An Address on the Influence of the Federative Republican System of Government Upon Literature and the Development of Character [pp. 261-282]

SOUTHERN LITERARY MESSENGER.
and after his words men spake not again." For his words,
indeed, even in his most familiar conversation, fell uponi
us with a sort of judicial weight; and firom his private
opinions, as from his public decisions, there was no
appeal. Happy, thrice happy old man! How we
wishled and prayed for the continuance of his days, and
of all the happiness and honor which hle had so friily
wvon, and which he seemed to enjoy still more for outr
sakes than for his own! WVe gazed upon him indeed,
Sir, as upon the setting sun, whilst, his long circuit of
glory almost finished, he sank slowly to his rest; admiring the increased grandeur of his orb, and the graciousness with which he suffered us to view the softened
splendors of his face; but with a mournful interest, too,
which spirang fiomn the reflection that we should soon lose
his light. And we have lost it indeed. He has left us
now-anid we mourn for his departure. But we are
consoled, Sir, by the transporting assurance which we
feel, that the splendid luminary which the benificent
Creator had kindled up for the blessing and ornament of
our native land, and of the world, is not gone out in
darkness, but shines still with inextinguishable lustre in
the firmament of Heaven.
AN ADDRESS,
ON THE INFLUENCE OF THE FEDERATIVE REPUBLICAN
SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT UPON LITERATURE AND
THE DEVELOPMENT OF CHIARACTER.
Prepared to be delivered before the Historical and
Philosophical Society of Vigintia, at their annual
meeting in 1836, by THOMAs R. DEWIV, Professor of
History, M\etaphysics and Political Law, in the
College of William and Mary. Published by request
of the Society,* March 20, IS36.
Mr. President and Gentlemen of the Society,
I Lave consented to appear before you this evening
with feelirng,s of the deepest solicitude-a solicitude
which has been increased by my knowledge of the
ability and eloquence of tile gentleman who was first
chosen by you to perform this task, and by the fact
that this is the first time that circumstances have permitted my attendance on your sessions, though early
admitted by the kindness of your body to the honor of
membership.
The subject upon which I propose to address you is
one which I hope w;ll not be considered as inappropriate to the occasion. I shall endeavor to present to your
view some of the most important effects which the
Federative Republican System of government is calculated to produce on the progress of literature and on
the development of individual and national character.
When we cast a glance at the nations of the earth
and contemplate their character, and that of the individuals who compose them, we are amazed at the almost endless variety which such a prospect presents to
* "It being understood that Professor Dew has been prevented
by delicate health and the inclemency of the season, from attend.
ing the present meeting " Resolved, That he be requested to furnish the Recording
Secretary of this Society with a copy of his intended address,
for insertion in the Southern Literary Messenger."
Extract from the minutes.
G. A. MYERS, Recording Secretary
Of the rsirgin,ia Historical and Philosophical Society.
our view. We perceive the most marked differences,
not only between the savage and civilized nations, but
between the civilized themselves-not only between
different races of different physical organization, bult
between the same races-not only between nations
situated at immense distances from each other, but
among those enjoying the same climate, and inhabiting
the same region. How marlIed the difference, for ex ample, between the nations of India and those of Eu rope-how different the citizen who merely vegetates
under the still silent crushing despotismas of the East,
from that restless, bustling, energetic being who lives
under the limited mlonarchies and republics of the West!
And again, what great differences do we find among
the latter themselves! What differenices do we observe
between the French and the English, the Germans and
the Spaniatrds, the Swiss and the Italians! How often
dloes the whole inoral nature of man seem to change,
by crossing a range of motuntains, passing a firontier
stream, or even an imaginary line! "The Languedo cians and Gascons," says Hume, "are the gayest peo ple in France; but vihenever you pass the Pyrenees
you are amion,,g Spantiards." "Atheis anLd Thebes were
but a short day's journey from eachl other; tholugh the
Athenians were as remalrkable for ilngenuity, politeness
and gaiety, as the Tltebans for dulness, rusticity, arid
a phlegmatic temper."
There is no subject more worthy the attention of
the philosopher and the historian, than a consideration
of the causes which thus influence the moral destiny,
and determine the character of nations and indlividuals.
Among the generating causes of national differences,
none exert so powserful, so irresistible an influieice as
Religion and Government; and of these two potent
engines in the formation of character, it may be affirm ed, that if the former be sometimes, under the operation
of peculiar circumstances, more powerful and overwhelming, directing for a season the spirit of the age
and overcoming every resistance to its progress, the
latter is much more constant and universal in its action,
and mainly contributes to the formation of that permanent national character which lasts thlroughl ages.
Of all the governments which have ever been established, it may perhaps be affirmted, that ours, if the most
complicate in structure, is certainly the most beautiful
in theory, correcting Ly the principle of representation,
and a proper system of responsibility, the wild extravagances and tlte capricious levities of the unbalanced
democracies of antiquity. Ours is surely the system,
which, if administered in the pure spirit of that patriotism and freedom which erected it, holds out to the
philanthropists and the fiieinds of liberty throughout
the world, the fairest promise of a successful solution
of the great problem of firee government. Ours is in:
deed the great experiment of the eighteenth century_
to it the eyes of all, friiends and foes, are now directed,
and upon its result depends perhaps the cause of liberty
throughout the civilized world. In the meantime it
well behooves us all to hope for the best, and never to
despair of the republic. Let me then proceed to inquire
into some of the most marked effects which our peculiar
system of government is likely to produce, it] the progress of time, upon literature and the development of
character.
Some have maintained the opinion that the monarchi VoL. II.-34
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