Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1846-01-21
OF MIR. EDWIN DELEON

delivered before the two Literary Societies OF
the South Carolina College, in December,
1S45 by Edwin DeLeon, Of Savannah,
member of the Euphradian Society" The
subject is, "The position and duties Of Young
America"
Mr.. DeLeon was citizen of South Caro-
lima, quite recently, and removed to Savannah,
. Ga. He is well known as a graceful and
pleasing writer in the literary journals, and is
now contributor to The Southern Quarterly
Review. In the pamphlet before us, he de-
scants upon the duties Of the generation who
are coming, or have just come upoll the stage
of action. He gives rapid sketch of our pro-
gress in literature, science and the arts. He
also gives some notice Of the literature Of other
countries, especially of the cheap publications.
which he condemns unsparingly. We will not
tilt lance with him, about the matter, but
however Objectionable many Of The cheap
books and pamphlets may be, they are perhaps
equally as valuable,as divers heavy tones which
are published daily, and quietly laid ON the
shelf, without being read by any person but
the authors. We are IN favor Of cheap publi
Gallons ourselves, but we desire To see the STAN
dard of all such books published, considerably
elevated. The reading public generally, will
not buy costly works, and it is to the interest Of
publishers, 10 issue cheap ones. Standard
works can be- published in cheap form, and
we would be much pleased to see larger
number of them in circulation. Will not
some of our publishing houses give more par
ticular heed to this matter7 A taste for such
reading, we think, could be created, and the
community would derive thereby, considerable
benefit. 81 e would he pleased 10 make seve-
raj extracts from the Address before u.s. but
can only afford room for the following bio
graphic sketch Of some illustrious scholars of
our State.
Thick and many are the names which
crowd upon me, as orlhv of all praise;
but the Aeeting moments warn me to
be biief, and | Can but pause long
enough. TO pay d passing tribu'e'to the
memories OF three, selected from the
tttt,rur1g ttyumds
Cooper, Henry Iyunius Mott, ard Hugh
IS. Leeare; n,en widely different in
many respects, but similar in broad
philanthropy, and an untirine zeal foI
the honor, the interest, and the inteiec-
tual elevation of South Caloina
81 The first was an eminentIy practical
man; a thorough utiliiarian; valuing
what he considered the useful, far above
the beautiful a man who would have d
reason for every thing an earnest and
sincere disciple of the. school of Ben
than and of Mathus; school which
has had its day; based, as We now be-
lieve, upon narrow views of human life,
yet numbering amongns adherenls many
| oil the most powerful and cultivated in
ftellects of thai period /; bul among them
all. it would have been hard to fin: more
var;ed, extensive and ready knowledge,
than that contained in the capaci"us
| o. AIN OI SoOPCts
OF his religious hcresies | do not
speak ;ssave TO remark, thai whatever
varying opinions may be formed upon
thai subject, lhrre can be but ohs AS to
lIr purify eff his life, ihe extent Of his
requirements, and the unboundsd phi
ianthropy Of his heart, whose kindly
pulsatiuns' ever beat in unison with be-
nevolence and charity, until stilled in
death Peace be with his as'les. Will
fully, he wronged no man; il he did
evil, (as some brlieve,) ii was because
he conscientously believed it to be ad-
vaucing III" cause OF truth sand those
| in whose hearts the bitterness Of former
controversies may still ling"r, shouldre-
member, that though it is human to err,
i, is divine to 70 give; and concede to
mis- memory the praise of having been
one of The earliest and most Jealous pi-
onccrs of science and literature in his
adopted State.
OF Henry Junius Mott, what CAN I
say that you have not already anticipa,
led me in ? for many Of you art. familiar
with his, worth and his usefulness. As IA
Belle Letters scholar, he had few equals
and no superior; possessing, too, The
rarer faculty of impar,ing 10 his class
the same love OF literature which ami.
mated his own mind land the most plea
sant memories / retain of my collegiate
career, are connected with the hours
spent in his lecture room. listening with
rapl attention to the gushing flow of hu-
NOR, wit and knowledgr, which poured
with melodious tlurncy from lips on
which, in infancy, :he Attic be might.
havefound fit resting place.
9 Nor is his absence more to bo de-
! plored as a scholar than as man; he
was aliving example TO the youth un,
der his charge, OF all the qualities which
constitute The perfect gentleman: for his
! manner was. always marked BY that IIr.