Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1856-06-07

him his brothers family. aud made !, point
with his widow TO accompany him. Her de-
cided refusal to leave her own country, occa.
stoned an alienation betwe ~ them also, and che
was lei, to herself with the usual d,fencelcss
/ lot and narrow circumstances which are n,a
the most uncommon heritage Of widows and or
phans.
Of the brolhef's family, which returned to
France, we have no knowledge, except Of the
recent death of a daughter. Cornelia, who died
nun in a convent in South America. The
widow. wiIh her young family, now removed
permanently. TO Charleston, South Carolina
At an early age the cldes, boy, with ~ hose
future fortunes we are more particularly CON
cerned, entered the law Office of John w.
Mitchell, Esq, one Of the prominent citizens
Of Charleston. Here he gave such evidence of
intelligence and industry as greatly to in,eres,
Mr. Mitchell, who found pleasure in directing
the capacity he seemed TO possess, and devoted
many Of his leisure hours io young Fremont 5
instruction. The lads vigorous application re-
quired more time Than Mr. Mitchell had at his
disposal, and, in prosecution Of the plan he had
formed for him, lie placed him under the in
siruction of DIR. John Robertson. Scotch gen.
ileman, who bad been educated at Edinburgh,
and who had established himself as teacher,
principally Of ancient languages, at Charles
ton.
Or. Robertson, who is now about seventy
years Of age and continues in the faithful exer-
else Of his profession at Philadelphia, in the
preface to a translation of Zenophon' Anabasis,
published by him in 1850, takes occasion 10 re-
fer especially to the intellectual aud personal
habits Of Fremont, while under his charge, and
10 commend to his pupils, 10 whom the book is
dedicated, as pre-eminenily worthy of imiiation
His statement embodes some personal details
which our readers will peruse with interest:
For yoor further encouragement. will here
relate very remarkable instance Of patient dill
igcnce and ndomtabe perseverance
ln the year 1897, a1er ! had reformed to
Charleston from Scotland, and my classes were
going on, very respectable lawyer came to
my school, | think some time in the month Of
October, with youth apparently about sixteen
or perhaps not SO much, (li,) Of middle size.
graceful in manners, rather slender. but well
formed, and upon the whole wha, should call
handsome of keen. piercing eye, and no.
bic forehead, seemingly the very seat of eenios
Tho gentleman stated that he found him given
to study, that lie had been about three weeks
learning the Latin rudiments. and (hoping,
suppose, to turn the youths attention from the
Law to the ministry,) he had resolved to place
him under my care for the purpose OF learning
Greek, latin and Mathematics, sufficient 10 en-
ter Charleston College. very gladly receiy-
nd him | tnlt H..
common youth, as intelligence beamed in his
dark eye, and shone brightly on his counie-
nance, indicating grea, ability, and an assur-
ance of his future progress. at once put
him in the highest class, jus, beginning to read
Cesar's Commentaries, and although at first
inferior, his prodigious memory and enihusias-
tic application soon enabled him 10 surpass the
best. He began Creek at the same time and
read with some who had been long at it, in
which he also soon exceled Ia short, in tho
space Of one year he had with the class, and at
odd hours with myself, read four books Of Ca
sar, Cornelius Nepos. Sallnsi, six books Of
Virgil, nearly all Horace, and two books Of
Livy and in Greek, all Grrca Mnora, about
half Of the first volume Of Greca Majora, and
four books of Homer's HAD And whatever
he read, he retained. II seemed to me, in fact,
as if he learned by mere Intuition. ! was my
self utterly astonished, and at the same .inc
delighted with his progress. ! have limited
that he was designed for the Church, but when
| contemplated his bold, fearless disposition, his
powerful inventive genius, his admiration of
warlike exploits, and his love Of heroic and ad-
senlurous deeds, did not think il likely he
would be minister Of the Gospel. He had
not, however, the least appearance Of any vice
whatever. On the contrary, he was always
the very pattern Of virtue and modesiy
could net help loving him, so much did he cap
tivaie me by his gentlemaDly conduci and ex-
traordinary progress. II was easy TO see that
he would one day raise himself 10 eminence
Whilst under my instruction, discovered his
early genius for poetic composition in the iol-
lowing manner. When the Creek class read
the account that Herodotus gives Of the battle
of Marathon, the bravery of Miltades and his
ten thousand Greeks raised his patriotic feelings
to enthusiasm and drew from him expressions
which thought were embodied 10 few DAYS
afierward in some well-wriiten verses 10 a
Charleston paper, on that far-famed unequal but
successful conflict against tyranny and oppres-
siOn and suspeciing my talented scholar TO be
the aulhor, ! went to his desk, and asked him
if he did not write them and hesilaiing at
first, rather blnshingly, he confessed he did,
! then said, i knew you could do such things,
and suppose you have some such pieces by
you, which ! should like to see. Do bring
them TO me- lie consented, and in day OF
two brought me number, which read with
pleasure and admiration at the strong marks Of
genius stamped on all, but here and there re-
quiring, as thought, a very slight amend
ment.
| had hired a mathematician to teach both
him and myself, (for could not then teach that
scieneo) aud in this he also made such wouder-
ful progress, tina, at the end of one year he en-
teIed the Junior Class in Charleston College
triumphanlly, while others who had been study
ing four years and more, were obliged TO take
the Sophomore Glass, About the end of the
year 1928 left Charleston, bat heard that he
hiuhlv DISTINGUISHED himself and Graduated in