Philenia had, is some proximity to adulation. however, the most exalted opinion of Paine's poetic powers and Paine thought he could not say too much of a lady, who was so highly celebrated for her manners, beauty, colloquial talents, and literary attainments; and who had ascended to such an altitude on Parnassus, as to leave all American female competitors at a humble distance. During the winter of 1792-3, Paine frequently visited the theatre, and acquired a predilection for theatric amusements, which closely adhered to him through life. The law of this state against theatrical exhibitions, had never been repealed; but a small company of actors had contrived to evade it: a temporary theatre was erected in Board Alley, "And plays their heathen names forsook, And those of Moral Lectures' took." The law was abrogated; and in the summer and autumn of 1793, a large and elegant brick theatre was erected in Federal Street. Previously to the opening of the theatre, the pro-. prietors offered the reward of a gold medal for the best prologue, that should be presented; appointing several literary gentlemen to examine such as should be offered, and to make the adjudication. Antecedently to the day assigned for the critical scrutiny, not less than twenty were presented. They were perused by the censors; but no disagreement of sentiment arcse on the question, to Many, if not the greater part of Paine's themes, were written in verse; and his vanity was gratified, and his emulation roused by the honor of constant double marks. Few, if any of these exercises, however, did Paine think proper to publish. And there are some, which it is presumed he never would have published, or certainly not without further correction. Though they give evidence, and contain examples of high poetic powers, there are many feeble lines, which he would have omitted, or amended; and many inaccuracies, which he would have subsequently rectified. Can there exist a son, from Adam sprung, How abject e'er from native dignity, &c.-page 11. And solemn silence bids the mind revere. ~p. 15. He [nature] blushed, he sighed, and asked her hand. Page 21. Amours is accented on the first syllable. The whole poem, however, on the text, "Know then thyself; presume not God to scan; exemplifies the author's creative powers. Where crags me-nace-p. 32. Till then thy name shall pervagrate the earth,-p. 35. Page 45, as in many other places, the transition is immediate from the familiar to the grave style: When with your lyre you swell melodious songs, Shall court thy smile, and in your praise combine.-p. 46. Created life was formed-p. 49. Splendid greens,-p. 60. Sweet are the hours of life's expanding years,—p. 62. Swords turned the scale, and nods edicted law;-p. 72. Pervagrate and edicted, with several other words, were coined in Mr. Paine's own mint. Whether the republic of letters will recognize the validity of these acts of poetic sovereignty, time must determine. Here museful thought and contemplation dwell,-p. 82. Such tautology is, however, very rare with Mr. Paine. Yet this is not more censurable than Pope's "pensive contemplation," which perhaps Paine had in view. No more, amid the sylvan dance, Smiles round the soul-subduing glance!-p. 110. We have here noticed a few inaccuracies. The list might be greatly augmented; and still it is wonderful there are so few. In the exactness of his rhymes, he was not then, very scrupulous. Warm and born are grating to the ear: but the eye rather than the ear is displeased with lorn and dawn. There is no uncommon merit in his translations. We are surprised that he should have attempted Sapho's PAINETAI MOI 'KHNOƐ, after Phillips. It is not designed to notice the many beauties. and evidences of ripening excellence, which are scattered over his college exercises: we must, however, select and refer to a few examples. No sooner morn had cheered the skies with light, And modest fields blushed from the embrace of night,—p. 42. The first fourteen lines of the Valedictory (p. 60.) are exquisitely beautiful. How comprehensive the second line of his Address to Freedom : ...Heaven-born goddess, hail! Friend of the pen, the sickle, and the sail !-p. 70. His imitations were not very frequent. The following line, No fear of death their dauntless souls deplore ;-p. 52. is but a slight variation from one in Young's Paraphrase of Job, describing the war-horse : No sense of fear his dauntless soul allays. On the whole, although his earlier academic productions would not have ensured immortality, they contain some sublimity and much vigor and beauty, as well as a maturity and copiousness of style, uncommon with juvenility. They are far from being models of perfection; but, to quote from his Refinement of Manners, Vain is the hope, in life's first dawn, to find Those nerves of thought, that grace the ripened mind. At the usual quarterly exhibition, in the autumn of 1791, the government of college assigned to Paine an English poem. There is an unaccountable indolence, or love of delay with respect to original composition, common to many, if not to most of those, who are capable of the finest execution. He neglected his task day after day, till the morning of the exhibition, on which, he wrote and committed to memory about a third part of the whole. Although there was much merit in this poem, he did not, by it, acquire much reputation; merely on account of the plaintive monotony of his languid delivery so disposed is a vast majority, even of an academic audience, to put their trust in the intonations of emphasis and the gracefulness of gesture. Mr. Paine, however, afterwards improved in public speaking; and his elocution became almost perfect. The delivery of a poem at an exhibition, in the senior year, generally ensures a similar appointment at the ensuing commencement. Feeling secure in this respect, Paine became negligent with regard to attendance on public prayers and stated recitations; not wasting his time, but applying to such studies and authors as were more congenial to his taste, than some to which it was his duty, as a student, to have attended. During the ensuing quarter, some disturbance having taken place between the students of the senior class and one or more of the tutors, Paine used some severe and abusive language, respecting certain arrange |