conquers his prudence. When suspicions from without begin to embarrass him, and the net of circumstance to entangle him, the fatal secret struggles with still greater violence to burst forth. It must be confessed, it will be confessed, there is no refuge from confession but suicide and suicide is confession LESSON LXXVIII. EULOGY ON HAMILTON. He was born to be great. Whoever was second, Hamilton must be first. To his stupendous and versatile mind no investigation was difficult-no subject presented which he did not illuminate. Superiority in some particular, belongs to thousands. Preeminence, in whatever he chose to undertake, was the prerogative of Hamilton. No fixed criterion could be applied to his talents. Often has their display been supposed to have reached the limit of human effort; and the judgment stood firm till set aside by himself. When a cause of new magnitude required new exertions, he rose, he towered, he soared; surpassing himself as he surpassed others. Then was nature tributary to his eloquence! Then was felt his despotism over the heart! Touching, at his pleasure, every string of pity or terror, of indignation or grief, he melted, he soothed, he roused, he agitated; alternately gentle as the dews, and awful as the thunder. Yet, great as he was in the eyes of the world, he was greater in the eyes of those with whom he was most conversant. The greatness of most men, like objects seen through a mist, diminishes with the distance: but Hamilton, like a tower seen afar off under a clear sky, rose in grandeur and sublimity with every step of approach. Familiarity with him was the parent of veneration. Over these matchless talents, probity threw her brightest lustre. Frankness, suavity, tenderness, benevolence, breathed through their exercise. And to his family!— but he is gone. -That noble heart beats no more: that eye of fire is dimmed; and sealed are those oracular lips. Americans, the serenest beam of your glory is extinguished in the tomb! LESSON LXXIX. UNION-LIBERTY. HAIL, our country's natal morn, While, this day in festal throng, Shall not we thy notes prolong, Who would sever freedom's shrine? Though by birth, one spot be mine, Dear to me the South's fair land, By our altars, pure and free, By our common parent tongue, By our hopes, bright, buoyant, young, Fathers! have ye bled in vain? No! receive our solemn vow, Ever to maintain as now, “Union—Liberty." LESSON LXXX. PROLOGUE. DEAR friends, we thank you for your condescension, In deigning thus to lend us your attention; And hope the various pieces we recite, (Boys though we are,) will yield you some delight. From wisdom and from knowledge, pleasure springs, Blest is the man, who treads her paths in youth, Sages and patriots in these ways have trod, The powers of eloquence can charm the soul, Such powers the great Demosthenes attained, Such powers were Cicero's:—with patriot might, Nor to the senate or the bar confined, Then say not this our weak attempt is vain, EPILOGUE. OUR parts are perform'd and our speeches are ended,- Farewell then our greatness-'tis gone like a dream, We thank you !—Our gratitude words cannot tell, But deeply we feel it-to you it belongs; With heartfelt emotion we bid you farewell, And our feelings now thank you much more than our tongues We will strive to improve, since applauses thus cheer us, |