my

On these I should rely to vindicate the honor of country, and to combat that prejudice, which would degrade the capacity and genius of Americans.

B. I have heard your argument with patience, and shall answer it with candour. It is readily granted, that there are as large rivers, extensive lakes, and lofty mountains, in America, as in any other part of the world; but I am totally unacquainted with the art of measuring the capacity and genius of men, by the height of the mountains they gaze upon, or the breadth of the river, whose margin they chance to inhabit.

Whether the savages of our deserts possess mental powers equal to those of other countries, is as foreign to my purpose, as the Chimborazo, Amazon, or La Plata. I shall admit your premises, and look for the materials of my argument on a ground you have slightly passed over, to confute the conclusion you have drawn from them.

The question is, whether the capacity and genius of Americans is equal to that of Europeans?

Let us adopt an unexceptionable rule; " Judge the tree by its fruit." If the literary productions and works of genius of our countrymen are found superiour to those of Europeans, the affirmative of the question must be true; if inferiour, the negative, without argument, is supported by fact."

Here the balance evidently turns in my favour. Europe can boast its masters in each of the sciences, and its models of perfection in the polite arts. Few Americans pursue the path of science; none have progressed, even so far as those bold and persevering geniuses of other countries, who have removed the ob stacles and smoothed the way before them.

If there chance to spring up among us one whose inclination attaches him to the fine arts, the beggar's pittance, instead of fame and profit, becomes his portion. He is an exotic plant, that must be removed to some more congenial soil, or perish at home for want of culture.

It is far from my intentions to say any thing in

derogation

derogation of those respectable characters, on whom you rely to vindicate the literary honor of our country. But what will be the result of a comparison between a lew correct authors, the miscellaneous productions, and casual discoveries, which we boast of as our own, within a century past; and the long and brilliant catalogue of profound scholars, celebrated writers, and those exquisite specimens of taste and genius in the fine arts, which have adorned almost every country 6. Europe, within the same period?

This comparison would be disgraceful indeed to America. It is granted, that her sons are industrious, brave, and enterprising; but, if prudent, they will certainly decline the contest with most European nations, when the palm of genius is the object of dispute.

C. Different climates undoubtedly have a different effect on the bodies and minds of those who inhabit them; and local causes, in the same climate, may be favourable, or adverse to the intellectual powers.

A pure, temperate atmosphere, and romantic scenery, are productive of clear intellects and brilliant imagination. America is far from being deficient in these advantages. The oratory, councils, and sagacity of its natives, prove that their conceptions are by no means cramped by physical causes.

This being granted, which cannot be denied, it will be extremely difficult to show a reason, why the mental powers of our ancestors, or their descendants, should suffer a decay in this country, so favourable by nature to sound judgment and brilliancy of thought.

Instead of forcing ourselves into such an absurd con-clusion, we shall make an obvious distinction, which will lead to a conclusion, not derogatory to the American character; a distinction between natural genius, and its improvement by art. One depends on natural. causes; the other, on the state of society.

With a well supported claim to the former, it is no dishonor to acknowledge ourselves inferiour to the elder nations of Europe in the latter. Considering the in

fant

fant state of our country, and the nature of our government, we have more reason to boast, than be ashamed of our progress in the fine arts.

If not equal in this respect, to our mother country, we have made more rapid improvement than any other nation in the world. Our government and habits are republican; they cherish equal rights, and tend to an equal distribution of property. Our mode of education has the same tendency to promote an equal distribution of knowledge, and to make us emphatically a "republic of letters:" I would not be understood adepts in the fine arts, but participants of useful knowledge.

In the monarchical and aristocratic governments of Europe, the case is far different. A few privileged orders monopolize not only the wealth and honors, but the knowledge of their country. They produce a few profound scholars, who make study the business of their lives; we acquire a portion of science, as a necessary instrument of livelihood, and deem it absurd to devote our whole lives to the acquisition of implements, without having it in our power to make them useful to ourselves or others.

They have their thousands who are totally ignorant of letters; we have but very few, who are not instructed in the rudiments of science. They may boast a small number of masters in the fine arts; we are all scholars in the useful; and employed in improving the works of nature, rather than imitating them.

So strong is our propensity to useful employments, and so sure the reward of those who pursue them, that necessity," the mother of invention," has reared but few professional poets, painters, or musicians among us. Those, who have occasionally pursued the imitative arts, from natural inclination, have given sufficient proof, that even in them, our capacity and genius are not inferiour to those of Europeans; but the encouragement they have met shows that the spirit of our habits and government tends rather to general improvement in the useful, than partial perfection in the amusing arts.

EXTRACT

EXTRACT FROM AN ORATION, DELIVERED AT BOS.
TON, MARCH 5th, 1780; BY JONATHAN MASON
Jun. Esq.

THE
HE rising glory of this western hemisphere is al
ready announced; and she is summoned to her
seat among the nations of the earth. We have pub-
licly declared ourselves convinced of the destructive
tendency of standing armies. We have acknowledged
the necessity of public spirit and the love of virtue, to
the happiness of any people; and we profess to be sen-
sible of the great blessings that flow from them. Let
us not then act unworthily of the reputable character
we now sustain. Let integrity of heart, the spirit of
freedom, and rigid virtue be seen to actuate every
member of the commonwealth.

The trial of our patriotism is yet before us; and we have reason to thank Heaven, that its principles are so well known and diffused. Exercise towards each other the benevolent feelings of friendship; and let that unity of sentiment, which has shone in the field, be equally animating in our councils. Remember that prosperity is dangerous; that though successful, we are not infallible.

Let this sacred maxim receive the deepest impression upon our minds, that if avarice, if extortion, if luxury, and political corruption, are suffered to become popular among us, civil discord, and the ruin of our country will be the speedy consequence of such fatal vices. But while patriotism is the leading principle, and our laws are contrived with wisdom, and executed with vigour; while industry, frugality and temperance, are held in estimation, and we depend upon public spirit and the love of virtue for our social happiness, peace and affluence will throw their smiles upon the brow of individuals; our commonwealth will flourish, our land will become a land of liberty, and AMERICA an asylum for the oppressed.

END.