New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1851-02-12

study, were turning him into a mere copying ma
chine He longed for more earnest and conSenlal
intercourse than could be sustained with bis COM
panions amidst the excitements OF business. Nor
did he feel conscious that he possessed the love Of
money making which is the pre- requisite OF worldly
success His eyes gradually opened to the troe
/ character Of competitive commerce. This hlled
/ him first with dismsy then with disgust. For
time he became a complete cynic The spectacle
Of hollow, conventional customs the pride of the
opulent and the cringing concessions Of the needy,
with the fawning attery that courtesies
OF Questionable life awakened in his heart feeling
OF sad contempt. He grew plain and blunt in his
speech careless in bis dress, utterly neglecttul OF
etiquette, reserved, almost morose in manner
and solitary in his ways.
! This was not all. His mind was aroused, even
to morbid scuteness, by the stern problems OF nu'
ian destiny. He began to question the traditions
/ in which he had been educated. The foundation
of his spontaneous belief was shaken. In this
mood he read all the philosophers, Christian or
Infdel. whose writings he could obtain. No
! where did he End more cordial solace than in
the poems of Shelley. The vague yesrnings Of
| that beautiful spirit, bis loving communion with
nature, bis prophetic hope, and the rare union OF
incorporating justice and feminine tenderness
| which marked his character, called forth the
| deepest sympathy and admiration, in the breast
of the Youthful skeptc while in the indefnitive-
ness of shelley's creed, he found the counterpart
of his own. But this was state OF transition.
His soul craved more solid resting place than he
had yet found At this stage Of his experience,
be read the philosophical essays OF Coeridge. The
Friend" and still more the aids to Reflection"
opened to him glimpses Of new world. Butthe
storm driven wanderer had not yet arrived at a
quiet haven.
During this period, his father made arrange
ments in the Winter Of 1880 to dispatch James on
a business mission fret to England aud thence
TO the West Indies. II was thought that this
course might break off his morbid trains OF Feeling
and rouse his powers to more healthy action.
Returning home in the Summer of 1881, he In
formed his friends Of bis determination to abandon
forever the mercantile profession. Soon after he
resolved to try his fortune in the great valley of
the West and with that intention, he arrived In
Cincinnati in February, 1882.
While making arrangements for the selection
of a farm, as he proposed to devote himself to
agricultural pursuits, he was invited to spend the
interval at the office Of his friend, Judge Walker,
who had then Just commenced the professional
career which he has ssce followed with eminent
distinction. With no design Of engaging IN the
study of the law, Mr.. Perkins was tempted to take
mn the books around him, and soon became deeply
| ;ntsrested in tracing out the symmetrical science
of jurisprudence, which pervades the whole circle
of social relations. This circumstance, in connec-
ton with the advice of Judge Walker and the
magnetism of the young friends whom he met at
the Office, induced him to take up the study OF
law in earnest, with view to making it his future
profession.
The charms of the cordial and intelligent soci
ETY. of Cincinnati, moreover, had powerful inau
ence over his susceptible mind, and led him to
great coptentment with the fortune that had so
unexpectedly made 1t his place of residence. The
genial atmosphere of the Queen City, according
to bis biographer presented a delightful contrast
TO the frigid and artificial tone Of Boston Society
I'm place of fashionable coldness aristocratic
hauteur, purse pride, ostentation, reserve, non
committalism the tyranny of cliques and the fear
of leaders he found himself moving among n
pleasant company of hospitable, easy, confdng,
plain spoken cheerful friends, gathered from all
parts Of the Union, and oosed at, once by choice
and promiscuous intercourse from trammes Of
bgotry and conventional prejudice. He breathed
for once freely, and felt with joy the blood flowing
quick aud warm throughout his spiritual frame.
He caught too, the buoy ant hOpefulness that ami
| mates Young vigorous, and growing community,
and mingled deghtedly with groups of high
hearted, enterprising men, just entering upon new
careers, and impelled by the hope Of generous
service in literary, professional, or commercial
life"
Mr.. Perkins was admitted to the bar in the
Spring of 1884, and early in the following Winter
was married TO a lady, whose tastes and character
were in admirable contrast to his own, thus fur
nishipg the basis for q rare intellectual harmony
which proved an unfsling spring of happiness and
Improvement during bis subsequent life. His
commencement in the practice Of the law revealed
abieh order of legal talent, and augured the most
brilliant professional success. Bot he remained
! only q short time in the harness OF jurisprudence.
He found the practice Of law entirely different
from the pure and delightful excitement Of the
study. and soon abandoned it in utter disgust
His reasons for this step were the bad effects of
sedentary lie on mis- nealtD' tne depressing IN
tellectual influence of the drudgery OF the profess
sion, and his repugnance to the common standard
of morality prevailing at the bar.
He now applied himself with great energy to
the uncertain profession Of literature, engaging
largely in editorial labOrs, and frequently con-
tributiDg to several important periodicals. At
subsequent period he commenced his devoted
labors a. Minister to the Poor in Cincinnati, and
from that time till his death his position made him
a center of charitable action in that city. He
s,erxara becams Pastor Of the Unitarian Church
| If FL