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Show 406 NOTES. n~ture ~f true g~ory, and justly placing the summit of your ambition, m approvmg fOUrself the worthy instrument of Heaven'~ merciful t1esigns, the first impulse of your religious heart was to acknowledge the signal interposition of Providence-your first step, a solemn display of your humble sense of His favours. Still agitated at the remembrance of those dreadful agonies, from which we have been so miraculously rescued, it is our pride to ac~nowledg~, that the Almighty has truly had the principal han~ 1? ou~ dehverance, and to follow you, general, in attributing to Ins m.fin1te goodness, the homage of our unfeigned gratitude. Let the mfatuated votary of a blind chance deride our credulous sin~plicity; let the co!d-hearted Atheist look fur the explanation of Important events, to the mere concatenation of human causes': to us, the whole universe is loud in proclaiming a Supreme Ruler, who, as he holds the hearts of man in his hands, holds also the thread of all contingent occurrences. "Whatever be His intermediate agents," says an illustrious prelate, "still on the secret o_rclers of His all-ruling providence, depend the rise and prospenty, as well as the decline and downfal of empires. From His lofty throne, he moves every scene below, now curbing, now letting loose, the passions of men; now infusing His own wisdom into the leaders of nations; now confounding their boasted prudence, and spreading upon their councils a spirit of intoxication; and thus executing His uncontrollable judgments on the sons of lnen, according to the dictates of His own unerring justice.'' To Him, therefore, our most fervent thanks are due, for our late unexpected. rescue. It is llim, we intend to praise, when considering you, general, as the man of his t-ight hand, whom he has taken pains to fit out for the important commission of our defence. ·we extol that fecundity of genius, by which, under the most discouraoring distress, you created unforeseen resources, raised, a~ it were, from the ground, hosts of intrepid warriors, and proYided every vulnerable point with ample means of defence. To Hiin we trace that instinctive superiority of your mind, which at once rallied around you universal confidence; impressed one irresistible moycment to all the jarring elements of which this political machinP is composed; aroused their slumbering spirits, ~nd diffused through every rank, the noble ardour which glowed lll your own bosom. To H'lm, in fine, we adliress ou1· acknowlcdgmeuts for that consummate prudence, which defeated all the NOTES. 407 combinations of a sagacious enemy, entangled him in the very snares which he had spread for us, and succeeded in effecting his utter destruction, without exposing the lives of our citizens. Immortal thanks be to His Supreme Majesty, for sending us such an instrument of II is bountiful designs! A gift of that value is the best token of the continuance of His protection-the most solid encouragement, to sue for. new favours. The first which it emboldens us humbly to supplicate, as nearest our throbbing hearts, is that you may long enjoy the honour of your grateful country; of which you will permitlls to present you a pledge, in this wreath of laurel, the prize of victory, the symbol of immortality. The next is a speedy and honourable termination of the bloody contest, in which we are engaged. No one has so efficaciously laboured as you, general, for the acceleration of that blissful period: may we soon reap that sweetest fruit of your splendid and uninterrupted victories. General Jaclcson's reply. Rr.vEREND Sin,-1 receive, with gratitude and plea15ure, the symbolical crown, which piety has prepared. I receive it, in the name of the brave men who havl! so effectually seconded my exertions ;-they well deserve the laurels which their country will bestow. For m-yself, to have been instrumental in the deliverance of such a country, is the greatest blessing that heaven could confer. That it has been eflected with so little loss-that so few tears should cloud the smiles of our triumph, and not a cypress leaf be interwoven in the wreath which you present, is~ source of the most exquisite pleasure. I thank you, reverend sir, most sincerely, for the prayers, which you offer up for my happiness. May those your patriotism dictates, for Our beloved country, be first heard: and ·may mine, for your individual prosperity, as well as that of the con· gregation committed to your care, be favourably received-the prosperity, wealth, and happiness of this city, will then b~ com• nensurate with the courage and other qualities of its inhabttants. |