Then Cupid leap'd exulting round,
And cried, "Oh joy! my bow is sound,
Since thou, kind-hearted host, hast found

Its power-so fare thee well!

But hark! when thou canst cure that wound,
I'm sure I cannot tell !"

S.

GENTLEMEN,

The following effusion of an American young lady, which lately by a happy accident came into my hands, I take the liberty of sending you for insertion.

FABLE OF THE WOOD ROSE AND THE LAUREL.

In these deep shades a flow'ret blows,

Whose leaves a thousand sweets disclose ;

With modest air it hides its charms,
And ev'ry breeze its leaves alarms;
Turns on the ground its bashful eyes,
And oft unknown, neglected, dies.
This flower, as late I careless stray'd,
I saw in all its charm's array'd.
Fast by the spot where low it grew,
A proud and flaunting Wood Rose blew.
With haughty air her head she rais'd,
And on the beauteous plant she gaz'd;
While struggling passion swell'd her breast,
She thus her kindling rage exprest:

"Thou worthless flower,

Go leave my bower,

And hide in humbler scenes thy head!

How dost thou dare,

Where roses are,

Thy scents to shed!

Go leave my bower and live unknown,
I'll rule the field of flowers alone."

....And dost thou think," the Laurel cried,
And rais'd its head with modest pride,
While on its little trembling tongue,

A drop of dew incumbent hung:

"And dost thou think I'll leave this bower,

The seat of many a friendly flower,

The scene where first I grew ?

S.

Thy haughty reign will soon be o'er,
And thy frail form will bloom no more,
My flower will perish too.

But know, proud rose,

When winter's snows

Shall fall where once thy beauties stood,
My pointed leaf of shining green
Will still amid the gloom be seen,

To cheer the leafless wood."

"Presuming fool," the Wood Rose cried,
And strove in vain her shame to hide ;
But ah! no more the flower could say,
For while she spoke, a transient breeze
Came rustling through the neighbouring trees,
And bore her boasted charms away.

....And such, said I, is beauty's power!
Like thee she falls, poor trifling flower!
And if she lives her little day,

Life's winter comes with rapid pace,
And robs her form of every grace,
And steals her bloom away.

But in thy form, thou Laurel green,
Fair virtue's semblance soon is seen.

In life she cheers each different stage,

Spring's transient reign, and summer's glow,
And Autumn mild advancing slow,

And lights the eye of age.

THE

BOSTON REVIEW,

FOR

MAY, 1810.

Librum tuum legi, et quam diligentissime potui annotavi quae commutanda, quae eximenda arbitrarer. Nam ego dicere verum aşşuevi. Neque ulli patientius reprehenduntur, quam qui maxime laudari merentur.

Plin.

ARTICLE 12.

A Biographical Dictionary, containing a brief account of the first settlers, and other eminent characters among the magistrates, ministers, literary and worthy men, in New England. By John Eliot, D. D. corresponding secretary of the Massachusetts Histo rical Society. Boston; E. Oliver. 1809. 8vo. pp. 512.

1

An American Biographical and Historical Dictionary, containing an account of the lives, characters and writings of the most eminent persons in North America, from its first discovery to the present time, and a summary of the history of the several colonies, and of the United States. By William Allen, A. M. Cambridge; Hilliard and Metcalf. 1809.

8vo. pp. 632.

PE ERSONS acquainted with Dr. Eliot's qualifications for the work have long wished him to publish a New England Biographical Dictionary. His father* took a lively interest in the character and principles of the fathers of New England, and was intimate with their history. He was familiar with the literary, civil and ecclesiastical affairs of his own time; and a collector and preserver of documents relating to these subjects. He encouraged and assisted the disposition of his son towards the same pursuits; and at his death left many books and papers useful and precious to a lover of native history. Our author, succeeding to his father's pulpit, has been thirty

*See N. E. Biog. Dict. and American Biog. and Hist. Dict. article Andrew Eliot, D. D.

years a minister in the metropolis of Massachusetts. His station and his character have enabled him to profit by the field of observation and sources of intelligence, comprised in his local situation. "His taste always led him," he remarks in his preface, "to collect curious manuscripts and ancient books; he was favoured with many letters of the Hutchinson and Oliver families; and had free access to the books and manuscripts of the Massachusetts Historical Society. He has mostly written from one general mass of information, which he has been many years in collecting; but where he has been indebted for principal facts, he has pointed to the main source of his intelligence."

Viewing Dr. E. as possessed of many resources for this work, and apprized of his reputation for truth, equity, candour and goodness, we were prepared to bid it welcome, and to find it a valuable addition to our American library. We are not disappointed. We have found the performance in the main what we expected and hoped. The author has recorded the principal facts relating to the men of influence and consideration in preceding periods, and made his comments upon them in his own natural and original manner. His sketches of the characters which he professes to delineate, with some exceptions, perhaps, for one or two, deserve confidence, as well as interest curiosity.

In history and biography, it has been observed, the whole should be told. This maxim, however true and useful, must be interpreted and applied by the help of common sense and common honesty, or it will have the same effect as if it was false and mischievous. It is more absolute in form than substance; and the whole, in fact, means a part; that is, all should be told that should be told; all that the indispensable purposes and laws of the narrative require, and as much more of what is worthy a record, as discretion, good nature and principle permit. In the accounts of the dead, that interest the liv ing, and affect the prejudices and passions of the writer and reader, much is obtained, whatever beyond it may be desired, if the statements and delineations of the author are found to be the result of a sober compromise between a view to the completeness and to the effect of the story; between the desire of pleasing, and the obligation of justice; a care to escape censure as far as may be from any; and yet to challenge con

fidence from all; between the credit and interest of the au thor, and the duties and feelings of the man.

Because many will be ready to pay for idle gossip or malicious tittletattle, is no reason why an author should debase his work by such ingredients. The infirmities and foibles of men, entitled to reverence and love, are not to be given for their character, nor too carefully set in a note book to be learned and conned by rote. Great and good men are not to be exposed to the scorn of the vile, or the ridicule of the laughing tribe, because they are not more than men. On the other hand, the virtues of worthy ancestors are not privileged to obtain a concealment of their serious faults. It is no proper expression of respect for their piety, in a biographer, to affect to overlook their superstition; nor for their wisdom, to refuse to mention their weakness; nor for their conscientious zeal, to be afraid to speak of their intolerance. The biographer is a debtor to the rights and feelings of relatives. Must he lacerate sensibility and incur resentment, for the sake of telling all he knows of this or the other great man's story, which yet will not bear telling? And who shall dare to treat with freedom the idols of party, and the favourites of a nation? What! in our free republick must we hesitate, whether or not to measure justice to publick characters? Liberty to utter falsehood we have to the utmost; in all reason there should be as much liberty to publish truth. Let the minions of a court and the tools of a despot write and speak only what will please their superiours. It is for their dastard spirits to endure the meanness of suppressing truth, of stifling conviction, of shrinking from the danger of delivering a round unvarnished tale. But we, we sons of liberty, subjects only by consent, makers and unmakers of constitutions at will; we whose first principle it is, declared in every bill of rights, that the press is free as air, and unrestrained as the wind, we surely are able to speak out, and utter what we know and think. Alas! it is not for parchment constitutions, nor any conventional establishments, to alter the nature of man, to remove all the obstacles to truth and sincerity. Even republicks do not furnish gods in the form of men, to exercise the whole power of political deliberation and function, and make it certain that being "honest," being "faithful," shall always be safe and advantageous. We have a sovereign, not less impatient of contradiction, nor less greedy of flattery and compliance than other sovereigns. We