The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1849-10-11
MISCELLANEOUS.


Ksnnedy's Life % Wilt.
From this interesting biography. in two volumes full
Of anecdotes and Of Mr. Ws beautiful letters we shall
have occasion TO make several extracts we commence
with the following letter, extracted from tne close Oh inc
ed volume II was addressed to Progs ana student al
Baltimore II is the longest and almost the latest letter
which appears in the collection
RED SULPHUR SPRISGs, August IS, 1888
NV nr,n srR thank you for your letter Of the nth,
hich has found me al this pace-ihe remotest OF the
mineral waters OF Virginia. IN this direction, that have
any living fame-and wish you were here with me.
vanish before these waters and the mountain air. 1
doubt whether you could do wiser thing, yet, than
10 over in September and spend few weeks among
these springs Il would enable you to lay in stock oil
health for the winters campaign for what is the mems
without the c0YpOre san02
The waters at their best in September and in this
region they tell the month Of October is the hnest OF
the whole yearfar surprising Indian summer, hay
ing all its midness and soness wihou: its enevahg
effects II is my purpose 10 test me ruin OF TINS lePe
sentaon BY remaining somewhere in this region till DC
tober-lhe principal part OF the time, perhaps al the
White Sulphur, though these waters agree with me mar
veousiy well 50 far according 70 e sepo, nG q ,ne
sensible OF great Improvement IN my strength good iee
ings. and appetite
and my pen, and do not find my time at all heavy on my
hands though should certainly find i so at Saratoga
amid such an oppressive throng, such abbe rou as
that must be- Washington Irving to the contrary notwh
standing love these green mountains richly wooded
10 their summts with their poetic breadth OF lights and
shadows at sunrise and sunset; the nch verdure oil me
lawns fields. meadows; the autumnal flowers that are
bursting around the rams; the lightning; and the
thunders reverberating among these mountains, and
rolling their echoes along the valleys These are the
scenes for great thinking petit maire would be out
Of his element here for he cannot think at all much less
think greatly. One cannot be frivolous amid SO much
natural grandeur The mountains would frown Their re-
buke upon him; and the starry armament, sparkling with
such unwonted lustre these cold nights would awe him
into soemnity i they could not raise him to submity
great enjoyment, as well as advantage to your health
Have You ever dipped into the works OF Edmund
Burkea do not think he is properly estimated in our
speeches have much richness and splendor of magma
on that the great Of readers seldom look farther
and know nothing OF the abundance, the greatness and
accuracy of his thinking. have been conyersing with
him in the first volume OF his works. which have found
here, and have been much struck with the powerful grasp
of his mind compared with some other modern writers who
had Just passed through my hands He is indeed mastery
thinker; and commend him to your acquaintance like
his essays better than his speeches. for they are oil
Thought without any ambition Of ornament and show
the great play OF his mental machinery in the naked ma.
jesty OF its strength. Such are the models on which
would wish you 10 form the action of your mind. You
meet your daily view. These are Of them, good
examples Of energy, pushing industry, and unrng per-
severance and SO far highly worthy of imitation.
But when you come to the article of thinking, with
reference 10 professional PREPARATION you must look far
very far, beyond and above them You must take
wider horzon-sweep in larger crclesdraw your argu-
sary in coils Of more anaconda gripe. This pungency
and force OF thnking-this fertility of resource-this
depth, and BREADTH and amplitude of VIEWS to be learn
ed only by studying the greatest master Take up, for
example. Buffers Analogy Of Natural and Revealed Re-
lgion. and study II specimen of thinking and reason
ing Observe how profoundly and widely he surveys bis
subect-how carefully and beautifully he evolves his
gumens and with what resisess cogency he draws his
conclusions.
Bscon's Essay on the Advancement of Science Locke
on the Human Understanding and on Government, and
Of the preliminary chapters Of Hooker on Eccles
asca Poiy are on the same gigantic scale Of thinking
q cSs Ma.Sa belong 70 the
OF intellectual effort, and you ought to become familiar
with them.
In composing, think much more Of your matter than
your manner. To be sure. spirit grace, and dignity Of
manner are OF great importance both the speaker and
wnter bat Of infinitely more importance is the weight
The fashion Of the times is much changed since
Thompson wrote his Seasons" and Hervey his
"Mediatons" II will no longer do TO fill the ear only
with pleasant sounds, the fancy with fine images
The mind. the under standng must be filled with solid
thought The age OF ornament Is overs that OF utility
has succeeded The psgas guam pomgs spa,s = tn the
not with the open hand-wth logic and not with rhetoric
II the rough, abrupt strength Of Webster which has
given him his reputation. This roughness and abrupt.
ness are natural 10 him. but believe il is his policy
rather TO encourage than TO subdue them since any IN
fusion OF soness and grace would conceal that muscu
lariy which 10 his peculiar boast and pride. have
equal strength and greater accuracy in others: but
il has been partly yelled by more graceful and polished
manner, and more creative Imagination. The fashion
oil the age, therefore, calls upon you to cultivate this
great powerful and wide. sweeping habit OF thinking,
and TO for strength and not for beauty As connected
with il and essential 10 IT, you must begin forthwith and
persevere in reasang up all sorts Of useful knowledge
You must be continually awake and alive 10 all that Is
passing around YOU and LEI nothing that be turned
10 account escape your observation. Mr. Jefferson
was only sixteen years OF age when he began TO keep
regular files OF newspapers, and to preserve every pamph
let whether speech dissertation, any public subject,
whether Of politics, arts, science, which issued from
hp 10 MAJ ATARI nj all
passing in his own age in every quarter OF the world
These newspapers and pamphlets he would have assorted
and bound volumes at the end Of the year. TO be
always ready for reference Bu besides these oeaneo,
which | earnestly recommend 10 you. there IL great
field for personal observation which must depend your
own sight and memory, and such minutes as you may
choose make OF them IN your private diary common
place book. Perhaps there is property in which men
srkingy distinguished from each other than IN
the various degrees in which they possess this faculty OF
observation. The great herd OF mankind the ruzes
matt, pass their lives in lisess naenion and in
difference 10 what going around them, being per-
fecty content 10 satisfy the cravings OF nature,
while those who destined to distinction have lynx
eyed vigilance that nothing escape. You see nothing
OF the Paul Pry in them yet they know all that is pass
ing and keep perfect reckoning not only Of every in
have any concern in them. II is this that makes that
large experience which is the great school Of wisdom
This 10 that thorough and wide. extended knowledge OF
mankind for which all the great OF all ages and
countries have been celebrated and without which IL
10 impossible that they should have been great
This IL but meagre sketch OF what you have TO do If
you aspire 10 high niche in the temple Of fane- The
Setile and all the sciences and arts Mr. Jefferson was
lfnaelf living and waking encycloupIia So In Mr.