The Rhode Island American, And General Advertiser

MADISON'S SOLILOQUY.

Oh for some hidden pit, some cave

Secluse, where I might lay incog.—

Safe from the whistling lead, and steel

Bright polish'd, and nauseous smell

Of burning powder; in "dignified retirement,"

(As did my worthy predecessor,

When erst the vengeful sons

Of haughty Briton, sought to impose

The galling yoke of slavery

On Columbia's neck.)

There would I chant the new school doctrines

Which, till late, have laid obscure

Cover'd in depths impenetrable

Of what our moral traitors term

With bold affrontery—"experience"

And "common sense," and which

Would still remain unknown, but for

Discoveries most wondrous through

Depth of soul unequall'd, reserv'd

For sages of our latter times;

And like the "sparkling meteor"

In splendid majesty, burst forth

From philosophick cell, in dire recess

Of Carter's solitary mount, and spread

New lustre on our western world.

Safe from the demon danger—participate,

In sweets of mild philosophy,

And sing, and mourn man's vast perfectibility.

And great Napoleon's fall.

But chiefly mourn—my Idol lost,

And with it, all the train, dependent

Of fell embargoes, and self-killing laws.

There would I bid adieu, to fair experiments;

To Torpedoes, and prairie dogs,

D. it:.5.x

And wondrous horned toads.

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And mountains inaccessible of salt,

Dry docks and mammoth bones;

And all our well-chose measures,

Fitted most eminently to thwart

And hinder wealth and happiness,

Those rivals despicable,

Of all my new school theory