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

BISHOP NEANBER--sINGuL hNEc
DOTES OF HIS ABsENCE OF MIND.
What educated American has no, heard OF this
celebrated divine and schoiarl Wha, 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
VINO the speaker was to be. Precisely at the
hour, in stepped small, meagre and very dark
man, dressed in brown frock coat reaching
nearly 10 his heels, and bis thick, coarse, black
hair standing end il he had Just been started
out OF bed tie stepped forward without look.
ing TO the right or left, the small platform sur
mounted BY a desk which serves as the speakers
stand.
Here be elevated the mo.eable upper part of
the desk until 1t Was as high as his shoulders and
putting his left arm uion the corner, commenced
speaking, his head disappearing entirely from
view. From where ! sat could see nothing of
him except the left elbow above the desk. and,
at regular intervals, his coat 81 rts as he rocked
the high desk back and forth. Beng determined
that this oddity should not escape me by taking
TO cover in such an original way. left my seat
and took one at the right Of the lecturer aud very
near him, A most extraordinary sight was now
presented to me. Neander wes standing OH his
right leg, his lett one twisted around il in sim
guiar way and leaning at an angle of about thirty
degrees, with his leit arm on the corner OF the
desk. In his left hand he held quill, which he
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 TO be near him at the Dome Church; while
was look ing on him with pity. my thoughts re-
vertlDg TO Milton. Belisarus and other great men
who had lived in darkness, a strange preacher
mounted the pulpit. At the sound ol his voice
Neander opened most brilliant pair of rattish
little eyes, gazed on the preacher moment, and
closed them again. Though | have seen him
twenty times since, at lectures, Church, and at
University celebrations, have not seen again the
radent lustre of those dimnutive orbs. Indeed,
friend at my elbow tells me that his sight is
very weak, and that there is danger Of his becom-
ing totally blind. Athis 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 sinewy form, and let me aid, the same clear
ness and depth OF thought and elevation Of sent-
ment
Bishop Neauder is OF Jewish descent, which is
testified by bis black hair, dark complexion and
tough, compact build. He was converted at an
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 oft, and
was obliged to give il up. Perhaps this want OF
success had something to do with his subsequent
almost exclusive devotion to Church literature
and history II ltappears that he has always been
eccentric in all his WAYS. In the management Of
the ordinary affairs oflIe he is not Of remark able
force. as they are8ithont interest to him. To
beggar he gives 1.-THE money he has in his pock-
ct, even If it be the monthly salary which has
Just been thrust into his hand by the treasurer OF
the University. He has been known to give
away his coat TO some coatless mendicant, while
on his way 10 an evening party, and shortly alter
to make his appearance there in a brown study
and quite unconscious ofhis deshabi!le. His sis
ter, with whom he lives, for he has never thought
Of getting married, takes excellent care OF him
and keeps him, as much as she can, from exhibi-
ting his absence of mind to the public. But, spite
her directions, he will walk around by his old
home when he goes to the University, though It
is quarter of q mile out OF the way. Eut he
was so long accustomed 10 the old road that in
his abstrac'ed state he naturally takes it. One
morning he complained to his sister ofbeing very
lame, and that he had iinpea all the way from the
University. Still, he said, he felt no pain, and
gould not remember having burt himself The
doctor was called and examined the limb but
found no sign ofinjury.
The mystery was not explained until next day,
when the doctor learned that his patient had
limped because he had walked home with one
foot in the street and the other on the curb stone
Of the pavement. The following, however, is
! another instance Neander's careful sister had
taken away his old unmentonables from his chair,
one night alter he had retired to bed, and placed
new pair on the table close by. When he rose
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 II Is that
he m,de his appearance at the lecture room IN ii's
long lock coat and high topped boots, and other