We have received Mr. Binney's EULOGY pronounced at Philadelphia, and
Judge Story's DISCOURSE in Boston, upon our great and lamented
countryman, fellow-townsman, neighbor, and _friend_--for by all these
names did a fortuitous conjuncture of circumstances, including his own
kind and prideless heart, entitle us to call him. We have read them
both, with an interest _created_ by long admiration and love for the
subject, but rendered more intense by the beauties of the _manner_, in
which the subject is displayed. We do not say, '_materiem superat
opus_.' To _such_ a material, no human skill could be incommensurately
great: and Mr. Binney speaks with no less truth than modesty, in
making it the consolation alike of the humblest, and of the most
gifted eulogist, "that the case of this illustrious man is one, in
which _to give with simplicity the record of his life_," is most
nearly to copy "the great original;" and to attempt more, "is
... 'with taper light
To seek the beauteous eye _of Heaven to garnish_.'"
But except Everett among the living, and Wirt and Ames among the
departed of our countrymen, we doubt if any American, with the
effusions of whose mind we are familiar, could have more closely
rivalled by language the character and the actions attempted to be
portrayed.
It is not our purpose now to review these two eulogies. A more
extended notice of them, and of their great subject, we defer for our
next number; in which we shall, perhaps, give also a few light
personal reminiscences of Judge Marshall.