Literary cadet and Rhode-Island statesman. [volume] (Providence, R.I.) 1827-1829, 1827-09-08

man, we lay before our readers, letter, when
we received from him some two or three weeks
since, end which at the time, we refused to
publish. 1t contains nothing, however, that is
offensive to our feelings, if We except the par
agrapb, which contains something like a
threat, and which at the time Of the receipt of
the Letter, induced us to deny it admission TO
our columns.
To THE EDIroR,
Harper's Ferry, Vir. August IL, 1927.
SIR-When was at the trouble to trans
cribe and correct The Chief of Hazor for the
Literary Cadet, little thought that my labor
would be repaid by such illiberality and injus-
tice as you have bestowed upon me. ! was
fain to believe that my silence regarding your
manifold reprehensions, and the very act Of
contributing to your columns would have sug-
gested the like oblivion to you. When, believ-
ing that you were too frequently inclined TO
sacrifice correctness to effect, showed myself
not reluctant to practice on that admitted be-
lief, was very certain that you would forego
your repeated attempts to injure me, and, for
once, restrict your criticisms to my poem
their only legitimate object. But was mis-
taken; and l erred. Personality, it appears,
interweaves its nightshade with every leaf of
bay; and, in your creed, the man is insepara-
bic from the author. 1t would be vain for me
to expatate on the perfect injustice of such a
course; and, therefore, shall content myself
with stating, very explicitly, that, either from
righteousness or ill-nature from misinforma-
ton or unrefective supposlton, you have ut
tered assertions which are, in detail and in ex-
tent, unfounded and untrue. Do you suppose,
Sir. that any reader of your paper would peruse
my poem with pleasure, after he had remarked
the terms Of your introduction Or, ifthat read
er did not look upon your praises as ironical,
could he admire the genius while he condemned
the character of the man! Your object was
evidently to hold me up as an outrt creature
being of incomprchensibc cross-purposes-a a
reckless wandcrcr a voluntary dler without
honor and without responsibility in any social
or moral relation. Is this the friendship you
professcd for me in a recent letter to Mr.. Bry-
an Is this the illustration OF your free-will
offer to subserve my literary engagements!
From my earliest years my fortunes have
been ungra cious-but poverty is my only crime.
Deliberately have never wronged a fellow
being-for the aspertiss Of my destiny have
net coroded and indurated my heart--nor rem
dered il obtuse to reciprocal Offices OF kind
ness. But it has frequently been my fate to
suffer fe- the derilections Of others-and TO as
sumo the penalty Of offences not my own. The
anxiety, which have ever manifested, and the
ardour and patience, with which have prose-
cuted every engagement it was my lot to OBJ
tain, sufficiently disprove a disposition TO live
life Of ideness and vagabondism. Had you
ever suffered from the villainy of relatives and
the contumely of strangers, you would pause
and think soberly ere you asserted that the
misfortunes. which no human foresight could
avert from my bosom, we're courfed'' by me
and adopted to win sympathy and excite admi,
ration. l contemn sympathy, Sir; demand
Justice. God gave mo a mind-my own exer.
tions gave me an education--and both CON-
bined will give me an honest fame, though some
should commiserate the tenant of cob.
,peb6ed garrett" and others direct the shaft
Of rooted malevolence, under the guise Of ron-
ical wishes of" respeetabiHty," against one,
who was long ago compelled, by domestic
fraud, 10 cast his bread on the wide waters OF
yicissitude.
lbave wandered, not from a love of wan
derng. hut to obtain some permanent employ
ment, Of nature beGtting my expectations. s.--
I have labored by day and by night, and have
lost the reward Of my labor often to the last
item. My engagement as Editor of The Sun,
to which you allude, was but one Of the many
inauspicious contracts, which want of business
has compelled me to conclude. Witnessed
writings were drawn, specifying a certain sala-
ry, to me to be paid by the week, as Editor oi
that periodical. Week followed week without
payment-but still labored on. At last de-
manded my reward-and 10! William McDou-
gal the proprietor, was a bankrupt! (Mr.
James G. Brooks recommended this business
to me, with caution against the man; and he
can attest the resuIt) Can man live like the
calneleon! or, when one business fails, must
he not seek for another, wherever it may be
found!
Ifyou term misfortunes "follies," and ecarch
after the faults OF humanity, to amuse yourself
by caricature, why you are in the broad road
Of pleasure; and every traveller will bid you
"laugh" and be merry. But look upon these
things with a sober eye; trials have not rem
dered me obdurate to the suferings Of others,
nor disposed me to Judge harshly of actions,
whose motives do not understand. 1t is not
true that have wandered from wayward dis
position; persecution, disappointment, and the
hope of permanent settlement in poacc and
prosperity, have caused me to see those places
which many others likewise visit from The same
impulses, without suffering the same gratuitous
reprehension. But. had Iroamcd abroad in the
world merely from rcstlessncss, do not, COM
prehcnd what relation my travels bear to my
poetry, or why the Editor Of literary paper
should discuss the journeyings Of one who is,
at least, independent of his benevolence.
Thus much, Sir, have thought proper to
say Of myself; but am tired Of thus egotsm,
aud will gladly dismiss it, ith this simple re-
mark: If, at any subsequent period, you should
honor me with place in your columns, what
ever may be your judgments, pray you re-
member that hastily adopted misinformation
may lead TO very great pcryersion Of truth; and
hat msfortunes, though they should be accom-
panied by what are deemed eccentricities, are
hot ct subjects for laughter. II the character
Of the man is dcspicablo, his genius is to be
smented; for the msapplication and abuse Of
talents are worse than he'pulings of idiocy.
am, Sir, respectfully,