Sect. III.] United States of America. ^71 



The Historians of America were enumerated 

 in a former chapter, and some references made 

 to. their respective merits *. None of them, in- 

 deed, can boast of having attained that elaborate 

 polish, and that exquisite felicity of manner which 

 distinguish the first class of English historians. 

 But most of them are respectable writers ; and 

 several have acquitted themselves in a manner 

 which does credit to their taste in composi- 

 tion as well as to their fidelity in collecting and 

 communicating information f. 



The respectable Poets of America are not nu- 

 merous. The most conspicuous of these were 

 noticed in a preceding division of this work J. It 

 is not necessary here to repeat their names, or to 

 attempt a comparative estimate of their merits. 

 Their number is gradually increasing § ; and 

 when that leisure and encouragement shall be 

 afforded to men of genius there, which are en- 



* See vol. ii. 



f Histories of clifTerent American states have been promised 

 by several writers. The public particularly look forward with 

 high expectation to the appearance of The History of North Ca- 

 rolina, which has been for some time prepared by Dr. Hugh 

 Williamson, whose talents and learning are a pledge that it will 

 prove an interesting and instructive work. 

 .X See pages 67 and 68 of this volume. 



§ Since the close of the eighteenth century, another writer has 

 appeared, who, if we may judge by his first production, is de- 

 stined to hold a high place in the catalogue of native poets of 

 America. This Avriter is the rev. John B. Linn, D. D., of Phila- 

 delphia, whose Powers of Genius, a didactic and descriptive 

 poem, published in ]80i, displays imagination, taste, and read- 

 ing. This poem was so favourably received, that a second edi- 

 tion was called for in less than a year, into which the author has 

 introduced large and valuable improvements. 



