wicked and corrupt; and their implicit faith of the enor mity admits only of the explication, that it is the allegory of their own system, and the type of their own policy. The unhallowed transports with which they thrice repeat the charge, argues strongly that they are lost to shame; and while the Kentuckian is libelled, the reader is scandalized. Those "Kentuckians (say the Reviewers) who "have the least turn for economy, cut their razor-strops "from the backs of Indians while alive; and according "to their common practic, do it coolly and deliberately. "We believe that this infernal fact is true to the letter." If it were practicable to treat such atrocious nonsense seriously, I would not undertake the vindication of the Kentuckians, on the plea of remorse and compunction of heart, as the assumption might be thought gratuitous; but I should at once shew that the charge necessarily meets its confutation on the very principle of economy. The race of Indians is extinct in Kentucky, and a red man is as scarce in the district as a horse in Venice. The nearest tribe of Indians is that of the Catawbas in Carolina, a distance of five hundred miles, and not even the gratification of skinning an Indian alive would compen * The Federalist, from whose exploded pamphlet the Quarterly Reviewers have collected their information, is a little tippling author of Philadelphia, with only a single pair of galligaskins, who is glad to make his dinner off a halfpenny porrenger of pease soup and potatoes; a thoughtless buffoon of a satirist, who would himself be astonished if he were held to the letter of his own description. The pamphlet is a joint performance, Rawle, the printer, finding his subscribers importunate for its appearance, sought the author at his lodgings; who being disqualified by his potations for literary pursuits, the typographer sat down very deliberately and finished the composition. sate Jonathan for the expences of the journey, while there was a sympathetic calf in the neighbourhood to tellow out in me converte ferrum. But what I consider decisive of the point in debate is, that having applied to my barber for his opinion, who is a manufacturer of straps, the little swarthy Packwood, on hearing through the diabolical story, fell into a fit of immoderate laughter, and wiping the tears from his eyes with his holland-apron, assured me that the absurdity of the charge counteracted its virulence; that it would baffle the ingenuity of Jonathan to cut a strop adapted to a razor out of the back of an Indian, though inexorably deaf to his pressing entreaties to desist; that the skin of an Indian is too thin for the purpose; and that a Reviewer must possess a very thick head to let such an idle rumour command his absolute confidence. It is impossible to conclude this Letter without expressing a wish that the Critical Department could be reformed by filling it with enlightened and conscientious characters. The recognized establishment of such an authority would scatter the present insidious confederacy from their lurking-holes, like a ruined nest of ants. The Quarterly Review would cease to be a practical satire on the liberality of an English public; a kindred Nation would no longer be the sport of a blind and insolent faction; and the opinion necessarily entertained by Americans would undergo a modification, that the laudable love of polite literature in the mother-country has been superseded by an unhappy passion for coarse invective, clumsy raillery, and vilifying abuse. I am, Sir, yours, &c. THE AUTHOR. THE AMERICAN MARINERS. CANTO I. THE EMBARKATION OF THE CREW, AND THE DEPARTURE FROM PORT. I. OCEAN all hail! ours the proud joy to roam 5 B II. Where Pennsylvania's river opens wide 10 15 III. Primæval is the spot, where overhead 20 moan. IV. Thither the sailor oft is seen to stray, To note the scythe, the hand-glass and the bone, 25 His foot scarce raising midst the awful gloom, Vain thought! yet who, not curst with breast of steel, V. While our tall anchor'd bark at distance lay, 30 35 40 VI. Beneath an oak, o'ershadowing a tomb |