And I bowed to the impulse with fervid devotion,
And gave my whole soul to the love of the lyre ;
Each gaze at the glories of earth, sky, and ocean,
To my kindled emotions was wind over fire.

And deep were my musings in life's opening blossom, Midst the twilight of mountain groves wandering long; How thrilled my full veins, and how beat my young bosom, When over me came the wild spirit of song.

'Mong the high and hoar fells that for ages have listened To the rush of the pebble-paved river between, Where the king-fisher screamed, and gray precipice glistened,

All breathless with awe have I gazed on the scene;

Till I felt the dark power o'er my reveries stealing,
From his throne in the depth of that stern solitude,
And he breathed through my lips, in that tempest of feeling,
Strains full of his spirit, though artless and rude.

Yet, beautiful day dreams! ye shone as a warning

Of glooms that should frown, when your glory should fade;

Your halos were bright in the beams of my morning,
How quickly to vanish in storm and in shade!

I have mixed with the world, and its follies have stained me,

No longer your pure rural worshipper now;

And even in those haunts where your spells once enchained

me,

Ye shrink from the signet of care on my brow.

In the old mossy groves on the breast of the mountain,
In deep lonely glens where the waters complain;
By the shade of the rock, by the gush of the fountain,
I seek your loved footsteps, but seek them in vain.

Oh, leave not, forlorn and forever forsaken,
Your pupil and victim, to life and its tears;
But sometimes return, and in mercy awaken
The glories ye showed to his earlier years.

X. X.

LETTERS ILLUSTRATING THE EARLY PERIOD OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION.

MESSRS. EDITors,

A file of letters, addressed to the Hon. Joseph Palmer, President of the Provincial Congress of Massachusetts, by John Adams, Samuel Adams, Robert Treat Paine, and others, members of the Continental Congress, and by General Washington, were handed me by a grandson of the person to whom they were addressed, with permission to publish such as might be deemed proper for the public eye. And believing that whatever illustrates the history of the American revolution, cannot fail to interest such as duly estimate the blessings which have resulted from its glorious consummation, the annexed selection, from a letter dated in the years 1774, 5 and 6, is offered for the pages of your journal.

Aware of the sacred obligation which correspondence, any wise confidential, imposes, great care has been taken that in this case it should not be violated; consequently, many letters of the same and subsequent years of the revolution, are reserved for publication at some future period. These now offered, show the destitute situation of our country, at the commencement of the struggle, in arms, ammunition, and clothing materials; they also evince the assiduous exertions of our patriot fathers, in the establishment of manufactories of indispensable articles, as well as in otherwise promoting the great cause of liberty and independence.

W.

FROM JOHN ADAMS.

Philadelphia, Sept. 26, 1774. Before this reaches you, the sense of Congress, concerning your wisdom, fortitude and temperance, in the Massachusetts in general, and the country of Suffolk in particular, will be public in our country. It is the universal sense here, that the Massachusetts acts and the March acts ought not to be submitted to. But then when you ask the question, what is to be done? They answer, "stand still, bear with patience; if you come to a rupture with the troops, all is lost." Resuming the first charter, absolute independency, &c. are ideas which startle people here.

It seems to be the general opinion here, that it is practicable for us in the Massachusetts, to live wholly without a legislature

and courts of justice, as long as will be necessary to obtain relief. If it is practicable, the general opinion is, that we ought to bear it. The commencement of hostilities is exceedingly dreaded here. It is thought that an attack upon the troops, even though it should prove successful and triumphant, would certainly involve the whole continent in a war. It is generally thought here, that the minister would rejoice at a rupture in Boston, because that would furnish him with an excuse to the people at home, and unite them with him in an opinion of the necessity of pushing hostilities against us.

On the contrary, the delegates here, and other persons from various parts, are all sanguine, that if Boston and the Massachusetts can possibly steer a middle course, between obedience to the acts and open hostilities with the troops, the exertions of the colonies will procure a total change of measures and full redress for us.

What you propose of holding out some proposal which shall show our willingness to pay for our protection at sea, is a subject often mentioned in private conversations here. Many gentlemen have pursued the thought, and digested their plans; but what is to be the fate of them I cannot say.

It is my opinion, sir, that we do our full proportion towards the protection of the empire, and towards the support of the naval power. To the support of the standing army, we ought never to contribute voluntarily.

A gentleman put into my hands a few days ago a plan for offering to raise 200,000 pounds sterling annually, to appropriate it to the maintenance of a ship of war. But is not this surrendering our liberty? I have not time, however, to discuss these questions at present. I pray God to direct, assist and protect you, and all our friends, amidst the dangers that surround you.

FROM J. ADAMS.

Hartford, May 2d, 1775.

We are very anxious to know the state of things at Boston, Cambridge, Watertown, and Roxbury. The accounts we have are very confused and uncertain.

That pro

Our accounts from New-York are very well. That vince is getting into a train, which will secure the union of the colonies, and success to their efforts.

The little dirty ministerial party there is humbled in the dust.

Certain military movements of great importance, and with the utmost secrecy, have been set on foot in this colony of Con

necticut, which I dare not explain, but refer you to Colonels Foster, Danielson and Bliss. As it is of great importance that we should be informed of every thing, I must beg you to write often, and persuade others-Mr. Cooper and Mr. Ward, or any body that will write facts. The letters will follow on, and reach us at last.

FROM J. ADAMS.

Philadelphia, May 29, 1775.

We have but little intelligence from Massachusetts since I left it. Your difficulties press upon you so fast, as to take up all your time, I suppose. So do ours.

I believe no assembly ever had more extensive and complicated objects before them than our congress. We shall be united, but I can say no more.

Messrs. A. and J. C. Hall, bearers of this, will inform you of the state of the colonies.

They are young military adventurers; volunteers joining the army in Massachusetts, to gain experience and skill. They are of one of the first families in Maryland, and possess independent fortunes. Their letters will make impressions upon the southern colonies. It is of importance that they be treated with respect.

FROM J. ADAMS.

Philadelphia, June 5, 1775.

The bearers of this letter, Mr. Stephen Collins and Mr. John Kaign, are of the peaceable society called Quakers or Friends, yet they are possessed of liberal sentiments, and are very far from being enemies to American principles or practices. They are warm, zealous friends of America, and hearty well wishers to her councils and arms, and have contributed much to promote both in this province.

We have an infernal scoundrel here, a certain Col. S—————, who comes over full of plans and machinations of mischief. He has had the most unreserved and unlimited confidence of Lord Dartmouth, during the whole of the past winter, and it seems for some time before; and together with a contemptible puppy of a parson, V, has been contriving to debauch, seduce, and corrupt New-York. The ministry have given him a commission in the woods as surveyor, and another to be governor of Ticonderoga and Crown Point. He is permitted to roam about, upon his parole of honour not to transgress certain limits, but is doing mischief.

The colonies are not yet ripe to assume the whole government, legislative and executive. They dread the introduction of anarchy, as they call it.

In this province, indeed in this city, there are three persons, a Mr. W, who is very rich and very timid; the provost of the college, who is supposed to be distracted between a strong passion for lawn sleeves and a stronger passion for popularity, which is very necessary to support the reputation of his Episcopal college; and an I- P——, who is at the head of the Quaker interest: these three make an interest here which is lukewarm; but are all obliged to lie low for the present.

I am greatly obliged to you for your letters, which contain the most exact accounts we have been able yet to obtain. We are to the last degree anxious to learn even the most minute particulars of every engagement.

I want an exact list of all the officers in our army, possibly be obtained.

if it can

I wish I could know exactly what powder you have. We are trying our possibles to get it; but one would not have conceived it possible that the colonies should have been so supine as they have been.

A large building is setting up here to make saltpetre, and we are about trying what can be done in the tobacco works in Virginia..

This day has been spent in debating a manifesto setting forth the causes of our taking arms. There is some spunk in it. It is ordered to be printed, but will not be done soon enough to be enclosed in this letter.

CONTINUATION OF LETTERS FROM A YOUNG AMERICAN.

MY DEAR M

Paris.

I am sending you some music, and may as well throw in a few lines to puff it a little. It has been selected by Mam'selle B- with whose mother, as I think I wrote you, I am living. I take it for granted she is a great player, because when I tell where I am staying, they are all sure to exclaim, "How well Mam'selle N-plays--and besides Mam'selle knows Rossini, and Rossini one day actually asked her to play a piece of music for him-and besides all this, I myself think she plays remarkVOL. II

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