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reads its inscription at all, he can only do so, by a studied departure from the thoroughfare, and an equally studied approach to the simple edifice upon which it is written.

MAYNARD DAVIS RICHARDSON, the subject of our memoir, was the sixth child and fourth son, of the Hon. John S. Richardson, one of the Judges of the Circuit Court, and of Mrs Elizabeth L. Richardson, of South-Carolina. He was born at Charleston, in that State, on the first day of January, one thousand eight hundred and twelve. He attended the various, most approved elementary schools in that city; and at a comparatively early period, was entered at the Charleston College, not long before, successfully established, under the charge of a Faculty and Tutorship, which have acquired, in the administration of its duties, a high reputation for themselves, while conferring upon it a degree of usefulness and character, not peculiar, before this period, to such institutions in that section. Here, he pursued a preparatory course of instruction, for an adequate time, prior to his transfer to the South-Carolina College, at Columbia, in 1828, where his education underwent completion. It was, how ever, at the College of Charleston, and while in the Seminaries of that city, that the capacities of his mind-those graceful and vigorous shoots of promise which so unhappily were denied fulfilment-first began to develope themselves. At this period, and when but thirteen or fourteen years of age, the eye, alike, of parental pride and satisfaction, and of youthful and school fellowship, became attracted to the unfolding talent which afterwards distinguished his limited corecr, and which, even then, exhibited those first fruits which won for him, among his associates, a consideration not soon to be forgotten. The precocious nature of his boyish efforts, a wonder at that time to his mates and rivals, if detailed at large and dwelt upon now, would, we are assured, be no less so to

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the reader. Few, indeed, among the former, we feel satisfi ed, but, when these pages shall meet their eyes, must recur to the early abilities which he displayed while in their ranks, and once more realize those occasions, so grateful to the memory, when, at their juvenile disquisitions, on subjects, in their nature the most subtle and abstruse imaginable, he daringly launched forth into the field of disputation, contending not merely with themselves, and years, few like their own-but boldly lifting his lanec, like Wilfrid of Ivanhoe, at the passage of arms at Ashby de la Zouche, to the most powerful of the strong array,-opposing his slender strength to the gigantic masters of metaphysical analysis—the Paleys', the Reids', the Lockes', and the Benthams' of that wonderfully rich department of European letters. Fearlessly endeavouring to controvert or turn their positions, wherever, in his own mind, he felt or conceived them to be defective or untrue, he yet invariably preserved that modesty of deportment and expression, which, however coupled with manly confidence in his opinions, always secured him from the rcproach of presumption. Ostensibly contending with the opinions of youth, like himself, he did not content himself with the debate upon, but with a most searching spirit, laboured religiously at the discussion of, his subject. The incidental, no less than the main points of the controversy, in his hands, had their due share of attention; and if he left the field for an instant, it was as frequently to secure the heights which commanded, as for the attainment of those sheltering retreats, which gave him a respite, from its difficulties. Not to digress,—it is, of considerable interest to survey the singular, though we are not prepared to say, the wholesome audacity with which these juvenile controversialists undertook the analysis of topics the most nice in distinction and definition— the most foreign and abstract in philosophy. From the large

and undigested mass of papers, left behind him by the subject of our Memoir-most of them in such a state of imperfectness and confusion as to forbid our making any present use of them—we select a single sheet which designates many of these topics. They are endorsed with the word "Debates" and comprise simply the questions for discussion which were probably suggested by his own mind, and upon which he had already in part prepared himself. These were all,—we are led to infer from the various notes taken by Mr. Richardson— at one time or another, submitted to the several literary societies, as well in Charleston as in Columbia, of which, if we are rightly informed, he was, most generally, a leading member. The reader will better judge, from the list which we subjoin, how daring were these spirits, thus embarked in the exami nation of subjects and controversies, the most infinite and various; and which, have divided the world of mind and of letters, throughout all the past periods of civilization. The first question which presents itself is one of singular import at the present day, as well in this country as in Europe; and it might be of curious result to know, in the present distribution of our national and local parties, on which side of debate were the several members of the club, by whom it was discussed.

"Is it lawful to resist the Chief Magistrate, if the Commonwealth cannot otherwise be preserved?"

Again:

"Can innovations in trade and revenue be lawfully opposed by the people?

Again:

“How far is extensive territory likely to benefit the United States?

Again:

"Should the monies be refunded, collected under the SediLion Law?"

These subjects of discussion indicate something of the course of popular inquiry in the Southern States for some years past; and their free analysis, along with others of similar import, has doubtless tended not a little to that general habit of inquiry and examination into the principles and concerns of Government, which, while it has doubtless been productive of no small enlightenment among the great majority of the people, has, at the same time, set them afloat upon a sea of perpetual excitement and speculation, and brought about that spirit of technically refining upon the simplicities of diction and definition, which leaves no instrument where it found it; and renders language, itself, a most uncertain channel for the transmission and application of reason and of thought. There can be no doubt that a partial examination of an abstruse question—such an examination, to speak in brief, as the popular mind, devoted, as it must be, to a thousand conflicting duties and pursuits, can afford to give it-will only have a tendency to the unsettling of established usage and opinion, without furnishing, in their stead, any more wholesome or legitimate substitutes. Coupled with the popular spirit, is always to be found a large degree of thirst for novelty and change-a thirst, which, properly directed, finds its authorized channel in new and valuable enterprises, and is so far beneficial, alike, to men and nations; but which, dammed up in this quarter and misdirected in others, breaks down all the landmarks and washes away all the restraints of social order, until revolution finds its realm and dominion in the devastation which necessarily follows. We would not, by these remarks, have it understood, that we think debating societies, such as those above spoken of, productive rather of evil than of benefit; but it may have its use to inquire, in how much we should sanction the superficial consideration of subjects, requiring

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long years of elaborate inquiry, which the popular mind, in our country, is too apt to undertake, examine and settle, in the brief compass of a single night. Any discussion, however, of this matter, whatever its importance in a social point of view, being here unnecessary and irrelevant, we return to our subject by introducing to the reader, for example, a string of topics, all of them of leading and of nice general import, which appears in the handwriting and among the papers of our author, and which, without doubt, were submitted by him while a: college, to some one or more of the associations, of which he may have been the member. That many of these were actually discussed, in part by himself, we have the proof, in notes, profusely rich, which are strewn confusedly among the remains now before us. Some of them appear to have furnished the material, in an after day, for many of his published essays-and in this manner we are compelled to account, for the occasional use of the same idea, and, in one or more instances, the same paragraph, in more than one article upon relevant subjects;-a repetition, which is unavoidable in this publication, and which the reader, referring to this explanation, will readily excuse, as it may happen to occur in the progress of the volume. A comparison, however, of these initial efforts, with their revised arrangement in after compositions, proves them in most cases, to have undergone summary and abridgement, rather than dress and amplification. Here follow the proposed topics of debate: "Je usury lawful?

"Is falsehood ever justifiable?

"Which is the widest field for talent and distinction, war, letters, or politics?

“Is wealth or knowledge, most powerful?

"Southern States holding slaves?

Fashion-productive of good or evil?

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