AMERICAN SCENERY.-FOR THE PORT FOLIO.

NEWLONDON, a view of which is exhibited on the opposite page, is one of the principal cities in the state of Connecticut, and is handsomely situated, three miles from the Sound, on the west bank of the river Thames, where it is about a mile wide.

The city contains about five hundred houses, and has a popu lation of about four thousand inhabitants. It has considerable commerce in time of peace, and is particularly noted for the ex portation of live stock to the Westindia islands.

Its harbour is considered one of the best in the United States; The city is defended by two forts-Fort Griswold, standing on the east, and Fort Trumbull, on the west side of the river. Newlondon has claims to celebrity, for the military occurrences there during the revolutionary war.

A view of it is rendered the more interesting at the present time, from the circumstance that the squadron, under the command of commodore Decatur, has for several months been lying in its waters.

While this squadron, consisting of the frigates United States and Macedonian, and the sloop of war Hornet, were going out to sea, through the Sound, they were met, on the first of June last, by a British squadron, commanded by commodore Hardy, composed of the Ramilies and Valiant, seventy-fours, and the frigates Acasta and Orpheus, and compelled to return to the port of Newlondon.

VOL. III.

AMERICAN BIOGRAPHY.-FOR THE PORT FOLIO.

LIFE OF LIEUTENANT BURROWS.

THERE are few events more peculiarly calculated to raise the mingled sensations of admiration and sorrow, than the death of a victor in the moment of his glory. When defeat is attended with death, the bereaved mourners have at least one consolation. The grave covers, with its sable pall, the fame of the unfortunate man, and protects his mouldering remains from persecuting envy. He who, while living, might have been doomed to encounter the assaults of detraction and insult, acquires a sort of sanctity from the shadows of the tomb, where even malice does not penetrate. But how interesting is the character which dies in the moment of his fame! Death, which was, in the former instance, a protection, now robs the victor of his glory; and of all mankind, the conqueror himself is the only party cold and insensible to the history of his fame. When every eye sparkles, and every cheek is flushed with delight, when we anticipate the warrior's return with kind greetings and cordial salutations, when we are preparing the laurels, and every social feeling is kindled into action, we find all the rays of his glory are gleaming on the temples of a cold and insensible corpse. Death obtrudes his obnoxious front in the midst of these gay and exhilarating images, and this union presents a chastened feeling, a temperate sobriety of joy.

WILLIAM BURROWS was born at Kenderton, near Philadelphia, on the sixth day of October, in the year 1785. His father, then in possession of a large property, did not wish to confine the genius of his son to any particular pursuit, apprehending that the paternal estate would be amply sufficient to his support in the style and character of a gentleman. Accordingly, at the age of thirteen, a season too early for any decided indications of character to present themselves, his youthful curiosity was left to its own guidance; and he dallied with books as he would with other toys, regarding them rather as matters of amusement than as objects of serious concern. In one respect only did his parent interfere with these pleasures. Knowing how essential to the character of a gentleman it was to become familiar with the living lan

guages, he warmly exhorted his son to turn his attention to these, and in this he but partially succeeded.

To the French, for which the father was more than usually solicitous for his success, knowing how indispensible that accomplishment was, the son, at that time, betrayed an insurmountable reluctance. In the acquisition of the German, which was, with his parent, a secondary object only, Burrows was more successful; and at the age of thirteen he would converse in that language as fluently as in his native tongue.

This may be considered as the broad outline of his early years, so far as regards those pursuits which often have an important bearing in the formation of the future character of the man. Certain traits now began to present themselves that distinguished his future life: a warm, benevolent heart was concealed behind a cold and repulsive exterior, and a cautious guardedness of reserve. On the subject of his own merits he maintained a severe and inflexible silence, while he conversed freely and fluently on the merits of his youthful comrades and associates.

In a boy so amiable, and withal so retiring and reserved, little did his parents believe that the flame of ambition was burning strong and intense. He would be often found musing and solitary, as if in the act of conversing with his own thoughts; but so ignorant was his parent of his predominant passion, that he laboured to arouse him from what he apprehended was lethargy. This passion, guarded by such jealous and scrupulous reserve, at length developed itself by an incident that fortune threw in his way. He had undertaken to learn the art of drawing; but amidst all the instructions of his preceptor in that science, none seemed to arrest the attention of his pupil in that science but the delineation of a ship of war. His constitutional reserve availed him no longer; this incident afforded an outlet to those passions which had so long occupied his musing and solitary hours. With astonishment and regret his father discovered the cause of his contempla tions in retirement, and of that indifference which he discovered to his allotted studies and pursuits. He laboured to give his ambition another turn; but the passion of ocean chivalry was now too deeply rooted, and all his efforts were unavailing. He could now do nothing but to lend his aid towards the gratification of a passion

he was incapable of repressing; and he accordingly seconded his application to the secretary of the navy for an office, and Burrows was appointed a midshipman in November, 1799.

He now eagerly embraced every opportunity to qualify himself for the service, and devoted his hours exclusively to the study of navigation. But the time was too short for him to make the requisite proficiency in such studies. He was speedily summoned to more active duty, for in January, 1800, less than three months after his appointment, he received orders to repair on board the sloop of war Portsmouth, under the command of captain Mac Neil, which was then bound to France. At this time it was with great difficulty that he could be persuaded to wear the uniform of the navy. He said, that he was, as yet, a raw and inexperienced hand, a mere novice in the naval service, and that he had done nothing to entitle himself to such honour. His conception was, that the badges of his country's honour should be worn but by those only who had signalized themselves in her service. He professed an utter contempt for those whose ambition extended to nothing more than a uniform, and was fearful if he adopted it, that his own pretensions would be measured by that standard. Nevertheless, the injunctions were too imperative to be disregarded. This anecdote may be thought incompatible with the gravity of biography; but let it be remembered, that no anecdote which portrays character can possibly be unimportant; and in this we see the indications of a future hero, at a period before he himself was probably conscious of the fact.

The Portsmouth did not return to the United States until December, 1800. Burrows now became sensible of the necessity of becoming better acquainted with his preparatory studies. He applied for a furlough, and devoted himself, with renewed ardour, to the study of navigation. In this short interval allowed him, he was eminently successful; for he had, in his first cruise, amassed much practical skill and knowledge, which he was able to systematize when he became more familiar with the rudiments and elements of his art. This cruise was attended with another benefit: A residence in France had conquered his own antipathy, and convinced him of the necessity of the repeated injunctions of his parent, to become master of that language. He now availed him

self of such opportunities as he had formerly slighted; and, in the end, he was able to converse in that tongue with fluency and grace.

From the year 1800 to 1803, he served on board different ships of war, in cruises some of a long and some of a shorter date, unimportant so far as regards the glory of the navy. This was, notwithstanding, a necessary school, which prepared him for more important services. During these periods, when no occasion was presented for the exercise of the high and heroic qualities, his habits of constitutional reserve were his predominant characteristics. It was a reserve not cold and repulsive. He mingled in all the mirth, conviviality, and good humour of his comrades, and was the delight and charm of their society. Still his heart, in the midst of such indulgences, remained as locked and guarded as ever; and those with whom he associated could boast no more of his confidence than those who were strangers to his company. It at length became a proverb among his associates, that of a person whose character was inscrutable, as little could be known as of the character of Burrows.

In the year 1803 he was ordered to go on board the frigate Constitution, bound to the Mediterranean, commanded by commodore Preble. This gallant officer was allowed to possess an almost intuitive sagacity in the discernment of character. Under this cold and repellent exterior, his penetrating eye discerned higher qualities. He saw in that reserve a character of noble and intrepid daring, which was only waiting a proper season to break forth in all its resplendence. Under these impressions Burrows was appointed an acting lieutenant, in which character he served during the Tripoline war. This period was an important era in our naval service. In proportion to the smallness of the force we employed, the exercise of personal skill and bravery became more indispensible. We have to regret that the particular part acted by lieutenant Burrows in this warfare is not known; but even this deficiency of information forms another trait in the character of this officer. He maintained, on the subject of his personal exploits, a silence the most guarded and pertinacious. He never would condescend to become the herald of his own fafne. While he was just to the merits of his brother officer's,