The Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Scott Co., Iowa) 1841-185?, 1850-05-30
BISHOP NEANDER--sIyGuLAR ANrc

| > LIZ y
DoTES OF HIS ABSENCE OF MIND.
| What educated American has no, heard of this
celebrated divine and scholar, What lover OF
herman literature has not passed many pleasant
hour over the pages made immortal by the i'm
press OF his genius? have been several times
at his lectures, the first time without knowing
who the speaker was to be. Precisely al the
hour, in stepped a small, meagre and very dark
man, dressed in brown frock coat reaching
nearly TO his heels, and his thick, coarse, blac k
hair standing end fhe had just been star ted
out OF bed. lie stepped forward without look
ing to the right left, to the small platform sur
mounted by desk which serves as the speakers
stand.
| Here he elevated the movable upper part of
the desk until it was as high as his shoulders, and
putting his left arm uron the corner. commenced
| speaking, his head disappearing entirely IRON
| view. From where sat ! could see nothing Of
him except the left elbow above the desk. and,
at regular intervals, bis coat SIS irts as he rocked
the high desk back and forth. Being determined
that this oddly should not escape me by taking
TO cover in such an original way. l left my seat
and took one at the right ofthe lecturer and very
| near him. A most extraordinary sight was now
| presented to me. Neander Vas standing OH his
right leg, his left one twisted around it in sin
gular way and leaning at an angle ofahout thirty
degrees, with his left arm on the corner Of the
ueok. III MS itit udHu lie HeEi gum, WHICH
was twisting round and round with his right.
His eyes were closely shut. From that moment
| was certain that he was blind. and was not un.
deceived until the next sunday, when happen.
ed 10 be near him at the Dome Church while |
| was ing on him with pity. my thoughts re-
verting TO Milton, Belisarius and other great men
who had lived in darkness, strange preacher
mounted the pulpit AT the sound oil his voice
Neander opened most brilliant pair OF rattish
iifflo avoc cd on ia ckor mi
closed them again. Though l have seen him
| twenty times since. at lectures, Church, and al
University celebrations, have not seen again the
| fadient lustre of those dimnutive orbs. Indeed,
| friend at my elbow tells me that his sight is
very weak, and that there is danger ofhis becom-
ing totally blind. At his lecture it is ever the
same thing-the same reclining posture, the same
twisting OF the quill and rocking Of the desk on
two legs, the same tight shutting OF the eyes, the
same long coat, world too wide for his meagre
and snewy form, and let me aid, the same clear
ness and depth OF thought and elevation Of senti-
ment.
| Bishop Neauder is OF Jewish descent, which is
testified by his black hair, dark complexion and
tough, compact build. He was converted at All
| early age AT the close Of the theological course
OF his studies he was admitted TO preach his trial
sermon, but broke down in the middle OF II, and
was obliged to give it up. Perhaps this want Of
success had something to do with his subsequent
almost exclusive devotion to Church literature
and history. It appears that he has always been
eccentric in all his ways. Ia the management Of
the ordinary affairs Of lie he is not OF remarkable
force, as they are4 ithout interest to him. To a
beggar he gives alfthe money he has in his peck
ct, even If it be the monthly salary which has
| Just been thrust into his hand by the treasurer OIL
the University. He has been known to give
away his coat 10 some coat!ess mendcant, while
on his way TO an evening party, and shortly al.eI
to make his appearance there in brown study
and quite unconscious OF his deshabiie. His sis.
ter, with whom he lives, for he has never thought
Of getting married, takes excellent care OF hin
and keeps him, as much as she can, from exhibit
ting his absence of mind to the public. But, spite
other directions, he will walk around by his ole
home when he goes tothe University, though !
is quarter ofa mile out OF the way. Tut ~
was so long accustomed 10 the old road that IL
his distracted state he naturally takes it. ON
morning he complained to his sister of being very
lame, and that he had limpea al! the way from TIL
University. Still, he said, he felt no pain, ant
could not remember having hurt himself 1h'
doctor was called and examined the limb bu
found no sign ofiniury.
The mystery was not explained until next day
when The doctor learned that his patient had
llnped because he had walked homo with on,
foot 10 the street ana the other on the curb stone
of the pavement. The following, however, is
another instance. Neanders careful sister ha,
taken away his old unmentonables from his chair
one night, alter he had retired to bed, and place,
new pair on the table close by. When he ros'
early in the morning to GO to his seven O'CLOCK
lecture, he either did not see them or supposed
them to belong to somebody else certain 1t is tina
he made his appearance at the lecture room in hi.
long irock coat and high topped boots, and other