Literary Notices.

A new geographical work by Mr. JOSEPH E. WORCester, author of the Universal Gazetteer, is now in the press, and will soon be published. It is intended to supply a supposed want in the present mode of studying geography, being a book designed for popular reading, suitable to follow the study of the elements of geography by the same author. The following account, though not given as the title, will convey some idea of the design. A survey of the globe, in a geographical order, comprizing a view of the grand features of nature, the principal mountains, rivers, natural curiosities, principal cities, remarkable edifices, ruins, &c. together with a view of the manners and customs of different nations. The work will be contained in two neat 12 mo. volumes, illustrated by about one hundred engravings. From the well known talents and industry of Mr. Worcester, we are confident the work will meet with a favorable reception.

An Election Sermon, preached at Concord, before His Excellency Levi Woodbury, Governor, and the Honorable Council, Senate, and House of Representatives, of the State of NewHampshire, June 5, 1823. By DANIEL DANA, D. D.

We need offer no'apology to our readers, for inserting the following extracts from the interesting Sermon of Dr. Dana. We shall hereafter give some notice of the Sermons preached on this anniversary, since the first by Dr. M'Clintock, on the organization of the new government, in 1784.

"All restraints on religious liberty; all invasions of the rights of conscience; all preferences of one sect or denomination to another; all impositions, by the civil power, of creeds and liturgies, we sincerely deprecate. No enlightened Christian, or enlightened patriot would wish to see, in our favored country, a religious establishment. It would corrupt religion, without affording substantial aid to the state. Nor is it to be desired that such provision should be made by Christian societies, for the clergy, as should render the sacred office a lure to ambition, or to avarice. The system, so opposite to this, which has long prevailed in this state, has had its influence, it may be believed, to preserve the purity of the clerical profession. Still, that a minister of the gospel, instead of relying on the justice of a society which has pledged him a support, should be liable to be cast on the world; should even find himself a mere pensioner on private bounty; cannot be favorable, either to his dignity, or his usefulness. By the nature of his office, he is required to declare unwelcome truths, and to press unwelcome duties; to

dispense warnings, admonitions and rebukes, without partiality, and without fear, to all classes of mankind. The best interests of his hearers therefore, and of society at large, forbid that he should be subjected to such temptations to unfaithfulness, as no ordinary degree of virtue can withstand. Should he even, by a rare moral heroism, combine an entire independence of mind with an extreme dependence of circumstances; still his influence in guiding the judgment of the community, in forming its taste, and regulating its manners, would be comparatively small.-But on a subject of such delicacy, I forbear; and cheerfully commit it to the judg ment and the feelings of an enlightened and liberal auditory."

"To love our fellow-creatures as ourselves; to do to others as we would wish them to do to us; these are among the most obvious dictates of reason; and they constitute the second precept of the great law of righteousness. Here we see the elementary principles, the essence, of a morality worthy of the name-a morality before which all ordinary virtue retires abashed, or shrinks into deformity. Were this precious, all-comprehensive precept engraven on every heart, what would be the result? Where is the tongue, or the pen, or the pencil, which could adequately display the condition of a community thus blessed? It would be a family of peace and joy. It would resemble a musical instrument, of the richest tones, of the most exquisite harmony, without a single discordant string. In such a society, what place would be found for those various and nameless evils which have so often annihilated the blessings of Providence, and multiplied, and embittered the woes of life, and poisoned human happiness at its very fountain? Where would be the wrath, the malice, the revenge, tearing individual bosoms? Where the jealousies, the suspicions, the alienations, separating friends and relatives? Where the strifes and contentions, agitating families, and spreading havock through neighborhoods? Where the falsehoods in narrations and promises, the frauds and deceptions in commerce, the slanders and detractions of the social circle, and the endless litigations of courts? And where, in fine, the thefts and robberies, and murders, which, to the disgrace of human nature, stalk abroad in almost every community ?"

"Our fathers were eminently men of God. Their homes, their kindred, their fathers' sepulchres were as dear to them, as to others. But dearer to their hearts was their Saviour, and his religion. To enjoy this religion, and to extend the knowledge of this Saviour, was their grand object in quitting their native shores, and encountering the perils of the ocean and the wilderness. A design unparalleled in the history of man! It encompasses their names and memories with imperishable glory. It casts into shade all those projects and achievements by which the ordinarily great have purchased immortality. Heaven smiled on their righteous cause, and crowned it with a success correspondent to its purity and elevation.":

COLLECTIONS,

Historical and Miscellaneous.

AUGUST, 1823.

Biography.

HON. CALEB ELLIS.

[Extracted from the Sketch of his Character written by Hon. JEREMIAH SMITH, LL. D. late Chief Justice of the Superior Court of N. H., and delivered to the Grand Jury of Grafton county, at Haverhill, May 21, 1816.}

"Nature endued him with a mind at once ingenious,discriminating and strong. Without education, he would doubtless have attracted no small share of the esteem and confidence of those within the circle of his acquaintance. But his great modesty would probably have concealed him from public notice. Fortunately it was otherwise ordained; and he received the best education our country could give. He was graduated at Cambridge in 1793, and left that distinguished university, with a high character, for learning, morals, and general literature. He was not young when an under graduate, and therefore was not exposed to some of the temptations, incident to college life. But from what we know of him, we may venture to say,that such were his happy dispositions and early good principles, that he could not have failed, at any age, to have improved his time, strengthened his moral habits, and to have acquired that fine edge of moral feeling, for which he was remarkable.

"He seems to have been endued by nature, with caution. prudence and self-distrust; and 'did not need,' as was said of another great man, a native of the same town,* the smart of guilt, to make him virtuous, nor the regret of folly, to make him wise.' On leaving college, he entered immediately on the study of the law, under the direction of a distinguished practiser, who now fills a judicial office under the United States. It was to be expected of Mr. ELLIS that the three years, spent in preparation for the practice of law,

would be well spent. He was diligent in his application; for he soon perceived, that he had entered on a wide, and difficult field, where his excellent understanding, clear and discriminating as it was, and aided by the stock of knowledge, acquired in the course of a liberal education, would find full employment.

"His health was never good; but his mental faculties were clear and bright, and his mind ardent. Genius is not appalled by difficulties; it sees its object, and suffers no obstacle to retard its progress. It accomplishes whatever it undertakes.

"Perhaps no student ever left a lawyer's office, with a larger and better stock of law knowledge. He commenced the practice in this State. Soon after his admission to the bar of the Supreme Court in the county of Cheshire, I well recollect his argument in a case of some difficulty and importance, and the remark of a gentleman* then at the head of the bar, and who seldom errs, in his judgment of men, that Mr. Ellis would soon be numbered among the most valuable and respectable members of the profession.' This sentiment was the more observable, as Mr. Ellis made no pretensions to oratory. Indeed he made no pretensions to any thing. His manner was modest and unassuming. It seems, at no time, to have been his plan or his wish to command a large share of practice. It was not necessary to the accomplishment of his views in life. He studied the law as a science, as well as used it as a profession. He had too much honor and good feeling, to turn law into a trade; too much real delicacy, to seek employment; and too much modesty, even to place himself in a conspicuous situation, to attract a great portion of business.

"His merits however could not remain long concealed. All who knew his worth, esteemed him; and his townsmen elected him a member of the legislature, I think, as early as 1803. In 1804 he was chosen a member of Congress; four or five years afterwards, he was elected a member of the Executive Council of this State.-In 1811, he declined a reelection into that branch and was chosen into the Senate. In 1812 he was one of the electors of President and Vice-President of the United States. Few men have gone through these honorable and important offices, with more disinterested views, more advantage to the public, or credit to themselves, than Mr. Ellis. No one ventured to call in question the purity of his motives and those, who, on particular sub

*Hon, Benjamin West, of Charlestown.

jects, differed in opinion from him, were always ready to acknowledge the general correctness and soundness of his judgment.

"When the new judiciary system was framed, in 1813, the best informed of all parties named Mr. Ellis for the office of Judge of this Court. The merit of the executive of that day, in relation to his appointment, was, in concurring with that nomination. It is known to me, that three years before, when the Executive was composed of men differing in political sentiment, all would gladly have united, in placing him on the bench. But his objections, at that time, could not be removed. Among the reasons which induced him to accept the appointment, in 1813, I know, it was not the least, that he considered the system then adopted, as a great improvement in the jurisprudence of the State. It was with unfeigned reluctance, however, that he could be persuaded to embark in this arduous employment. He was too well acquainted with the subject not to see its difficulties, importance and responsibility. If his knowledge had been less extensive, his confidence in himself would probably have been greater.

"I have already spoken of his candor and moderation in the legislative and executive bodies, of which he was a member, and of his practising on all occasions, those virtues so rarely found in these degenerate times. The temper, which it was thus his pride and happiness to cultivate, when the example of so many would have excused, if not justified, a less amiable and tolerating spirit, was indispensable in a Judge. A political Judge would, of all others, I think, be the worst. Indeed, I have always thought, and still think, that he who shall be transferred from a political station, to the bench, will have much to unlearn, as well as much to learn. It will not be sufficient that he interfere no more with politics. He must forget all those arts and practices, which prevail in political bodies. He must learn to look on men, as neither of his party, nor of that of his opponents.-The Judge, whose death we deplore, had in this respect little to learn, and nothing to forget. He had been, at all times, and in all situations, temperate, candid and moderate.

"If he ever aimed at popularity, it was that which fol lows, not that which is run after; that popularity which sooner or later never fails to do justice to the pursuit of noble ends by honest means. He would not do that which his conscience told him was wrong, to gain the huzzas of the multitude, nor avoid doing what he thought right, through fear of their displeasure. He was not an ambitious Judge.