disputable heirs of immortality. Were it probable that this volume would find readers only in this vicinity, where Mr. Paine's manners, habits, and whole tenor of life are known, a biographical sketch would be a superfluous task: but, confident as we are, that at least, his more labored and polished productions will be long and generally read; it is a duty to gratify that curiosity, that anxiety, which is ever felt by the reader of taste, to know something more of an author, than the place of his nativity, or the date of his mortal exit.

The dearest relatives of an author being yet alive, and his friends charitably anxious for the maintenance of his moral as well as poetical reputation, to paint the poet as he was is at once a very delicate, difficult, and disagreeable task. Yet, whatever may be due to the feelings of consanguinity or the tenderness of friendship, the commands of justice are paramount.

Should the glowing and exact pencil of Stuart be employed in pourtraying the features of an uncelebrated maiden, over whose head more than forty annual suns may have rolled, at her instigation, and to gratify her vanity, omit many a wrinkle or supply many a deficient rose, few would feel disposed to censure the painter. But, were he employed to give a portrait of a poet, patriot, or hero, whose reputation was familiar, but whose visage was unknown, except to a few, flattery would

be falsehood and omission crime.

When a faith

ful likeness is expected by the public, the pencil and the pen owe obedience only to truth.

THOMAS PAINE, whose name was afterwards, by an act of the legislature in 1801, changed to ROBERT TREAT PAINE, was born at Taunton, in the county of Bristol, December 9th, 1773. He was the second son of the Hon. ROBERT TREAT PAINE, an eminent lawyer, well known as one of the patriots of the American revolution; one of the Delegates in Congress from Massachusetts, his native state, who signed the Declaration of Independence; for many years the Attorney General, and afterwards one of the Judges of the Supreme Judicial Court for this Commonwealth. His mother's maiden name was COBB, a sister of the soldier and patriot, General COBB. Eight adult children were the fruit of this union; four sons and four daughters. The three eldest sons, Robert Treat, Thomas, and Charles, were educated for the bar. Henry was educated in a compting room. Robert, in 1798, unmarried, fell a victim to the yellow fever, after which Thomas assumed his christian name.. The younger brothers were both married, and Charles died of a consumption early in 1810. The parents are now living.

Our poet was about seven years of age when his father removed his family to Boston.

I have neither time nor opportunity to enquire, whether in his infantile or more juvenile years, he exhibited any of those traits of genius or eccentricity, which the world is generally so desirous of finding, or at least of believing must have characterized infancy, because displayed in riper years. He once informed the writer that he was unconscious of the possession of more than ordinary talents, till some of his classmates flattered him with a belief of their existence, by praising some of his earliest poetical efforts. If a statesman, hero or poet, mathematician, painter or musician, acquires celebrity, the public are delighted with anecdotes of precocious traits of sentiment or action, indicative of future excellence; of which no notice was taken at the time; or which had never been considered uncommon, without a connexion with subsequent eminence.

He was placed under the care of master Carter, who for many years kept one of the public schools, for instruction in reading, writing, arithmetic, &c. Here he made so little proficiency that he was reluctantly received at the Latin school, long kept by master Hunt; he however soon acquired the first standing in his class, which he maintained until he was offered for the Freshman class at Cambridge; and in July, 1788, he was examined as such, at that university, and matriculated.

It is remarkable that the last mentioned gentleman, who prepared him for college, is not possessed of a single anecdote which would distinguish him from "the million." But of his moral qualities, during this period, his school mates bear honorable testimony. When he had accomplished his own task, which he always did with great facility, he was ever ready to lend his aid to those who studied more tardily, or who had consumed their time in play. This benefaction was, in some degree, his pastime; as he never engaged in the gymnastic sports of the school. His temper was placid and his disposition gay, and apparently feeling no superiority, he was infected with no other ambition, than that of acquitting himself to the satisfaction of his instructor.

During the first two years of his collegiate life, he was generally attentive to the studies assigned, excelling particularly in the Latin and Greek languages, in English grammar and rhetoric but to stated recitations he was not unfrequently inattentive; devoting his time, not to idleness nor dissipation, but to natural philosophy and elegant literature. To the Greek language he was very attentive, insomuch that the government of college assigned to him a Greek oration at one of the exhibitions of his class. This performance is generally nothing more than a recitation from some of the orations of Demosthenes or Isocrates, or a speech

from Plutarch or Xenophon; but Paine chose to write his own in Greek, without first preparing in English; which he did much to the satisfaction of Doctor Willard, at that time President, who was considered a very accurate Greek scholar. The manuscript is now in existence.

One of his classmates, J. Allen, whether from mere wantonness, or to gratify some particular resentment, we know not, wrote several satirical verses, abusive of Paine, inscribed on the college wall. Discovered by Paine, he was resolved on replication; but, having never written a line of poetry, he was for some time undetermined on the mode. Some of his class instigated him to attempt a poetical retort, by depreciating his talents, and doubting his ability to produce a rhyming reply. Allen was a young man of a most vigorous mind, and had long, and not unsuccessfully, paid his respects to the muses. He at that time reigned laureat of the class. Paine, however, fearlessly attacked him in

return.

This anecdote the writer had from Mr. Paine the last summer, on asking him the occasion of his first attempt to rhyme. He could not recollect the verses, but believed there was little wit on either side, though he was not then dissatisfied with his first metrical effort. ، Were it not for this circumstance," said he, "probably, I should never have undertaken a couplet." How trivial an incident