The Nevada journal., 1857-10-30
CHARLES FENNo HoFFMAN. THIN.

man is still an inmate of the insane asy-
lum, at Harrisburg, PENNSYLVANIA. 1t
is said he receives numerous visits from
sympathising friends, and all who call
upon him are welcomed with hearty
greeting, and upon taking their leave,
are invariably invited by him to "call
again" He generally labors under the
idea that his place of confinement is a
garrison, of which be is the commander,
and is only prevented from enjoying the
outside by advice of his physicians. He
wears cooked hat continually, and
walks with a cane. His appearance
bears the mark of eccentricity and ge-
MUS; and his voice is clear, command
ing, but still cheerful.
Mr.. Hoffman has now been lunatic
some fifteen years. 1t is not probable
that he will ever be restored to reason.
A variety of causes have been ascribed
to account for Mr.. Hoffman's insanity
1t has been said that he was at one time
in his life very Incorporate. The allie
cation is believed to be groundless. He
was certainly fond of social life, but not
more so than most of u.s. 1t has also
been said that love drove him to mad
ness. This is as unfounded as the other
allegation. 1t has likewise been stated
that the severity of criticism had de-
cided effect in driving him to the condi-
ton of what Sir John Fallstaff called a
climatic bedlamite" 1t is not believed
that Mr.. Hoffman's lunacy was ever well
accounted for, but it IS believed, that a
solution of the matter can now be given.
When Charles Fenno Hoffman was a
young man of some twelve, or fifteen,
or eighteen summers, he was one of the
most fascinating, rollicking, ''devil-me
care" boys, in the city. He was stall
wart and fundamentally so, for
lad of his age and weight. He was a
merchants apprentice, and resided Ell
tler i'll Is. ooklyn or New Jersey. He
crossed one of The rivers every morning
or evening with goodly number of 9TH
or lads; and one day, whilst the steamer
was coming over, he wagered with an
associate, that lie would sit longer on the
deck Of The boat, with his legs hanging
down, than any other lad could or would.
The wager was accepted and poor
Hoffman took his position, and, unfortu-
nately, held it too late-till the steamer
dashed against the landing, and crushed
his leg to atoms. Amputation became
necessary, and was performed.
The priyation of the limb did not, ev-
identity, affect his mind, nor did he seem
to care for it, till long after he became
a well grown man, somewhat advanced
towards thirty. In the meantime, he
had acquired something Of literary fame
and distinction, and began to move in
more elevated and pre- eminent circles
of society. He was admired for his poe
sy, and especially for his tales of border
life and warfare.
1t so happened that, some twenty
years ago, whilst at convivial party,
from excess of indulgence, he became
involved in an angry dispute with
young man of this city, the scion of
wealthy and aristocratic family. Hard
WORDS passed; and elimination was in
dulged only to give place to recrimina
ton.
In the midst of the affray, the young
man in question slapped Hoffman in the
face with his glove, and pronounced him
a coward A challenge to mortal COM
bat, conveyed by an eminent literary
gentleman of this city, was the conse-
quence. 1t was scornfully and indig
nantly rejected, and the bearer of it had
his nose pulled for his pans. And the
only reply to the bearer of the challenge
was, "Do you think, varlet, I'd fight
wooden-legged poet!' From that per
riod, Hoffman's mind began to wander,
though he betrayed no actual signs of
insanity till ten years afterwards, when,
holding a clerkship in the Department
of State, at Washington, he was declar-
ed insane, and sent to the lunatic asy-
lum.
The MoTHER.-Despise not thy moth
er when she is old. Age may wear and
waste mothers beauty, strength, limbs,
senses, and estates; but her relation as
mother is as the sun when it goes forth
in his might, for it is always in the me-