Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1848-11-17
From Hunts Merchants Magazine for November.
TRIALS AND TRlUMPHS OF AMERICAN
GENIUS IN ENGLAND.


addressed to distinguished gentleman in this
country, chapter of autobiography, with like
interest for like those narratives, it not only
describes the trials, but is written, also, with
the energetic pen of Genius.
The writer is Mr. j. R. Remington, a Young
man, Virginian by birth. After residing for
while in Alabama, few years since he
went to Washington, and exhibited there the
models and drawings of several ingenious and
Gas they have since proved) valuable mechan-
lcal inventions of his own. AT Washington
he made little Roadway. One OF his inven-
tons was a bridge, constructed on novel
principle, or rather principle newly, and by
which bridges of timber of great length can be
| thrown across rivers and wide railroad cuts
without intermediate support. People looked
and admired; but somehow, although they saw
much that was strictly original, they could not
| see how the cOntrlvances were 10 be made
practically useful. Fulton's first steamboat
drew crowds of such admirers around it when
| it was on the stocks.
Mr.. Remington was not discouraged.
He went to England, arriving in London
early in January, 1S47. He went, to use his
striking language, in sc search of a man :" like
the old philosopher, he sought but for one
mind capable of sympathetic appreciation
He carried with him his plans, teeming brain,
letter of introduction, and an empty purse.
The story of Mr.. Remington's success has
been told by the lips of others, as was meet :;
we leave it TO himself to describe his struggi es
and probation. His letter would be marred by
any any attempt on our part to add or am
plify:
| STAFFORD, ENGLAND, Aug. IS, 1848.
| My DEAR SIR:-I should have written soon
er but that had nothing pleasant to say |
reached London on the first of January, l847,
without money or friends, which was Just the
thing desired when left America, and lust
the thing, assure you, shall never desire a.
gain. commenced operations at once on the
supposltion that, in this overgrown city,
would at least enlist one man. But English.
men are not Americans. An Englishman will
advance any amount on an absolute certainty
but not one penny where there is the slightes
risk, if he got the whole world BY it. Ispen
the first five months looking for this man will
unparalleled perseverance and industry, livine
for less than three pence per dav. am con
Vlnced that few persons in London know 81
much of that incomprebensibIy large city a.
myself. But alas, my wardrobe was gone t.
supply me with wretchediy baked corn bread
on which | lived entirely. | slept on straw
for which | paid a half penny per night.
became ragged and filthy, and could no longe
go among men of business. Up to this tim
my spirits never sunk, nor did they then; bu
my sutterings were great. My limbs dstor
led by rheumatism, induced by cold and ex
posure-my face and head sweIIed TO most
unnatural size with cold and toohache, and
those who slept in the same horrId den as my
self were wretched street beggars, the very
cleanest of them literally alive with all man
ner of creeping things. But was no beggar
never begged, nor ever asked favor of any
man since | came to England. Ask George
Bancroft, who called upon two or three times
, if ever asked the slightest favor, or even pre-
, sumed upon the letter you gave me 10 him.
did write him note, asking him TO come ant
witness the triumph of opening the bridge a
the Gardens, and delivered the note at his owl
, house myself; and although Prince ALDER
came never got even reply to my note.
Bancroft had come, and been the man to have
recognized me in my rags as | was, it would
have saved me much subsequent suffering.
will not believe that Bancroft ever saw M
note. for his department to me was ever kind
The succeeding three months after the frs
; five. | will not detail, up 10 the time com
b I b,,,I Itl,o