It is rare that a man who owes so much to nature de scends to seek more from industry : but he seemed to de pend on industry, as if nature had done nothing for him. His habits of investigation were very remarkable: his mind seemed to cling to his subject, till he had exhausted it. Hence the uncommon superiority of his reasoning powers ; a superiority that seemed to be augmented from every source ; and to be fortified by every auxiliary ; learning, taste, wit, imagination, and eloquence. These were em bellished and enforced by his temper and manners ; by his fame and his virtues. It is difficult, in the midst of such various excellence, to say in what particular the effect of his greatness was most manifest. No man more promptly discerned truth. No man more clearly displayed it. It was not merely made visible. It seemed to come bright with illumination from his lips. But prompt and clear as he was ; fervid as Demosthenes ; like Cicero, full of re source ; he was not less remarkable for the copiousness and completeness of his argument, that left little for cavil, and nothing for doubt. Same men take their strongest argument as a weapon, and use no other : but he left nothing to be inquired for more ; nothing to be answered. He not only disarmed his adversaries of their pretexts and objections ; but he stripped them of all ex cuse for having urged them. He confounded and subdued, as well as convinced. He indemnified. them, however, by making his discussion a complete map of his subject; so that his opponents might indeed feel ashamed of their mistakes : but they could not repeat them. In fact, it was no common effort, that could preserve a really able anta gonist from becoming his convert. For, the truth, which his researches so distinctly presented to the understanding of others, was rendered almost irresistibly commanding and impressive, by the love and reverence which, it was ever apparent, he profoundly cherished for it in his own. While patriotism glowed in his heart, wisdom blended, in his speech, her authority with her charms. Such also is the character of his writings. Judiciously collected, they will be a public treasure.
No man ever more disdained duplicity, or carried frank ness further than he. This gave to his political opponents some temporary advantages ; and currency to some popu lar prejudices, which he would have lived down, if his death had not prematurely dispelled mem. He knew that fac
tions have ever in the end pyevailed in free states ; and as he saw no security, and who living can see any adequate ? against the destruction of that liberty which he loved, and for which he was ever ready to devote his life, he spoke at all times according to his anxious forebodings, and his ene mies interpreted all that he had said, according to the sup posed interest of their party. But he ever extorted confi dence, even when he most provoked opposition. It was impossible to deny that he was a patriot. Virtue so rare, so pure, so bold, by its very purity and excellence, inspired suspicion, as a prodigy. Ilis enemies judged of him by themselves. So splendid and arduous were his set vices, they could not find it in their hearts to believe that they were disinterested. Unparalleled as they were, they were nevertheless no otherwise requited than by the applause of all good men, and by his own enjoyment of the spectacle of that national prosperity and consideration, which was the effect of them. After facing calumny, and triumph antly surmounting an unrelenting persecution, he retired from office with clean, though empty hands, and as rich as reputation and an unblemished integrity could make him. Some have plausibly, though erroneously inferred, from the great extent of his abilities, that his ambition was inor dinate. This is a mistake. Such men as have a painful con sciousness that their stations happen to be far more exalted titan their talents are generally the most ambitious. Ge neral Hamilton, on the contrary, though he had many com petitors, had no rivals ; for he did not thirst for power; nor would he, as it was well known, descend to office. Of course he suffered no pain from envy when bad men rose ; though he felt anxiety for the public. He was perfectly content and at ease in private life. Of what was he ambi tious ? Not of wealth. No man held it cheaper. it of popularity ? That weed of the dunghill, he knew, when rankest, was nearest to withering. There is no doubt, that, being conscious of his powers, he desired glory, which to most men is too inaccessible to be an object of desire. Bur feeling his own force, and that he was tall enough to reach the top of Pindus or of Helicon, he longed to deck his brow with the wreath of immortality. A vulgar ambition could as little comprehend as satisfy his views.