Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1853-04-29
MI. Prescott's Mode of Writing.

1t may not be generally known that Mr. Prescott
the historian, is deprived of the of his eyes and
that in his extensive researches into the sources
history well in the preparation of his manu-.
script he is obliged to resort to an artificial process
which he thus describes in a letter 10 Mr. Putnam
AS you desire, I send you specimen OF my auto.
graph. 1t is in the concluding page of one Of the
chapters of the Conquest, of Peru book 8, chaps
The writing is not, as you imagine, made by pencil
but is indelible, being made with apparatus used
by the blind. This is very simple affair, consisting
of frame OF the size of common sheet of letter pa
per- with brass wires inserted IN it 10 correspond with
the number of lines wanted On side of this frame
is pasted leaf of thin carbonated paper, such as is
used TO obtain duplicates. Instead OF pen, the wr.
ter makes use of stylus, of livery or agate, the last
better or harder The great difficulties in the wayo
a blind mans writing in the usual manner, arise from
his not knowing when the ink is exhausted in his pen
and when his lines run into one another. Both dd.
hcultles are obvated by the simple writing case which
enables TO do his work well in the dark as
the light Though my trouble is not blindness bua
disorder of the of the eye, the effect, so far
this is concerned is the same, and am wholly inca.
pacltated for writing in the ordinary way In this
manner have written every word ofmy hstoricaIs.
=" This modus operandi exposes one 10 some embar-
easements for one cannot see what he is doing on
the other side of the paper any more than the pefo'
mer in tread mill can what he is grinding on the
other side of the WALL it becomes very difficult to make
any corrections This requires the subject 10 be pref
ty thoroughly canvassed in the mind, and all the bolts
and erasures 10 be made there before taking up the
pen stylus. This compels TO 60 my COM
| position 10 the extent of a whole chapter, however
long it may be, several times in my mind before SIT
ting down TO my desk When there the work becomes
one of memory rather than of creation, and the writ
ing is apt 10 run off gbIy enough.
letter which received some years since from me
French historian, Thierry, who is totally bind urged
me by all means TO cultivate the habit of dIctan0n,
which be has resorted and James, The novelist, WIZ
has also adopted his habits finds it favorable 10 ID
cllty of composition. have too long been accus'onn
ell to my own way TO change and, to say the Uan'
| never dictated sentence in my life Tor puofcaDu.
without lis falling fiat my ear that tell aH a
ashamed TO send it TO the press. suppose II IS 0aDI
One thing may add: My manuscripts usually 100
iIlegible Il lave sent you favorable specImcW w.
the press, and it is always fairly copied BY amanue"
SOS before it is consg ned to the printer nave "
companed the autograph with those expIan.aaio ar,
which are at your service, if you think they VIII "s'.
interest tor your readers My modus 0perona' "aJ -
the merit Of novelty at least | have never hea'u y
any history monger who has adopted II beslaeS ~
SELF
! A Toe KILLED TO BE SOLD AS MUrroN-n,lHssUwr
String, butcher in Cincinnati was arreS1ea S.as,
days ago, the charge of killing dog ara az tbe
ing it after the fashion of dressing mutton !" dor
purpose of Offering it for sale in market iHo Va
regularly dressed scored and prepared for maFs snd
was found suspended in his slaughter-nOust that
two witnesses testified before the police cOu' .onkr
{ they had known the prisoner to purchase ~ for
calf three days old and offer its meat in MAJ Angd
sale, and also diseased hogs The prisoner @J
that he killed the dog to procure its tat lo him to
al purposes. The court however, Sentenc.eu rosrkt
pay fine of $50 and costs, to forfeit HIS onhs
STALL and not to appear in market tor s'A INV ,or
NORTHERN ROUTE TO THE PACIFIC.-h, , go
tod hu tha legislature OF MIN, Il
which has for its object the construction OF =, bg
from some convenient point on lake St. CToM ,otts
St Crox river, thence to the town OF 81 !aa' ,bs
Falls of St. Anthony, the Mississippi r sal ts>
across said river to the western boundary % arneir
ritory at such point may be deemed "0 poJ Rifsr
emf by the company, with branch o. Tue Rrer
of the North, and also ronte to 81 Ia"e b RocSy
deemed advisable 1t is Designed to cross ~" Ofbe
, Mountains at the point wheEe she he@d hawai-
, Columbia running southwest, and the oasN" and pto.
running southeast, stand In close proXfs meet the
. ceedng in the same general course u VIII the enGN
: Pacific ut Puge,'s Sound. By this rou'e afoG.
length, from Chicago TO the Pacific IS eslll% already
e " 1873 miles, and portion OF this
: provided for and under contract by one- = Ho
b LOST PLAY.-lt is an authentic aneca0'r .,naUe
s garth that he was won't 10 make sef hn"tad a. 90
) sketches on his thumb natl, to De e"9o h pracGc
S after trae certain dfanalist follower w nace ~
H. ,,o,ld write nlot in the sane hmlied 1rana
= Short hand He was. once consH!te on ready ar
;, by manager 81 have it, exclaimed 'n' nnon hR
Isl list; and he Immediately marked me pn reply Ta
!. thumb nail Weeks passed over, puO ,ho auhor-
!, presented The manager waited on - conrse yOl
f Now, about the piece It's done bo sure TepHss
e took it on Your thumb nail, 80 SINE but, :
i the author and there il was Tor So"' unfortunately
81 i'll luck would have II, one mo''''e
washed my hands =