LITERARY NOTICES.

A Memoir of the Life of William Livingston, Member of Congress in 1774, 1775, and 1776; Delegate to the Federal Convention in 1787, and Governor of the state of New-Jersey from 1776 to 1790. With Extracts From his Correspondence, and Notices of various Members of his Family. By Theodore Sedgwick, jun.

To the men of the American Revolution all posterity will forever pay grateful and willing homage. The results of that revolution are not yet developed, and cannot be for a long time to come; but enough is seen to make us fully aware that hereafter man will look back upon it, as he now does on the invention of the art of printing, the discoverers of this country, or the era of the Reformation,-as certain landmarks, in the progress of our race to higher and happier attainments. If this be true, the first duty of us, the immediate descendants of such men, is to collect and lay up, for the use of succeeding ages, the fullest accounts of their lives and actions. This, if done at all, must be done now. The oblivion, that shall wrap all human things, is fast gathering around their tombs, and soon, like the pyramids of Egypt, nothing will be left but the awful greatness of the institutions they created. It is for this reason we are glad to welcome the class of books, the name of one of which stands at the head of this article. Mr. Sedgwick complains in his preface that he has found it extremely difficult to collect materials for his task. The letter-books of Mr. Livingston, for some of the most important years of his public life, were lost. Most of his contemporaries have followed him to the tomb. The author, however, has had the assistance of Mr. Livingston's family, and of many other gentlemen best qualified to assist him. must be allowed to say, that he has put no very ample supply of materials together in but a very common-place manner; and though there is enough scattered through the volume to convince one, what might have been made of it in the hands of a man of genius, the book, as it is, from some cause or other, is insufferably dull. The style also is deformed by many unnecessary quotations of Latin scraps, by many "Americanisms," beside other words and awkward phrases, which no body else has ever called English; such as "sparse," "alienism," "sparing notices," "lifelong," "commenced to practise," "episodial," "part-authorship," "inherited affection," "chivalric." These are only specimens-many more might be produced-and we claim some credit for our forbearance. We are aware this may be called mere verbal criticism; but, in the multitude of books, there is so much danger of our language becoming corrupted, that we hold it the especial duty of critics to take heed to this matter.

We

William Livingston, the descendant of one of the most eminent of the early inhabitants of the province of New-York, was born at Albany in the month of November, 1723. The first fourteen years of his boy

hood were passed at Albany, under the protection of his grandmother. He is said to have expressed a strong desire to devote himself to the art of painting; but this desire was overruled by his parents, and, in 1737, he entered as a freshman at Yale College. After taking his bachelor's degree, he entered on the study of law, in the city of NewYork, in the office of Mr. James Alexander. He also entered himself as a student of the Middle Temple, London, though it does not appear that he ever went there. Before he had completed his professional studies, he was married to Miss French. In 1747, he published a poem under the title of "Philosophic Solitude." He had before this written for the newspapers, which, indeed, he continued to do for a considerable portion of his life. "The poem on Philosophic Solitude," says the American Quarterly Review, "though it has not high poetic value, displays the tastes of a scholar, and the virtues of an upright mind." In the autumn of the next year (1748) Mr. Livingston was admitted to the bar; a few months afterward he lost his father. He seems soon to have acquired a good rank in his profession, and, in 1742, published, in connexion with William Smith, the first digest of the colonial laws. A second volume, continued the work for five years after the first ended, was published in 1762. In 1752, he commenced a periodical under the title of "The Independent Reflector," having for its object the exposure of official abuse, negligence, and corruption, in whatever rank they were to be found. It seems to have been edited with talent, and soon became a powerful instrument of great good. He then entered into a warm controversy with the Episcopalians, on the subject of the charter of King's (now Columbia) College. The Reflector stopped at the end of the year, the printer having refused to continue it. We next find him battling stoutly against the introduction of theatrical performances; and then establishing another periodical, called "The Watch Tower," which continued for about one year. We pass over a Eulogy on President Burr,-a Review of Military Operations in North-America, a piece of poetry, "Soon as I saw Eliza's blooming charms,"the commencement of a series of papers, entitled "The Sentinel," which reached its twenty-eighth number,-and find Mr. Livingston next engaged in a warm controversy concerning the introduction of Bishops into the British provinces in America. On this subject he wrote a letter in 1768, to the Bishop of Llandaff, and drew forth an answer vindicating the Bishop," the part authorship of which was ascribed to the Rev. Charles Inglis." In 1770, Mr. Livingston published a bitter satire upon Lt. Gov. Colden, under the title of "A Soliloquy." Having purchased a tract of land in Elizabethtown, New-Jersey, and built a house, which he called "Liberty Hall," in 1773, he removed there, and this country seat was, for the remainder of his life, at least his nominal home. He was chosen one of the deputies of New-Jersey to the Congress of 1774, and was present at the opening of that body in Philadelphia, on the fifth of September, but does not appear to have taken a very active part in its deliberations. He was unanimously re-elected the next year, and we now find him a member of several of the most important committees. In June, 1776, he was recalled by his state to take the command of her militia, and thus lost the opportunity of placing his name on that immortal roll, the Declaration of Independence. We are very sorry to perceive Mr. Sedgwick inclined to detract, in the least, from

the merits of the great men who signed this declaration. On that point the question is settled. It is too late to speak.

In August, 1776, Mr. Livingston was chosen the first Governor of the State of New-Jersey, and continued to be annually chosen, sometimes unanimously, and always by a large majority, until his death in 1790. We quote Mr. Sedgwick's account of the close of his first speech to the Legislature.

"Let us, gentlemen, both by precept and practice, encourage a spirit of econo my, industry, and patriotism, and that public integrity and righteousness which cannot fail to exalt a nation; setting our faces, at the same time, like a flint against that dissoluteness of manners and political corruption, which will ever be the reproach of any people. May the foundation of our infant state be laid in virtue and the fear of God, and the superstructure will rise glorious, and endure for ages. Then may we humbly expect the blessing of the Most High, who divides to the nation their inheritance, and SEPARATES the sons of Adam. In fine, gentlemen, while we are applauded by the whole world for demolishing the old fabric, rotten and ruinous as it was, let us unitedly strive to approve ourselves master-builders, by giving beauty, strength, and stability to the new." From an expression in this paragraph, and from his inflexible impartiality, the new governor was, for some time after this, familiarly known among the people of Jersey by the name of "Doctor Flint;" and an anecdote is told of Mr. Ames, from some momentary confusion of ideas," setting the table in a roar," at a dinner in New-York, where he met Governor Livingston, by asking “Dr. Flint, whether the town of Trenton was well or ill disposed to the new constitution."

We do not intend to trace the course of Gov. Livingston minutely through his official career. During the first six years of his government, "New-Jersey," says Mr. Sedgwick, "was the frontier state, and exposed to all the miseries of a frontier warfare. At one time, the enemy lay both upon her northern and southern boundaries, and her losses, in proportion to wealth and population, were probably greater than those of any other state, with the exception of South-Carolina. The office of its governor was difficult and perplexing. The perpetual petitions for passes across the lines, involving a troublesome and invidious examination of the character of the applicant; the conflicting claims of the state and the regular army upon prisoners; the constant alarms of invasion on the part of the British; the urgent requests of the various counties for guards within their limits; the maintenance of the outposts and the beacons in a situation to anticipate these incursions; the illegal and injurious traffic secretly carried on with the enemy; the constant ravages of the refugee partisans; the bands of robbers infesting the mountainous and wilder parts of the state; the plunders committed under the sanction of the American name; the frequent quarrels between the militia officers, and the demands for courts-martial; the prayers of the prisoners in New-York for deliverance, and the loud calls for supplies on the part of both the state and continental troops, all by turns solicited and distracted Governor Livingston's attention."

In such trying circumstances, he seems to have conducted his government with great judgement and energy. Writing to a friend in the autumn of 1783, he says he had the pleasure of passing the last summer with his family at Elizabethtown, "being the first time in seven years that I have had any place that I could properly call my home." The British made several expeditions for the purpose of kidnapping, that "Don Quixote of the Jersies," (as they called the Governor) but he was always fortunate enough to escape. There are several characteristic letters from President Laurens, which we have room only to refer to, and some interesting ones from General Washington. At the conclusion of the war, Governor Livingston returned to his estate at Elizabethtown, and appears to have passed the remainder of his life in the occupations of agriculture, and the amusement of the mechanic arts. He refused the appointments of Commissioner to superintend

the construction of the Federal Buildings, and of the ministry to Holland. In 1787, he attended the convention which formed the federal constitution, which his state was the third to ratify. In the summer of 1789, he had the severe misfortune to lose his wife. On the 25th of July, 1790, Governor Livingston died, after a sickness of little more than a month, the severe pain of which he bore with calm and Christian firmness. We have thus traced "from his cradle to his grave," how imperfectly we are well aware, one of the patriots of the American Revolution. It is quite impossible, within the limits to which we are confined, to do any thing like justice to the events of his life, or to attempt the delineation of his character. In the circle of those great men of our country, whose services and sufferings must be felt, rather than acknowledged, if " he was behind the foremost, he was far before the last." The generation to which he belonged has gone down to the grave. The warrior, who fought for liberty, and the statesman, who guided that warrior's arm, have alike ascended to God, to give an account of their holy mission, and are now equally beyond our censure or our praise.

The Mother at Home; or, the Principles of Maternal Duty famil iarly illustrated. By John S. C. Abbott, Pastor of the Calvinist Church, Worcester.

We are much pleased with the Dedication of this little book. It is as follows:

"TO MY FATHER AND MOTHER,

This book is most affectionately dedicated. For the principles here illustrated, I am indebted to the instructions I received, and the scenes I witnessed, at your fire-side. That God may render them available in conferring the same joy upon other families, which they have so richly shed upon yours, is the prayer of your GRATEFUL SON." We know not

The author of this book is a very young man. whether he has any children; and if he has, they must be too young to show the fruits of good management. Nor can he have any personal experience of the duties of a mother. However, he writes as we have often heard the best and happiest of mothers talk, and as we should expect the experienced mother of a well-trained family to write. We, therefore, suppose that the mother, so honorably mentioned in the dedication, is speaking to us through her grateful son,-that he has codified the lex non scripta of her household; and that must have been a well-ordered household, if we may judge of it from those who have issued thence. It has within a few years furnished the Christian ministry with three young men of nearly the same age, who unite, with their religious zeal, suavity of manners and benevolence of heart; whose virtues sit so easily upon them that they cannot but have been the early and the every-day dress of the inner man, and who have severally displayed, at a very early age, wonderful tact in the practical business of education.

The author professes Calvinism on his title-page; and doubtless intends to make a similar profession in the following passage in the preface :

"The religious principles inculcated in this book, are those usually denominated evangelical. We have proceeded upon the principle that here is the commencement of eternal existence, and that the great object of education is to prepare the child for its heavenly home

"

This principle is indeed evangelical; but it does not exclusively appertain to the class of sentiments usually so denominated. All the sects of Christians with which we are acquainted, regard this life as the beginning of an endless existence, and deem the preparation of the child, for its heavenly home, the great object of education. This principle we are glad to see recognized throughout the book before us, which is decidedly religious in its character. But it is not sectarian. There is not more than half a page in the whole book to which any Christian would object; and that half page contains nothing more than the ascription of certain attributes to the Savior, which Unitarians deny him.

Be the author's church in Worcester Calvinistic or not, his book is decidedly anti-Calvinistic in its tissue. The doctrines of total depravity, arbitrary election, and special grace, are not only not recognized, but virtually denied. The child is represented as endowed by nature with amiable propensities; as capable, from the very first, of performing virtuous actions from right motives; as an apt subject for the kingdom of heaven. Parents are exhorted to labor for the spiritual welfare of their children, with a confident hope that early piety will be the result, -a hope which the doctrine of irrespective election would utterly preclude. No spiritual influences are promised, except the divine blessing necessary to render the use of appropriate means effectual in the formation and improvement of the Christian character.

Mr. Abbott makes the establishment of absolute authority the mother's first object, and the habit of uniform obedience the great desideratum on the part of the child. And we here agree with him. The whole duty of man consists in the subjection of his propensities and desires to positive law, whether human or divine, natural or revealed. And sin is simply the transgression of the law. Now, the child whom his mother early subjects to the law of her lips, rewarding adherence to it, and making him suffer for every departure from it, is well prepared for the discipline of life, and will most probably become an honest man, a good citizen, and a devout Christian. But the infant, who is permitted to have his own way unmolested, and whose mother's threats sound to his ear like idle tales, when he grows up, will spurn from his shoulders the yoke of law, and will neither fear God nor regard man. But if the mother would have her authority reverenced, her commands must, like those of God and of human magistrates, be flanked by retributive sanctions. And it is hardly safe for her to leave herself the pardoning power, as a mother's tenderness would often lead to its injudicious use. Let disobedience in every instance be attended by suffering; and, if the command broken be of such a nature that it may yet be obeyed, let not the punishment cease, till obedience is enforced. So says our author. On the best mode of punishment, he is far from explicit. He in one chapter very properly recommends that "the punishment be adapted to the peculiarity of the moral disorder;" and in another, speaks of "inflicting bodily pain steadily and invariably." By this last phrase we understand flagellation, a punishment we still contend not unapt for public schools, but unnecessary and often pernicious in families.

The fifth chapter relates to the most prevalent faults in the domestic management of children. We offer from this the following extracts :