22 BIOGRAPHICAL NOTICE 



But we have now arrived at the period of Mr. Girardin's hfe, 

 when to our admiration of his talents we are called upon to 

 add our warmest sympathies in behalf of his misfortunes. 

 The dreadful and too memorable catastrophe, which, in 

 December, of the year 1811, plunged the metropolis of Virgi- 

 nia into the deepest affliction, bore upon him most severely. 

 In the conflagration of the theatre, at Richmond, he lost his 

 wife and only son. So great a calamity on a man of ordinary 

 sensibilities weighs indeed heavily enough; but to one, whose 

 feelings are alive to the thousand impressions that pass unper- 

 ceived by vulgar minds, how tremendous the thought of 

 domestic happiness thus arrested in the full tide of its prospe- 

 rity! How heart-rending the certainty, that what must ever 

 be the dearest object of parental solicitude, has thus been vio- 

 lently destroyed in its very bud ! It requires more philosophy 

 than learning can bestow, to remain erect under so severe a 

 shock. He sunk under its weight; his liealth rapidly de- 

 clined; he was forced to suspend his professional exertions, 

 and retired to the upper part of Virginia in quest of health 

 and repose, neither of which he afterwards perfectly regained. 

 The anniversary of this calamitous event was, to the last year 

 of his existence, held by. him in melancholy remembrance. 

 He refused at such times to accept of any friendly invitations, 

 keeping himself in perfect seclusion. Yet, in this shattered 

 state of both body and mind, he undertook and completed his 

 continuation of 'Burke's History of Virginia,' one volume of 

 which only has been published. Of the distinguished merit 

 of this performance we have the guarantee of Thomas Jeffer- 

 son, as well as that of the accomplished author of the life of 

 Patrick Henry. The American Philosophical Society, has 

 also testified to it by electing its author a member of that 

 learned body ; and for similar considerations one of the univer- 

 sities of this country, conferred upon him the title of LL. D. 



It was with such high recommendations that, invited by the 

 trustees of the Baltimore college and determined by a desire 

 to complete the education of his two daughters in the orna- 

 mental branches, Mr. Girardin, came to this city having been 

 unanimously chosen Principal of that institution. Though 

 much engaged in the cares of this seminary of learning, that 

 had been previously and for a long time labouring under 



