Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1854-10-24
LITERARY PORTRAITS.

ALEXANDER sAlTH-TlE SQt1ST-EfED POET.
I'm glad You huvc applied TO me for dagucrreo-
type Of Alexander Smith, because | love him well
enough 10 say at once that worthy dHgucrreOypc
of him is possible. Even portrait could not be de-
pended upon II II came from the hand Of compare
tive stranger. mere accurate description OF features
would do him singular injustice and anything more
than such sheer statistics is from his Scottish reserve,
impossible from any one with whom he il not init
natr To chronicle short, dark curly hnr, forehead
unusually wide hut not very high blue eyes, some
what brown complexion, short upper lip, and
mouth of regular dimensions, ms sht suggest m Anti
nous. To quality this idea by rcnarlng that the
mouth and chin, though Of classic size, are by 10
beautiful i'll shape, and that the eyes en-
change the office ut nokug straight lin other words
that he is squint-cyedl, would leave an image equally
unjust; and Yet this is all that the acquaintance
could say "f him. would therefore rather You get
notion of him rs ne appears 10 me, than give YOU any
thing which the common observer would be likely to
recognize. Imagine young man about hve-Hnd-
twenty of brnad and strongly built figure, approach
np with q uunging, thoug ghttul step. The face that
might not have attracted you in the street brightcns
- we meet into very sunshine. He SITS down, and
during talk he beams first one and then the other
Of those blue clear ls4lnt living eyes upon me, each
Of which in turn take up the conversations with
force all the greater for lis interval OF rest and In
shine, while emplnycd with the combined light OF
both. Indeed, this SGIcriuty "f life Is so curious
that one lnncics moving Mr"rd 'n'uhdrSt"cr m IN"
fyc, like that active combustion which you may see
u
telescope You seem to have seen in star. Over the
whole face there passes many and as delicate hucs
of meaning lights and shades over cornficld or
tnts upon breezy sea. And then would not change
the trans-gurcd cUunteunce for the physical pcrtec-
ton of the. most classic Apollo. With mc he speaks
freely aud length; but in ordinary society he has
little conv ersation. With friends strangers, how
ever, his manners alike quiet and simple; and few
things have been better testimony Ia his innute ex-
ccencc than the outward equaniinity with which he
l,n- Ia rUtiuri lir -
respect with which he suddenly found himself Ill dl-
col castles and in the brilliant saloons OF MI Edinburgh
senson. His private life is in keeping with these evil
dcuces of superiority. Tie conclusions which GER
tain critics have drawn from orcr-colorcd pas
saGes in his writings strangely inconsistent with
the purity of his conduct tue chastity OF his speech
the rnncsS with which he has maintained ms water
drinking iu face Of the banter ol Edinburgh dinner
tables, and the larger development of the religious
element in his mind, element, which, Us | could
show YOU by interesting auecdotes Was one OF It's
earliest characteristics But for the sacrcdncss which
sanctuares good deeds could give such tucs OF his
youth ani manhood, go far prove that III the re-
iat!ons vi brother and friend, he hus been scarce
ly less eminent than in that more brilliant character
which the world has already recognized.
GEORGE GILrILLAS.
OF the personal appearance of Apollodorus It Ii
difficult TO give an adequate description. we saw nun
but once, aud shall forget the exrteu euefe!
with which his voice sunk 10 tre!Tlno"s oooI'' H'!
il il dd remind of the glorious caIencs oi
CHRISTOPHER North suggested at enst the Idea tat tue
sneaker wn. conscious that it should; he spoke OF
"Carlyles burning throne "a already totterins to
il. fu" and pictured the ship Of Christianity as RI
ding p-rilously Through sea "i storms. lne hrst
look m i, Cf,cn the c,sa docs not suggest the ldaa-
,b;. i, unn %! genius. vulgar tiush 1--WE know
other sr,at men TO whom this appiesl suffusng the
uo to The roo.s ot what HOgR calls the gold
eli hair, d.apponts the spectator who had expected
to 500 the pale and h.sssu features OF the laborous