STEPHEN SEWALL

Was born at York in Maine, in 1734, and studied at Harvard College, where he received a degree in 1761. The following year he was appointed teacher, and afterward Professor of Hebrew in that institution. He retained this office with the reputation of the most accomplished classical scholar in the country, till 1785. He died in 1804. He was the author of a Hebrew Grammar, and a Chaldee and English Dictionary; the last is still in manuscript.

Professor Sewall was one of the authors of the Pietas et Gratulatio Collegii Cantabrigiensis, which we have mentioned in the life of Dr Church. Many of the Greek and Latin verses are by him, and two of the compositions in English.

ON THE DEATH OF GEORGE II.

OF cypress deign, celestial muse, to sing;
To plaintive numbers tune the trembling string,
And soothe the genʼral grief.—

The voice of joy's no more,

On Albion's sadden'd shore:
He's gone-Britannia's royal chief!
From the north to southern pole,
From the farthest orient floods
To Hesperia's savage woods,
Swelling tides of sorrow roll:

Nor wonder; all an ample share

Partook, through boundless climes, of his paternal care.

Whate'er the muse's mournful lays can do,
And more, blest shade! to thy loved name is duc.
Under thy gentle sway,

Religion, heaven-born fair,

In her own native air,

Refulgent shone in golden day:

Virtue, science, liberty,

Blooming sisters, wreathed with bays,

Grateful sung their patron's praise:

Commerce, o'er the broad-back'd sea,

Extending far on floating isles,

Imported India's wealth, and rich Peruvian spoils.

Let Rome her Julius and Octavius boast;

What both at Rome, George was on Albion's coast.
An olive-wreath his brow,

Majestic, ever wore;
Unless by hostile power

Long urged, and then the laurel bough.
Faithful bards, in epic verse,

Vict'ries more than Julius won,

And exploits, before undone,

George the Hero, shall rehearse:

While softer notes each tuneful swain

Shall breathe from oaten pipe, of George's peaceful reign.

But, ah! while on the glorious past we dwell,
Enwrapt in silken thought, our bosoms swell
With pleasing ecstacy,
Forgetful of our wo.

-Shall tears forbear to flow?

Or cease to heave the deep-fetch'd sigh?
Flow, ye tears, forever stream;

Sighs, to whisp'ring winds complain;
Winds, the sadly-solemn strain

Waft, and tell the mournful theme.

But what, alas! can tears or sighs?

What could, has ceased to be; the spirit mounts the skies.

With sympathetic wo, thy noontide ray,
Phœbus, suspend; ye clouds, obscure the day;

Her face let Cynthia veil,

Thick darkness spread her wing,

And the night-raven sing,

While Britons their sad fate bewail.

Sacred flood, whose crystal tide,

Gently gliding, rolls adown

Fast by, once, the blissful town,
Thames! with pious tears supply'd,

Swell high, and tell the vocal shore

And jovial mariner, their glory's now no more!

But stop, my plaintive muse: lo! from the skies
What sudden radiance strikes our wond'ring eyes?
As had the lab'ring sun,

From black and dismal shades,
Which not a ray pervades,

Emerging, with new lustre shone,

In the forehead of the east,
See the gilded morning star,
Of glad day the harbinger:

Sighing, now, and tears are ceased:

Still George survives; his virtues shine

In him, who sprung alike from Brunswick's royal line.

JAMES BOWDOIN

Was born in Boston in 1727. He received his education at Harvard College, and at an early period of life was appointed to many public offices of importance. In 1775 he became President of the Council of Massachusetts, and remained in that station till the adoption of the State Constitution in 1780. He was President of the Convention which formed the constitution of Massachusetts, and in 1785 and 1786, was Governor of the State. He died in 1790. He was a man of extensive literary attainments, and was honored with a Doctor's degree from several European universities, and created a member of the Royal Societies of London and Dublin. He wrote much on philosophical subjects, and was a principal agent in forming the American Academy of Arts and Sciences at Boston. He was the first President of this institution, and bequeathed it a valuable legacy.

Among his various pursuits he also cultivated poetry. He contributed to the Pietas et Gratulatio, but his principal work of this kind is an enlarged paraphrase of The Economy of Human Life, published at Boston in 1759. He had a respectable talent as a versifier, though his poetry displays little inventive faculty.

WOMAN.

NATURE, fair creature! when she form'd thy mind,
Form'd thee a fit companion for mankind:

Not merely to excite love's genial fire;
And with a flood of joy to quench desire:
Nor wantonly to sport the hours away;
Nor, like a slave, man's lawless will obey;
But to assist him in life's num'rous toils;
To cheer him in misfortune with your smiles;
To soothe his breast when troubles overbear;
And with your love to recompense his care:
To raise his drooping spirits in distress;
And with your own promote his happiness.
But who is she whom every grace surrounds;
Whom every grace with all that's lovely crowns;
By nature form'd to touch a gen'rous breast;
By nature form'd to make man amply blest?
Yonder she walks along in virgin bloom:
And where she walks the rose's sweets perfume.
See from her presence fly ill-boding fear;
And every gloom before her disappear!
See innocence with cheerfulness combine,
Sit on her brow, and in her actions shine!
See modesty adorn her lovely cheek,
And in her language and behaviour speak!
See temp'rance in due bounds restrain desire;
And give a check to passion's lawless fire!
Humility and meekness, round her head,
Are as a crown of circling glory spread:
Discretion ripens with her growing years,
And on her brow in sceptred state appears:
When scandal tarnishes a rising name,

And throws from tongue to tongue her neighbor's fame,
Her soul disdains to spread the scandal round;
And, far from wid'ning, strives to heal the wound.
Unrival'd goodness warms her gen'rous breast;
And there-its native home-takes up its rest :
O'er her it bears so uncontroll'd a sway,
She thinks all nature does its laws obey:
She harbors no suspicion in her mind;
But judges by herself of all mankind.

These virtues, with a graceful freedom crown'd,
Spread far and wide her character around.
Among her virtues prudence bears the sway,
And shines abroad with a distinguish'd ray:
In all she does, it uniformly guides;
And o'er her conduct constantly presides.
Softness and love with a majestic mien,
Speak in her eye, and in her looks are seen.
Her tongue harmonious music warbles round;

And on her lips is honey's sweetness found.
Sacred to truth, and by its laws confined,
Her lips impart the language of her mind.
With a becoming grace her words appear;
And, like her honest heart, are all sincere.
By custom and example undecoy'd,

With cheerful mind she keeps herself employ'd:
Each day's revolving sun her task renews;
Nor does her hand the welcome task refuse:
To that her mind so uniformly bends;
To that, with so much constancy attends;
That morning visits (destined to amuse;

To talk of dress, laced waistcoats, and the news;
To spread the scandal of the night before;
And, that once done, prepare the way for more)
Ne'er interrupt the business of the day;
Nor by their levity her mind betray:

Much less shall rabbles, which the sex debase,
Or routs, or drums her character disgrace.

By wisdom sway'd, she thus her hours employs ;
And thus employ'd, a tranquil mind enjoys:

A tranquil mind-that very far outweighs

The applause of crowds; and even her own just praise.
Thus fame from such a course of action springs;
And bears her high upon its rapid wings;

Thus fame, thus inward peace—so heaven ordains—
Flows from one source, and lasting strength obtains.

JOHN LOWELL

Was born at Newbury in 1744. He was educated at Harvard College, and soon rose to eminence as a lawyer. In 1761 he removed to Boston, and was chosen to various public offices. He was one of the Convention which formed the Constitution of Massachusetts, and in 1771 became a member of Congress. In 1782, he was appointed a Judge of the Court of Appeals, from the courts of Admiralty in the United States. On the establishment of the Federal Government, he was made a Judge of the United States Circuit Court. He died May 6, 1822. The following lines by him are from the

Pietas et Gratulatio.