replete "Oh, 'tis the worst of cruel things, "This solitary state! "Yon bird that trims his sunny wings, "As on the bending bough he swings, "Prepares to join his mate. "The little glow-worm in her flight "Sends forth her paly sheen, "That still her tiny lover's sight, "Amid the darkness of the night, "May trace her o'er the green. "All living nature seems to move "By sympathy divine.... "The sea, the earth, the air above; "As if one universal love "Did all their hearts entwine! THE BOSTON REVIEW, FOR FEBRUARY, 1810. Librum tuum legi, et quam diligentissime potui annotavi quae commutanda, quae eximenda arbitrarer. Nam ego dicere verum assuevi. Neque ulli patientius reprehenduntur, quam qui maxime laudari merentur. Plin. ARTICLE 4. Nihil tetigit Works of Fisher Ames, compiled by a number of his friends, to which are prefixed notices of his life and character. Boston, T. B. Wait and Co. 1809. 8vo. quod non ornavit. 519 pages. (Concluded from page 45.) We have thus far attempted, in our extracts and remarks, to exemplify the spirit which predominates in these writings. That the labours of Mr. Ames had their origin in a love of country, equally pure and enlightened, can never be called in question by those, who knew him when living, or who examine these remains, uninfluenced by the jealousy or the fears of party, and aloof from the suggestions of any meaner passion. His mind, exhaustless in vigour, and overflowing with inherent abundance, is perpetually employed in pouring forth its riches into the bosoms of his countrymen, without other hope, than what their approbation and the sweet consciousness of fulfilled duty inspires. Elevation, purity, justness, utility, are the characteristicks of his sentiments. They scarce ever fail to inculcate a wise philosophy, and to infuse a sublime morality. Although for the most part emerging from the midst of the strongest passions of the human heart, and out of occasions supplying the most powerful stimulants to intemperance of language, political adversaries have seldom reason to complain either that the decency of discussion is unobserved, or the rights of independent opinion violated. Perhaps no political writer, in times of equal party violence, ever wrote so much, and resorted so little to personalities, strictly thus called. In allu sions to private vices, we believe, it may truly be said, that he never indulges. Folly, or foible, in elevated and influential characters, he sometimes condescends to make the object of his wit or satire. But the shaft he discharges at them is never winged by malignity, and its point has always a polish and a gentle humour, which sooths and heals the wound, in the hour it is inflicted. But, although the delicacy of Mr. Ames's mind and its innate urbanity prohibited him from condescending to any illiberal attack on the private faults or vices of political enemies, yet the torrent of his eloquence, thus prevented from finding a passage through low and vulgar courses to its purpose, accumulated and rushed with a more dreadful force, through legitimate channels, on their political character and influence. With the factious, the desperate, the intriguing, the licentious and the wickedly aspiring, he made no composition, and disdained even to parley. Their principles and motives he never ceased to subject to a severe analysis, and scrutinized on all occasions their projects with an honest asperity, suited rather to excite against them the indignation of the publick, than to conciliate, or reform the subjects of his censure. The language of contempt, of scorn and detestation, in which he sométimes indulges, and which, it will not be denied, was sometimes deserved, is little calculated to assuage the animosities of the mind, or to scatter, or ripen, the seeds of conviction. Accordingly the tendency of his writings is more to unite and animate the phalanx of his friends, than to augment it by recruits from the ranks of his opponents. He was a partisan warriour, perpetually dashing into the very centre of the hostile camp, disturbing the sleep of its commander, and depriv ing his guards of repose; but the result of his efforts was rather brilliant than decisive. He brought away more marks of honour, than trophies of victory; and obtained more evidences, than rewards, of prowess. His virtues and skill were the delight and admiration of his friends, but it does not appear, that he made any very durable impression on his enemies. Indeed it is obvious from many parts of his writings, that he had no higher hope from his exertions than that of consolidating his own party, and of maintaining in it a disciplined force of opinion, ready to watch and to limit the ravages of those who had possessed themselves of the citadel of |