―208―

Art. XXVIII.

A Discourse on General Washington,
delivered in the Catholic Church of
St. Peter, in Baltimore, February
22, 1800. By the Right Reverend
Bishop Carrol. 8vo. pp. 24.
Baltimore. Warner and Hanna.
1800.

THE Bishop of the Roman Ca-
tholic church in the United
States joins with his clerical bre-

―209―

thren of other denominations, in
deploring the death, and doing
honour to the character of the illus-
trious Washington. The appear-
ance which he makes in this under-
taking, is dignified and agreeable.
His composition is plain, sensible,
unaffected, and perspicuous. He
takes a rapid view of the youth, the
unfolding talents, the military at-
chievements, the civil administra-
tion, and the private virtues of the
hero who is the subject of his dis-
course, and on each bestows ap-
propriate and merited praise. Amidst
the many effusions of extravagance
which have been offered to the
public on the same subject, the
Bishop displays a degree of modera-
tion which must command the re-
spect of every reader. Though he
is one of those who decidedly and
entirely approve the whole system
of Washington's public conduct;
and though he forms a high esti-
mate of his truly great mind; yet
he in general keeps his eulogium
within the bounds of probability
and nature. We observe some in-
accuracies and inelegances in the
language; but we find much more
to respect, and to praise, than to
blame.