The increase of price does not exceed, perhaps, (what we have before attempted to show) the amount of revenue, to which it is factious to object.

The tariff has enabled our manufactures to sustain themselves, and many have obtained the ascendency, and can fairly compete. The general tendency of the system is to bring others successively to that point, and there can be no doubt, that, in a few years, prices will gradually accommodate themselves to the general standard of value.

The truth seems to be, that the diminution of prices has been in part affected by the tariff, and has been also retarded to a certain extent, by the amount which the duty, necessary for revenue, has added to the price. If prices were the same here as in England, the levying of twenty-five millions, either by duties or taxes, would, necessarily, either increase the prices of articles consumed, or abstract that amount from the sum of our labour. It is believed that prices do not range much above the proper and natural increase created by the revenue, and that the whole amount paid in duties on foreign articles, and the increased price on domestic ones, do not exceed the just quota of the public re

venue.

We must admire the spirit of dignified moderation that pervades both Addresses. The former we think too concise and sententious, containing general propositions and abstract principles, without the proper qualifications, and some erroneous views of the question. The latter is too elaborate upon the Constitution, and does not dwell enough upon the only point of real difficulty which the case presents to the deliberate consideration of the American people; and that is the operation upon the different sections of our country. Is it unequal, or unjust, or oppressive? Here lies the gravamen of the discussion.

With a deep conviction that the American system has diffused the happiest influence over the country, and that its operation is greatly misunderstood, we have laboured to show, that it is not more unequal than any other system, that it is not unjust in its operation, nor oppressive on the south.

We believe all parties may unite in reducing the revenue to the proper wants of the government; that the duties may be so adjusted as to protect every essential interest; that the Constitution may be preserved in its true spirit, the laws maintained in full force, and that peace and harmony may be restored; and may God enlighten our understandings, and incline our hearts to protect and preserve the liberty and Union of these States !that we may have "a rational hope, that man is still destined to be happy and free."

ART. X.-Remains of the Rev. EDMUND D. GRIFFIN, compiled by FRANCIS GRIFFIN; with a Biographical Memoir of the Deceased, by the Rev. JOHN M'VICKAR, D. D. Professor of Moral Philosophy, &c. in Columbia College: 2 vols. 8vo. New-York: 1831.

The

THESE "Remains" consist of poetical effusions, letters concerning different portions of Europe through which the author travelled, lectures on Roman, Italian, and English literature, and dissertations on several subjects of a religious cast. whole is preceded by a biographical notice of Mr. Griffin, from the pen of Prof. M'Vickar, than whom no one could have been better qualified for the task, not only in consequence of his acknowledged abilities, but from the circumstance of his having been the tutor and intimate friend of the deceased. He has accomplished the duty imposed upon him, in a way which leaves nothing to be desired; with an unaffected fervour, that must inspire every reader with a large share of his own admiration and regret for the subject of the memoir, and an appositeness of thought and expression, highly creditable to his taste and understanding. From this biography we shall frame a sketch of Mr. Griffin's career, and then advert to the memorials he has left, of his extraordinary genius and attainments. We may first mention, however, that those comprised in the edition before us, constitute, according to Prof. M'Vickar, but a small portion comparatively of his labours, which if published entire, would fill six octavo volumes.

Edmund D. Griffin, was the second son of George Griffin, Esq. of New-York. He was born at Wyoming, in Pennsylvania, on the 10th of September, 1804. His mother was the daughter of the celebrated Col. Zebulon Butler, who so bravely but unsuccessfully defended that village against the assault of the British and Indians in 1778. When Edmund was about two years old, his parents removed their residence to New-York, but the principal portion of his boyhood was passed in the country, for the purpose of strengthening his naturally delicate constitution. It was at country schools that the rudiments of his education were received. He was always at the head of his class, and often extorted the most flattering predictions from his teachers, the correctness of which he lived long enough to justify, though his career was not of sufficient duration to realize them to the full extent which it would have done, had his health and life been spared.

Ostendent terris hunc tantum fata, ne que ultrà,
Esse sinent,

might have been the words of the seer foretelling his birth and fortunes.

The development of his virtues kept pace with that of his talents, and rendered him an object of love as well as admiration. At the age of twelve he was placed at a school in the city, kept by Mr. David Graham, where he remained two years. The testimony borne by that gentleman to the merits of his pupil when under his charge, which is contained in the memoir, is of the strongest kind. His emulation was unbound-, ed; it led him to every branch of study, and in every one caused him to excel. Such was the superiority of the themes which he composed, that at first Mr. Graham doubted whether they were written by himself; "but those doubts soon vanished. Every succeeding composition embodying the rich classical allusions of the daily recitation, and expressed with the fervor which, when animated, he gave to the translations of his author, stamped the productions as his own." Of those themes, or essays, nine little volumes still remain, as we are informed by Professor M'Vickar, and besides the proofs they give of singular precocity, both of talent and knowledge, they furnish an evidence of the neatness and love of order by which he was ever distinguished. "But they bear a still higher impress," says his biographer, "they exhibit the model of a virtuous youth; of a mind regulated even at that early age to the performance of duty upon moral and religious principles."

During the first vacation which followed the entrance of young Griffin into Mr. Graham's school, he went with his father to Wyoming, the place of his birth. Of this visit he kept a journal, a few extracts from which are inserted in the biography; one of them, wherein he vindicates the memory of his grandfather, Col. Butler, from some imputations cast upon it in Marshall's Life of Washington, is a pleasing specimen of ingenuous filial affection. While he was at Wyoming an interesting incident occurred. On a Sunday the pastor of the village was absent, and the church being closed in consequence, the congregation, which was Presbyterian, assembled in the room of the academy, for the purpose of worship. After prayers had been said, a volume of sermons was handed to Mr. Griffin, senior, in order that he might read one of them aloud. Not feeling well, he transferred the book to his son, who, accustomed to consider every wish of his parent as sacred, rose and commenced the performance of the duty thus unexpectedly imposed upon him, notwithstanding the timidity and bashfulness of his disposition. The excitement of the occasion, however, soon overcame his diffidence, and so heightened his naturally superior talents as a reader, that the effect produced upon the audience,

1831.]

Griffin's Remains.

was of a character unfortunately not often impressed upon the result of original pulpit eloquence.

Mr. Graham having discontinued his school at about the period when Edmund had attained the age of fourteen, the superintendence of the latter's studies was intrusted to Mr. Nelson, well known for the anomalous circumstance of having been an admirable teacher, although labouring under a total deprivation of sight. There was something so interesting in the history and character of this remarkable individual, that we cannot forbear transcribing the tribute paid to him by Prof. M'Vickar.

"The mention of this name recalls to the writer, who was his college classmate, the merits of a singular man; and as death has now turned his misfortune into an instructive lesson, it may be permitted to dwell for a moment upon his eventful story. The life of Mr. Nelson was a striking exemplification of that resolution which conquers fortune. Total blindness, after a long, gradual advance, came upon him about his twentieth year, when terminating his college course. It found him poor, and left him to all appearance both penniless and wretched, with two sisters to maintain, without money, without friends, without a profession, and without sight. Under such an accumulation of griefs most minds would have sunk, but with him it was otherwise. At all times proud and resolute, his spirit rose at once into what might well be termed a fierceness of independence. He resolved within himself to be indebted for support to no hand but his own. His classic education, which, from his feeble vision, had been necessarily imperfect, he now determined to complete, and immediately entered upon the apparently hopeless task, with a view to fit himself as a teacher of youth. He instructed his sisters in the pronunciation of Greek and Latin, and employed one or other constantly in the task of reading aloud to him the classics usually taught in the schools. A naturally faithful memory, spurred on by such strong excitement, performed its oft-repeated miracles; and in a space of time incredibly short, he became master of their contents, even to the minutest points of critical reading. In illustration of this, the author remembers on one occasion, that a dispute having arisen between Mr. N. and the Classical Professor of the College, as to the construction of a passage in Virgil, from which his students were reciting, the Professor appealed to the circumstance of a comma in the sentence as conclusive of the question. True,' said Mr. N. colouring with strong emotion; but permit me to observe,' added he, turning his sightless eyeballs towards the book he held in his hand, that in my Heyne edition it is a colon, and not a comma.' At this period, a gentleman, who incidentally became acquainted with his history, in a feeling somewhere between pity and confidence, placed his two sons under his charge, with a view to enable him to try the experiment. A few months trial was sufficient; he then fearlessly appeared before the public, and at once challenged a comparison with the best established classical schools of the city. The novelty and boldness of the attempt attracted general attention; the lofty confidence he displayed in himself excited respect; and soon his untiring assiduity, his real knowledge, and a burning zeal, which, knowing no bounds in his own devotion to his scholars, awakened somewhat of a corresponding spirit in their minds, completed the conquest. His reputation spread daily, scholars flocked to him in crowds, competition sunk before him, and in the course of a very few years he found himself in the enjoyment of an income superior to that of any college patronage in the United States-with to him the infinitely higher gratification of having risen above the pity of the world, and fought his own blind way to honourable independence. Nor was this all; he had succeeded in placing classical education on higher ground than any of his predecessors or contemporaries had done; and he felt proud to think that he was in some measure a benefactor to that college which a few years before he had entered in poverty and quitted in blindness."

VOL. X.-No. 20.

He eventually became the classical professor in Rutgers' College, New-Jersey; but at that period his school was just beginning to attract attention. Here Edmund continued to pursue his scholastic career, with unabated ardour and proportionate success. In the course of a few months he raised himself to undisputed preeminence over his fellow students, after a severe struggle with two or three youths, whom it was no easy matter to surpass. This superiority, however, was unattended by the concomitants which are usually ascribed to such a position,-the envy and dislike of the rest of the boys,-so meekly did he bear his honours, so attractive was his unvarying amiableness. "So far," says Prof. M'Vickar, "as the author's inquiries have gone, and they have been neither few nor general, no teacher of his remembers a fault committed by him, no instructer an exercise neglected, no companion an unkind act, an angry sentiment, or an immodest word." Among the academic exercises performed at Mr. Nelson's school, were the composition of original Latin poems, and the translation of portions of classical poetic authors into English verse. The manner in which young Griffin discharged both those duties, reflects singular credit upon a poet of his age, whilst the scholarship displayed in his Latin effusions, does equal honour to the pupil and the master. On one occasion, another boy had accomplished a version of a particular part of the Eneid, the merit of which was such, that the teacher could not determine the preference between it and that which Edmund had made. He accordingly directed the two rivals to present, the ensuing morning, a translation of twenty-four lines from Dido's address to Æneas. "Edmund came home in trouble. He knew it was a standing rule he should quit his studies, and retire to bed at nine o'clock. To get his ordinary lessons for the next day, and to be prepared for this new struggle before that hour, he felt to be impossible. He earnestly besought his father, therefore, that for once he might be permitted to transgress the prescribed limit. The request was granted, and at half past ten o'clock he entered the library, holding his translation in his hand; he gave it to his father, and with breathless anxiety watched his countenance as he read it; and never, added the narrator of this incident, will those present forget the tear of exultation that gladdened the eye of the boy, when he saw the approving smile on his father's countenance. A less partial judge the next morning confirmed that decision; his translation gained him the victory."

In the autumn of 1819, when just fifteen years old, Edmund was one of the candidates for admission into Columbia College. The examination for entrance into that institution was long and severe, and at the end of it, the names of the competitors were arranged on a list in the order of merit. The name of Edmund