Iowa capitol reporter. [volume] (Iowa City, Iowa) 1841-1855, 1854-08-16

This bri liant but erratc child OF song has
thrown by his harp, and gloomi'y retired Tor
ever from the gay haunts of The Muses. IL
may be that his voice Is not missed Ny the
busy world, nor has absence fe't by many OF
the passionate throng that stili wander through
the groves and drink oi the crystal waters OF
Helicon-but there are those. "ht audience.
though few. whose hearts have been shadow.
ed by his silence, and In whose ibncrmost
spirits his peerless utterances are treasured
and enshriaed, like things Of beauty. Alas!
that oblivi on and fame, Nat cold indifference
and admitting love. should have equal charms
for him. Coeridgc, in his own beautiful epi
tapa, speaks ,ouchiRgly Of himself as having
found death in life;" aud such has almost lit
era ty been the dark fate Of Pcrcival. Tho voice
Of praise or blame now falls. and has long fal-
len, as unavai)ingly upon his bright though
shrouded spirit, as upon The dull ear OF death.
Self immurcd jn a room OF the hospital in
the ektremc suburbs of New Haven--a city %!
which poet should be propd-this gifted aud
eccentric being lives as he has lived for the
last quarter of u century, purely solitary and
ascct'c life He is wholly absorbed in incl
lectual pursuits. and shrinks wi h n painful
scrsitiveucss from all the luxnries and ameni.
ties of life. No Eastern anchorite ever abjurcd
more completely the comforts and refncncuts
Of elegant rank for the blank priSatons of his
c.il-Do s,oried rscluse ever more voluntarily
renounced abr,lliant career Of usefulness a nd
fame. for the lonely yigils of a hermitage. In
this ISOLATE Labilalion, rejoicing it is said, in
hu, single chair he has surrounded himself
with a mdynifcctt library ard philosophical
apparatus from which TREND and IA. are alike
I exc uded, and in whiei. h.sgs sl.ad to All be-
side, he seeks and finds tie so)acc aud the
charms OF intellect.
A confirmed misanihropc aud misogy aist, he
: is almost a. great a stranger and riddle TO
his fellow townsmc as to the world at large.
! Indeed they never think of him. save when
some distant pilgrim, caplvated by the far
reaching sp'endour Of his genius, inquiries with
en,husias,n for the home oi Percival' So true
is it that "a prophet isnnt without lame except
in his own county The habits OF Perciva'
are. Of course peculiar. He is very rarely seen
in the strcets--is occasionally caught fitting
| from alcove to a'cove IN the dim light Of the
| sta'ely libraries of fale--and not unfreqnently
may he seen hover'ng near The dusky manu-.
factories and machine shops OF the city, like
| some voracious ghQul prcy,ng upon tho Souls
of steam. engines, aud gloaing over the ".
bits of intellect c'ine,ng to mi shafts ana
! spinning jenncs. When IN the mood. he
gracefully descends from his horse OF The
| night" aud uniolds to The artisan aud humble
workmen the secret principles OF The gigantic
instr,lsrcn's they practically direct. 'n'nute.y
describes their origin and progressive improve
,nept, explains their intimate connection with,
human @eliaEe ana development, and l'its up
the curtan generally tre@ the great mystery OF
modern industry, with clearness and torce OF
thought, afa'oil,ar'ty aud apios''eness OF Illus
ration, aud simplicity aud beaniy OF language.
altogether enchanting. Alb there are hun
dreds in the clustered studies and pa atial
draw ing rooms within the rosr OF this mach'-