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THE REFLECTOR.
MILLEDGtVlLLE, G. TUESDAY, MAY 12, 1818.
NO. 27.
CHARACTERS.
MR. CLAY.
«* Letters tTbin Washington on the consti-
and public character* ot'the United States,
n —published in the National Register.]
now, my lord, introduce you to
of tlie house of representatives,
who is a delegate from Kentucky,
ot long ago, flourished, you will,
one of the American rommis-
hent. He is tall, thin, and not
lar man ; his gate is stately, hut
and his countenance, while it in-
lus, denotes dissipation. As an
. Clay stands high in the estim.i-
countrymen, hut I cannot say that
s much gracefulness, or elegance
; his eloquence is impetuous anti
; it rolls like a torrent, hut like a
ich is sometimes irregular and or-
obstrurted ; though there is a
pidity and fluency in liis elocution,
a great, deal of fire anti vigor in
' ion j when he speaks he is full of
and earnestness, his face briglit-
c beams With additional lustre, and
figure indicates that he is en-
pied with the fc abject on which his
is employed, In action, on which
es laid such peculiar emphasis,
was so highly esteemed aiming tin-
Ir. Clay is neither very graceful
ileganf. He does not in the Ian-
Shakespeir. « so suit the word to
and the action to the word, ns out
p the modesty of nature.” In ins
tion ar.il attitudes, there is some-
uniformity and awkwardness that
is merits as an orator, and in some
destroys the impression and effect
lenre is calculated to produce. Mr.
es not seem to have studied rhetorir
jnre, or to have paid much attention
artificial divisions and rhetorical
nd ornaments, on which the orators
uity so strongly insists. Indeed,ora-
n art. is hot little studied in thiscoun-
blir speakers here trust almost entire-
efficacy oftheirown native powers for
, in the different fields of eloquence, &
ot for the extrinsic embellishments
lities of art. It is but rarely they
Attic and Rhodian manner, and
Yc rarely they devote their attention
quisition of those accomplishments
'ere in the refined ages of Greece
me, considered so essential to the
"on of an orator, Mr. Clay, how-
an eloquent speaker, and notwith-
g the defects I have mentioned, very
f^ils to please and to convince. His
s so organized, that he overcomes th
ties of the most abstruse anil compli-
ihjccts, apparently without the toil of
cation or the labor of profound re
It is rich and active and rapid
g, at one glance, connections and
cnees, and breaking down the tram-
error, and the cobwebs ofs phistry.
c rises to speak, lie always com
attention, aqd almost always satisfic
id on which his eloquence is intended
ate. The warmth and fervor of his
, and the natural impetuosity of his
er, which seems to be common to the
kians. often indeed, leads him to the
n of opinions, which are not, at all
consistent with the dictates of sound
Though ambitious and persevering,
.nti-ms are good, and Ir is heart is pure
propelled by a love of country, but
Icitous of distinction ; he wishes to
lie pinnacle without infringing the li
or marring the prosperity of that
|f which, it seems to he his glory to
ive.
prominent traits of Mr. Clay’s mind
ii kness, penetration and acuteness ;
e invention, discriminating judgment,
;>d rnnfiory. Uis attention does not
have been much devoted to literal 1 }
tide pursuits, unconnected with his
Son; but fertile in resources, and
inr in expedients, he is seldom at a
il if h* is not, at all times, able to am-
d embellish, lie rarely fails to dojus-
the Subject which lias called forth Ids
On the most complicated ques-
his objections made immediately, and
spur of tlic occasion, are generally
would be suggested by long afid deep
on. In short, Mr. Clay lias been gift-
aturc, with great intellectual superi-
which will always give him a decided
ce in Whatever sphere it may be his
to revolve..
Clay’s manners arc plain and easy :
othing in him of that reserve which
ontiilence, and which some politi-
smne ; his views of mankind are en-
nd liberal, and his conduct as a po
nd a statesman, lias been marked
same enlarged and liberal policy,
ker of the house of representatives,
ides generally with great dignity,
ides on questions oforder, sometimes
with too much precipitation, but al
most always corrertly. It is but seldom his
derisions are disputed ; and when they are,
I hey are not often reversed. His mind ami
haracter are now fully evolved, and the
nurse. he at present pursues, will either ter
minate in his exaltation or overthrow, will
ilher lead him to the goal of his ambition or
crush him beneath the ruins of irritated pow--
-r or infuriated opposition. His popularity,
is great and bis policy profound ; but be has
to oppose that which must be dreaded, and
which good fortune can alone enable him to
overcome, . Whether lie will ever attain the
presidential chair, 1 am notable to determine
—that is buried in the womb <|*f futurity, ami
time alone can unveil it.
MR. FORSYTH.
He is d young man, of iiajodsome perkon,
and agreeable manners ; hey seems to b« a-
ouut 35 years of age ; his countenance as
sesses a great deal of sweetwWs and benign
ly, is very prepossessing and verny regime.
He has like most of the members oi .’he Ane-
rican congress, been educated for tlie’ “be.
and at which lie lias practised for soineycaYi.
but with what success l have not been ablS to peach trees, begins to change to a chrys-
to learn. Legislation, however, seems to bi- r ' ‘ '
better adapted to his habits and feelings, and
the body is shaded ; this I attribute to their
being preserved from the effects of the sud
den transitions, from heat to cold, •land from
cold to heaL which I apprehend are more de
structive to peach and cherry trees, than
’usects, as 1 have had hundreds of fine trees
to perish in one summer, after an irregular
winter without being in the least injured by
worms*
After many reasons for tho opinion, that
irregular winters are destructive to peach
frees, one is, that from good authority, said
trees live in Capo May county in this state,
to the age of 30 or 40 years ; an age, which
I attribute to situation, the county being half
surrounded by the waters of the Atlantic o-
rean, and Delaware bay ; and in the direc
tion of the winds, that cause the warm spells
here in Winter, and which have not the same
effect there, coining as they do, so immediate
ly on those large waters ; a proof of this is,
that vegetation is generally two weeks later
here than here) though so far to the south-
ward.
From many observations and experiments,
l have found that the worm most la-siructive
it is scarcely probable lie will ever ri
turn to liis profession, if lie should be so for
tunate as to succeed in the difficult and ardu
ous duties of a politician and statesman, in
which lie is now engaged. I think Mr. For
syth has some ambition, and is solicitous r,i
render himself conspicuous in political life,
liis talents are by no means of an ordinary
haracter, and were he to devote more oi
ins time to the improvement of liis mind, anil
the acquisition of that various and general
knowledge so essential to a statesman, In
would have hut few superiors in this country.
U prt sent, heat regarded as the organ oi
the uummistruSn, and whether lie desire it,
or not, is doubtless, in a fair way to acquire
preferment and distinction. I think this gen
tlemen is a fine, and sometimes, an eloquent
speaker ; his voice is harmonious, and sus
ceptible oi great modulation ; out not sono
rous or powerful. He wants impetuosity and
vehemence, but supplies this deficiency by a
constant, regular and uninterrupted* flow,
which rcscmblt s a stream where no rocks a-
nse, or projections intervene to disturb the
gi title motion of its current, liis style is
not figurative or ornamental, hut sufficiently
flowing ami oritorical, to gratify the ear amt
please the mind. Mr. Forsyth is more a
debater than an orator ; liis elocution flows,
hut never gushes, liis phraseology is not
tastefully selected or artfully arranged. His
deductions are not always conclusive, nor
uis sophistry indigenous; he wants th
“ dazzling force of argument,” the epigra-
inatic point and the graceful antithesis which
you iday liaVe noticed in Grattan, and th
Irish orators i but still Mr. Forsyth is capa
ble of great excellence, and lias received
from nature those powers which, with pro
per polish and cultivation, would conduct him
to a niche in the temple of immortality.
AGRICULTURAL.
?Jis about the first of July, and remains in
fi.it state about two weeks, when they come
>ut •'*- wasp, and proceed to couple and lay
neir eggs near the roots of the trees, or in
wounds in any other part, but do little inju
ry, except in or near the roots as, if attend
ed to, the issuing Of the gum will shew their
seat, and they are easily picked out; bill
, heir principal object is the root, the bark
icing softer there than on the body, anil tin-
rapid gro -th of the trunk near the root, at
no time of the waspS depositing their eggs,
causes a number of small rents in the barn
which give the worms ait easy entrance. ,
have observed that trees in a declining stale,
are more favorable to the increase of pea-
worms than those of luxuriant growtn, as
the latter discharge so much gum from tin
wounds, as to cause the death of the insect,
and the former will bring them into tin* wasp
state a month sooner; for wuicli reason i
xatmne the peach trees carefully ever,,
spring, and those that are in such a devilli
ng state as to render them unprofitable, i
hitch a team to, and draw them up by the
roots as the most certain inofie to uesiroy all
the worms they may contain.
The best method I have yet discovered, to
prevent injury from tue worms, is to exam
ine the trees < artfully in the spring and take
out the worms ; repe „ too operation about
toe 1st July, and lull up the earth round the
trees eight or ten m< lies ; in October, re
move the earth examine as before, then re
new tiie hill, which leave till tiie spring ex
amination. Ry continuing this process
nuaUy , 1 am confident that not more than
one of my peach trees has been killed by tiie
worms for twenty that have died in conse
quence of irregular winters ; and as 1 have
observed the fluctuating state oi the weather
in winter, constantly to increase for more
than fifty years, I conceive it must proceed
from some certain cause, which I apprehend
to be the improvement of the country, every
cleared field operating when free of snow, as
a reflector of the rays of the sun. l'nat tin-
clearing of the country is at least in part the
cause of our variable winters, is rendered
in some measure probable by a fact commu
nicated to me, viz: that in tiie thinly settled
parts of the country, peach trees flourish as
well as they did formerly in the neighbor
hood of Philadelphia : therefore it seems ad
visable to endeavor to find out some method
to defend tender fruit trees from the effects
of fluctuating winters ; I can think of in
better method to succeed than binding straw-
round the body or trunk o{ the trees, tha<
part appearing to be the seat of the disease.
Interesting to Fanners.—An eastern paper
states that carrots aro very advantageous
for fattening oxen with sweet hay ; liogs may
also be. fattened almost entirely with this ve
getable, hut it must be boiled. They are
also very nourishing food for horses, if given
with discretion ; care must be taken howe
ver, not to work the horses too hard if the
horse is thin in flesh w hen the carrots are
given as food. Tins vegetable being of a
very nutritious nature, fattens very soon,
and the horse, if thin, being very suddenly
got in flesh, his strength is not fit for hard
service, until he has been kept for sometime
on dry meal. The carrot is a vegetable that
can he raised in abundance by every farmer
without difficulty ; it is therefore to be hoped
that our intelligent agriculturalists will not
neglect the cultivation! of this valuable root.
itorse Chesnut.—In Turkey, these nuts,
tiie use of which has bet-n neglected in every
other country, are ground and mixed with
the provender for horses, particularly for
such as are broken winded or troubled with
coughs. After being boiled a little, to take
off the bitterness, bruised and mixed with a
small quantity of barley meal, they are
ON PEACH TREES.
BY JOSEPH COOPER, OF NEW-JEUSEY.
The following article is taken from Memoirs of the Phi.
ladelphia Agricultural Society, and will he found in
teresting. Perhaps no fruit tree is more difficult to be
reared and preserved than the peach, anil no one bet
ter pays for necessary labor and attention.
in looking over an almanac for the year
1805,1 observed a piece giving information,
that peach trees had been preserved in the
neighborhood of Philadelphia, by removing
the earth lroin the roots, after the first hard
frost, in the fall, and returning it again in
the spring, and oiling the body three or four
feet from the ground, with common lamp oil.
The author likewise observes, that peach
trees that stand in hegde rows and thickets,
thrive better than others in cleat-ed ground,
which had suggested the idea, of defending
the body of the tree, by wisps of straw, to
prevent the attai ks of insects.
I take the liberty to make some observa
tions on the piece alluded.to.
In the first place, I think the taking the
earth from the roots of peach trees, in the
fall dangerous, as I tried that method in the
fall of 1799 the succeeding winter proved
very severe as to frost, and but little snow ;
the consequence was, the loss of every tree
so.treated, >nd their, worms not injured.—
On examining the trees in the spring, I found
worms abundant as usual, ami the effect of
removing the earth had on them, was caus
ing them to injure the trees more, by de
scending the roots, as the cold came on ; they
returned to the surface as the weather warm
ed, and in picking them out 1 found the bark
dead, up to the place above whence the earth
bad been removed, as if a fire had been made
round the tree, and the top as fresh as usual
—it however died with approach of warm
weather. The observation, that peach trees
flourish in iiedge rows, hr. J know is accu
rate : they also flourish in most places where [good food for rearing and fattening poultry
Literary Intelligence.
Mr. He&uford, M. A. of Dublin, is pre
paring for the press, a New Theory of Mag
netism, especially the phenomena which re
late. to the variation of the magnetic needle ;
deduced from observation, and demonstrat
ed on true philosophical and mathematical
principles. In the .investigation magnetism
is ascribed to the effect of caloric on the globe
of the earth, In magnetism, at least as Ear t
as it affects the needle', (the author says,) there
are four magnetic poles near the terrestrial
poles ; which magnetic poles in each class
have a rotation from east to west, proceed
ing from the effect of the perturbating pow
ers of the sun and moon, in the difference
between the centripetal and centrifugal for
ces. The revolution of the northern magne
tic poles round the earth’s axis and poles is
completed In 1073 years, and that of the
southern in 8(54 years. The northern affir
mative magnetic pole lias this year (1817), at
the time of the vernal equinox, lat. 71 deg.
24 min. N. Ion. 83 deg. \V.—the; negative
pole, lat. 82 deg. 12 min. N. Ion. 114 deg. 19
min. E. The southern affirmative magnetic
pole lias lat. 65 deg. 5G min. S. Ion. 156 deg.
58 min. E.—the negative, lat. 76 deg. 46
min. S. Ion. 264 deg. 26 min. E. from Green
wich. Anil the places of the moan or ope
rative pole derived from the effect of tiie four
other poles, anil to which the noodle tends—
northern lat. 73 deg. 36 min. N. ion. 84 deg.
54 inin. W.—southern lat. 68 deg. 45 min. S.
Ion. *145 deg. 30 min. E. From the effects
•and places of these mean operative pil-s
proceed th - various phenomena of the mag
netic needle ; as the variation, dip. position,
nutation, rotation, and secular varaiati >n.
M. Magazine.
Mr. Barlow, one of the mathematical
teachers at Woolwich, will publish early in
tetoher. an Essay on the strength and stress
f timber, founded upon a course of exper
iments made at the royal military academy,
V new theory will lie developed, founded up-
>n the results of numerous experiments on
i great variety of subjects, assisted by com-
oiinications from several gentlemen of great
scientific research. The work will include
an. historical review of former theories and
experiments, and he illustrated by numerous
tables and plates.—ib.
A narrative is printing of discoveries in
Africa by Mr. Rurkhardt. He bus for soma
y ears been travelling in the countries south
of Egypt, in the disguise of an Arab, and
by the name of Shekli Ibrahim, under tho
■auspices of the African association. He
is still, it is said, prosecuting his discove
ries, atld entertains sanguine hopes of being-
able to reach Tombiictoo, from the east, and
proceed from that city t > the western roast.
I'liis would complete tho geography of nor
thern Africa.—ib.
The memoirs of Dr. Benjamin Franklin,
written by. himself to a late period, aiid con
tinued to the time of liis death by liis grand
son, will appear the 1st of November.—
It will form a volume in quarto, and be prin
ted uniformly with the private correspon
dence.—ib.
M. I,evrat, a French chymist, has disco
vered that the seed of the yellow water flag
of marshes, known to botanists by the name
of Iris pseudarerus, when dried by heat and
freed from the friable shell, which envelops
it, produces -a beverage similar to coffee, but
much superior in taste aiiil flavor.—ib.
“ Cltymical Amusement,” by Frederick
Accum, operative chemist, kc. kc. This a-
nusing and instructive work will form a va
luable addition to the Elementary Treaties
on Chymistry already in t.,o hands of tho
public. The author is well known both by
his publications anil his lectures ; and by this
little volume he has entitled himself to that
praise which will never he denied to scientific
professors who communicate the result of
their experience in a popular and attractive
form. “ The following pages,” says Mr.
Accum, “ have been written with a view to
blend chymical science with rational amuse
ment. To the student, they may serve as a
set of popular instructions, for performing a
variety of curious and instructive experi
ments, well calculated for illustrating the
most striking farts which the science of chy
mistry has to offer. To give effect to this
object, I have selected such experiments on
ly 1 , as may be employed with case anil safety
in the closet; and the exhibition of which
requires neither costly apparatus, nor com
plicated instruments. And that the experi
ments may be of greater value, than merely
to afford amusement for a leisure hour, I have
added the explanation to each individual
process, in order to enable the operator to
contemplate the phenomena with advantage,
as particular objects of study, if bis inclina
tion should lead him that way.”—Gent. Mag.