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amusement or instruction, shall not be in future, disappointed. They cherish, too sincerely, the memory of the late accomplished editor, and have too high an admiration for his talents, to presume that his loss can be supplied; but they still believe that their united exertions may accomplish something not unworthy of public favour.

Yet though in some degree, independent of external aid, we do not the less cordially invite the contributions of the learned and liberal scholars of our country. To our success, none who value the reputation of America, can, we trust, be wholly insensible. Standing far aloof from the contentious scene of her politics, our aim is the aggrandizement, the literary splendour of the country at large, a subject offensive to no sect, but the common cause of all.

Those too, who are ambitious of honest fame, may be invited to communicate freely with us, from the ample means which this Journal affords of rendering their speculations notorious— since it has attained a wide circulation through every part of the union, and enrolls among its patrons, the most distinguished names in America. We shall therefore cheerfully receive, and leniently judge all that may be submitted to us, and always exercise with slow and reluctant hand, the odious prerogative of rejection.

The topics calculated for a journal so miscellaneous as ours, cannot be embraced even in the widest description. But it may not be superfluous, to suggest certain prominent points, on which we shall in future, bestow a marked attention, and to which we wish to direct the liberal studies of our contributors.

The Port Folio is essentially a national work—It is the oldest existing journal, we believe of a similar character, in America, and whatever, therefore, may tend to illustrate its literary or physical resources, to advance, or to adorn its prosperity, shall find its appropriate place in this Journal-With this view, we shall cheerfully inserst judicious and authentic accounts of any portion of American history, more particularly every thing that may tend to preserve a knowledge of the habits, manners, and even costume of the aborigines-well written tours through

any portion of the United States-Interesting papers on agriculture-Disquisitions on the fine and useful arts, and all the vari ous information comprehended under the name of statistics.

To the poetic genius of America, we shall ever give a wil ling attention. In all our researches, we seek most diligently for that pearl of price, original poetic talent, and though condemned to waste our time in turning over much juvenile and crude versification, we are always amply repaid by even a transient glimpse of the hidden glories of Genius. We would, however, warn our young poets, instead of copying from authors, either ancient or modern, descriptions of foreign nature and foreign manners, to study that best author Nature, not clothed with learning or distorted in books, but in the simple guise in which she is seen every where around us. There is not a more picturesque or poetic region than our own-Arcadia itself is not more beautiful nor yet more sonorous than Pennsylvania; and the Thames, or even the Arno, are insipid brooks, by the side of the Hudson or the Schuylkill. If we would rise above inanimate nature, our own annals are abundantly furnished with materials for poetry. The genius of Campbell, has not anticipated our finest subjects of poesy; for the colonization, the Indian wars, the revolutionary contest, teem with events of sufficient interest for every flight of the Muse. We hope, therefore, to receive ample contribution on all the topics we have indicated. But before we conclude, we would request, that those who may be impatient for the appearance of their papers, to remember the variety of clashing pretensions to precedence, which it is our province to reconcile, and to impute any occasional delay of publication, not to inattention on our part, but to the inevitable difficulty of adjusting the respective claims of numerous and valuable contributors.

JUDGE COOPER has perused the observations of Mr. Johns; but he finds nothing in them that might tempt him to reply; and he declines all controversy that does not promise to contribute to public information."

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ALEXANDER I.

this fair form: to grace a throne designd! Heav'n stampd th impression of a Godlike mind. Whose powerful Sceptre mighty realms obey. Whose virtues rule with more unbounded sway.

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For the portrait from which the annexed engraving is executed, and which is recognized as a striking resemblance of the illustrious original, we are indebted to the politeness of an officer, the first exercise of whose distinguished talents, as an artist, since his residence amongst us, is this patriotic attempt to dif fuse the fame of his sovereign. A disposition thus liberal, would seem to require at our hands some scroll of courteous compliment to a monarch, whose mind is represented to be as amiable as his person is elegant. But our habits as well as our inclinations disqualify us for such eulogy. We shall therefore confine ourselves to a brief notice of such benefits as he has, we understand, conferred on his country; an enumeration which is, at all times, the highest panegyric on a sovereign; far surpassing the suspicious applause of interested subjects, or the indiscriminate praise of strangers.

Alexander the First, Emperor of all the Russias, was born on the 12th of December, 1777; married in the year 1793 to Louisa

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