New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1856-08-22

Coekburn, in his Notabilities Of Scotland fifty
years ago, sketches this celebrated personage as
follows: s5 sB:s5 M:
Another uminary, which for several years had been
attracting notice. was now fixed our Scottish sky
$---I mean Thomas Chalmers I have known him
long and pretty well There can scarcely be more
curious man. When first became acquainted with
him, he used to leave his parish at BiImany twice
thrice week to lecture in St. Andrews on chemistry
And not confning himself to physical science, lie
stored his mind during this first stage of his course
bya general study of the principles of moral and
political philosophy In this position Of an inilfar-
ent mnister and lecturer rather ardent than exact
he produced a strong impression Of his energy and
ability on all who were within his range. 5Butit was
only on being elevated by the deep religious feelings
which afterwards took possession of him, that his pow
ers were developed in their full force. From that mo-
ment he was new creature; and devoted himself as
if with new faculties to the moral and religious inn
proyement of his countrymen. The high station which
he soon attained wakened his ambition, and has Dig
nihed his powers. OF the result in SO far as it is
contained in constant and copious stream Of pub
lshed composition and Of public exertion, any one
can judge But eloquence records its character fully
He is awkward, ,and has low, rough, husky voice. a
gutte1al articulation whtish eye and large, dingy
countenance In point Of mere feature it would not
be difficult to think him ugly But he is saved from
this, and made interesting and oveabe, by singular
modesty, kindness and simplicity of manner, astrong
expression OF calm thought and benevoence, fore
head so broad that it seems to proclaim itself the seat
of great intellect, love of hunlor, and ndescriba
BILE look of drollery when anything lndicrous comes
over him. s.3z5 zf$5 ~ sss.
figure, voice, gesture, and look and an Unusual plain
ness of Scotch accent he is great orator. for effect
indeed, at the moment Of speaking, unapproached in
our day. Yet he seldom utters an extemporaneous
word His habit is to have every thing written, to
the very letter. The success of the very few attempts
at unprepared speaking which he has ever been obg-
ed to make, removes all doubt of his powers, if he
had chosen to practise it, But it is not his way. He
in
the public the mere recitation. But then he premed
tates and composes with an exact anticipation Of his
speaking position and neither in recollecting nor in
reading, could any one acquainted with his system
discover that his memory his eye particularly
engaged and he does truly glow with the warmth Of
| present conception
Still, the habit impairs his power Of reply. But it
does not impair his general fnpressVeness On the
contrary, by withdrawing him from temptations of
personality and the little tricks and idle flashes of
what is commonly called debate, it leaves him freeE
for his own loftier into which he rarely fails
put utvews and statements which, in truth, though not
in for are answers to all that can be said on the op-
poste side. But neither devotional fervor, nor en-,
llghtened philosophy, nor vivid language nor lumi
nous exposition could produce the effect he does
without the aid of his manner. 55zk E=s=szztz
I have often hung upon his words with a beating
heart and fearful eye, without being brought to my
senses till read the next day heSery sgllabes that
had moved me to such admiration, but which then
/ seemed cold The magic lies in the concentrated in
tensity which agitates every fibre of the man, and
brings out his meaning by words and emphasis of sig
ncant force, and rolls his magnificent periods clearly
and irresistibly along and kindes the whole compo
ton with fire. He no sooner approaches the edge
Of his high region, than his animation makes the
commencing aWkwardness be forgotten, and then con
verts his external defects into positive advantages
by showing the intellectual power that overtomes
tiem and getting at last within the flames of his
enthusiasm, Jefreys description, that :. he buried
his adversaries under the fragments of burning
tains is the only image that suggests an idea of hi
eloquent imagination and terrible energy Personally
he appears to to be simple, afeetionate and true
aey1,ee 70 se, IS as mns ahspoad
and energy of his system for the management OF TIL
poor, that wrote an article in explanation and de
Il fence of it, z#4