235 Collections from American Literalure, [Oct. 1, 



ging, nay appalling, influence of want, and diverse relations of tliosc subjects, 



added to the direful ravages of disease to which the btnt of his mind more par- 



• — his subsequent elevation appears licularly aKached him — he was, there- 



astonishinj^. His public lectures, and fore, a rapid writer. He possessed a 



his various works, the rich harvest of memory rcmarkalily, nay extraordina- 



liis meritorious exertions, soon relieved rily, tenacions and faithful, parlicniarly 



liim from the pressure of indigence, and willi respect 1o facts and clironologiea! 



the mental uneasiness, nay, sometnnes 

 distraction, that supervenes upon it. 

 He whose mental exertions survive 

 snch a fate, and who perseveres through 

 it, is not, believe me, a common man! 



events: he never forgot what he once 

 determined to remember, hence he read 

 v\ ilh great advantage ; and, though his 

 reading was ahvajs desultory, irregular, 

 and, to all appearance, haslj', he was 



Among the lirst objects of his alten- able to make the most profitable use of 



tion, when he obtained tlie means of it : he jiossessed a good judgment, much 



realizing it, was exploring the extensive imagination, and a taste for the fine 



wilds of our North America, to cull the arts; lie ^\i:s, indeed, a man of nnconi- 



rich and unknown treasures, particularly mon genius and excellent professional 



among the vegetable productions, which talents. 



he believed were there; and to obtain As a writer, ho is ingenious, rich in 



information respecting every curious facts, profound in research, and always 



and useful subject of natural history 

 that invited the attention of the natu- 

 ralist. Unable, from his professional 

 engagements, to travel himself, and 

 search out these curious spoils, he em- 



abounding in useful inl'ormation. He 

 wanted, however, in a great degree, a 

 talent for generalizing : hence his v arious 

 works are characterized by an egTcgious 

 want of method, or perspicuous arrange- 



ployed the talents of others, whom taste ment. Hi., stjle, it mnst be confessed, 



may have qualified, while their circum- is always diffuse, inelegant, and frc- 



stances incnpacitated, tliem for such quenlly tautological. As he never cor- 



{•ursuits. To these he aifordcd, liberal- rected what he once m rote, or at least 



y, the requisite funds and necessary in- but rarely, these defects in his composi- 



formation. The oidy remuneration Dr. tion were the natural consequences of 



33arton received for these unequivocal his vehemence in writing. His pnnc- 



tlemonstrations of his love for seicncc, tiiation is truly remarkable, and, for a 



were the acquisition to himself and man of his discernment and extensive 



others of useOd and novel inrormation, 

 and the thanks and acknowledgments 

 of those who were the subjects of his 

 liberality. 



Natural hi .tory and botnjiy were his 

 favourite studies, and in his investiga- 

 tion of these ?:ranchcs of science he 

 juade a conspicuous figure : he employ- 

 ed much research respecting the origin 

 of the tribes and nations of America, on 



reading, singularly incorrect. 



In figure lie was tall, and exceedingly 

 well formed; in middle lii'e he might bo 

 considered as having been handsome. 

 His pliysiognomy was strongly expres- 

 sive of iniclligenec, asid his eye was re- 

 markably line and penetrating. 



He pos.sessed some high virtues; 

 among the most elevated of them was 

 his unaficeled love of country. Indeed, 



•which subject he has, I am persuaded, his patriotic feelings were not only 

 left many valuable manuscript materials. 

 He was "fond of investigating what may 

 be termed the antiquities of this coun- 

 try ; and particularly interested in zoolo- 

 gical inquiries. 



The genius of Dr. Barton was of the 

 highest grade : it was rapid, comprehen- 

 sive, and brilliant in the extreme. He 

 was well aware of the inefficaey and 

 fruitlessness, kowever, of its unaided 

 efforts — he did not rely therefore on the 

 native powers of his mind alone, great 



strong, but frequently expressed with 

 mnescrvcd « armth. He always s])oke 

 with extreme impatience of the arro- 

 gance of pretending foreigners of the li- 

 terary grade, too many of whom resort 

 to our eountrv, being nothing in their 

 own, and perfietually insidt us by their 

 vain and insufferable dciuinciations of 

 our claims to national genius, talents, 

 and learning. 



MADAME DE STAEL. 



as they were, but applied himself closely Letter from an American Traveller in 

 to the avocations o Ithc closet. He was Europe. 



Slot only a man of extraordinary indus- Three leagues from Geneva, on the 



try, but of quick perception and various north side of the hike, is the village of 



information. His genius prompted him Capet, and the chateau of Madame de 



to conceive with celerity all the varied Staci. \\c hud letters of iutroduclioii, 



and 



