New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1849-11-16
REVIEWS OF NEW BOOKS.

1t i, rarely that more splendid theme isofsred
10 the biogrspher than the life and character Of
toe eminent person whose history s recorded in
these admirable volumes The peculiar tempers-
ment Of Mr.. Wit which interfered with the az
tsinment Of tie highest objects n "a ambition,
and placed bin IN ? subordinate rank - many
" no were greatly his Interiors 10 harmony, yeria-
fifty and general luz0riance Of native entow-
ments, gave a charm y bis personal Manifesto
tons " hch is attached in q similar degree, 70 the
character Of very few Of our conspicuous public
men. During his lie be was the great object Of
attraction % every circle in which he moved ;
he was loved by all who enjoyed the happiness Of
his friendsLip with depth and fervor that q man
Of less naturaness and Joyous freedom Of spirit
could no. have commanded tad even among
comparative strangers be won an adminog eLtlu-
sissm, Of which few persons, however gifted or
gracious, have ever been the subject.
lite incident 10 illustration Of this. took place
il Boston, during professional visit t. that city,
few years before his death. which M Wiz.
nayely relates in a letter 20 Virgnian friend
In large and proniscuous ssscmbags Of ia3las who
formed TOR several days portion " tne auditory 10
tie Courtroom was struck With The besuty ard m
teigence Of who SAt immt ciseiy before mo she
concerned OccasiODsy with geD,l man nesr her aud
her movements were "a graceful AZ her eyfs were IN
teiligent a few days iterwsrd ] found nlyseH IN
company with her NJ dinner. Her conversation con
hffned and even surpassed my prepDsssfslOns She
reminded me continually Oi NJ VI ID ner best days i-
the same graceful manners the same spirit aud ylqusn
cy in her renrarks Inc last evening spent IN com
pany in Boston was AZ her house she had little CIR
Gle around her, Of which she the sc9l, and the
hours Ge~ on angels wings. When We were ebe " 10
retire ssked her % perni. me 10 take leave ~ her in
our Virginia fashion, by snake Of the hand she
gave her hand with crest ANIMATION u ha1 glove
On When had reached the door she came brskiy 10
me again, saying We did not shake hands IN the
right way Mr. Writ had my glove upon my hand
And che offered the band again ungiOyed, and
snow who and So t,ok it end kissed 1t, with all
the devotion proper 20 hity years. Ny friend q who
accompanied me, who IS about my sge bui win the
disadvantage Of being single man, sad now
madam, you must shake hands with mr. And 1e Of
red T. take the hand which he'd been protered 20 me
Mt that M B.. said she, presenting hin TIE
other with rs glove Is not that NJ NJ over again
and Virgins beside You should have seen the gS!ey'
grace and seusibiity which accompanied the action,
and which throw such a charm over it.
Mr.. Witt was born in Blsdensburg, Of humble
parentage, bu, at an early period Of life gave IN
dications Of the intellectual activity and vigor
which subsequently enabled him 70 alta dis
tinguished emnence in his public and professional
career. Some extracts from an unfinished sutobl-
ogrsphy which he wrote for the amusement Of his
children, are given by Mr.. Kennedy, aud form not
the least interesting portion OF the work Inc
scrupuloua taste Of the author has led HIM to with
hold a considerable part Of this fragment, bat he
W oud have been Justified by every reader IN pre-
senting more copious selections from narrative
90 characteristic of the sunny temper and the
transparent int ect Of its subject. We cannot re-
fran from copying the agreeable idyl Ia which
he describes some recoilections OF his scho9-boy
days in Mary land
From Georgetown / was transferred 10 classical
school Ia Charles County, Nd about forty miles from
Bladensburg Tits schO was kept by one hatch Dent
IN the vestty house Of Newport Church. was board
ed with widow lady by the name OF Love, and my
residence in her family forms one OF the ie" sunny
spots in the retrospect of my childhood Mrs Love
was small thin old lady good deal bent by age yer
brisk and active. The family was composed OF Der ana
three maiden dsughtere, OF whom the eldest suppose
ives verging forty, aud the youngest perhaps wei
Nv .eght She had married and settled IN the
neehborhood The eldest daugh ter was named Nancy
a round plump and jolly old maid, who was the weaver
of the family and used 20 take CREST Zeal OF tnun
Tho second was sally. she presided over the DAIRY
.hich wa. ALWAYS neat aud sweet and sbundauty sup
piled with the richest cream and Outcr. SAy was
somewhcre about thirty, short rosy ana brsK win
counteuance marked by heslth and good hum,r and
win one of the kindes hearts that beat IN the bosom
of her Kind sex She fond OF me, banqutted me
on milk aud cream - my hearts content admired my
songs and Gang herself. From her first heard hosllh
Ca,Ile Her clear and loud voice could MAKE the
neie hborhood vocal with is notes OF touching plant
From her too first heard the name OF Clartsa har
lowe and she gave me Ia her manner, skeleton OF
the story Peggy the Youngest pale and delicate
with more sotucss Of manners than the others she
knitter aud sesmstress OF the household Of
very sweet disposition, with weak ana slender uu'
kindly voice She did not sing herself but was very
fond Of hearing US VITO did. There were two boys Of
us near the same age Johnson Carnes was Rather
older and larger than me lie was a eood dI!IeuH
rather grave boy with better common sense tnan mad
But be did not sing was rather homtly, and had no
mirtb sud frolc in him. on the contrary, was peri
lively aud saucy, aud they used TO say Pray "'h''-
said smart thugs sometimes, aud sang Two or lhiee
songs Of humcr very well One was DICK ot hAhuhg
Dan, I'm which the verse about my father 0lacxsow
was Jest that never grew stale, nor tailed 10 RAISE
hearty laugh Another was description ol race az
New Market between two horses called 0.o'ch alu
Thuuderbot S!oven belonged 70 some Dlke-perhaps
the Duke OF bolton. The Verse ran, ss rememoei-
'wnen So,easaW lie Duss ms master,
BE ..a back BIS safs sni a1 rra f-e- ASKER
Beside my singing danced to the ss.onshmeui OF The
natives snd all gether had the reputation Of geLius
Thus sdvired. battered sud ieasted with milk and
cream Ro,lin astle and Clsrims Harowe, SC. what
more could child OF my age wsnt to make MIN happy
The very negroes used 10 De pleased 70 eOhtou'e -
my Amusement Old Mol carried me - the cowPen
where sue permitted me with clean broad splnt'r'
prepared for the purpose to whip the rch rom from
The nj X ps: aud her con George, alter hard dsy .
horse for me by going all tours IN the green yard
with me mounted upon bis bsckhe going through the
ests o, an msg mary fox hunt sounding tue horn and
esping over imaginary fences gates, &csl Of which
was life and Joy 70 To crown al, had sweet
heart one pretest cneruos that ever As born
The only thing / ever thanked Nancy Love for, was
Swing me the occasion OF becoming acquainted with
this beautiful girl She took me with ner once IN q
visit to her aunt Reeder Mr.. Thomas RssocT lived 81
the banks OF the Poiomsc, iusi above Lsd.owes snd
opuosi,e 70 Hooes Ferry. Ia those days there was
ferry from Reeders 10 HOOes The house was OF
brick situated on q high airy bank giving beautiful
view Of the Potomsc which 10 there four miles wide
Peggy Rt,eder was the only child Of her parents
about my sge rather younger, and as oesuuia as
uis possible for child - De. We ieil mosi exceed
insly il love with each ether she wss accustomed 10
maze long visits to her Love, and no two lovers
however Tomsntic were ever more happy than We
on NV ps-tu wss n serious passion. NJ lover "s
aver more dsconsolate in the absence OF DIS mistress
nor more enraptured At meeting her. 90 not KNOW
whether II is held that toe affections keep pace WIFE
the Intellect in their development but DO kno" tns'
there IS nothing the sentiment 81 happy love- "aieh
aii not experience for that girl n the course 'ne
two years " Den resided a. Mrs Loves. Nhe1 iv,'
there We were rny engaged % be married 81 the io
lowing Esster. felt proud and happy notin the leSs1
doubling the ulhment OF The engagement 81 the '1ne
appointed
We pass over no fascinating description OF NJ
Wits boyhsod snl entrance upon professional