The Union and eastern journal. [volume] (Biddeford [Me.]) 1854-1858, 1857-03-06

church-yaid he convened with her on
al manner Of subjects connected with the
bellies kfirs aud philosophy OF mind :" AMI
10 cut The story short, married her a. soon
a. u fortunate vacancy in Cro.nar'y bank
enabled him TO lake ., responsible a STEP.
They were poor. Though he Was banker
and his vile kept school, their limited cart
iags did not exceed fioo u year. But
he added ,r,Ae IN this by writing Tor the
magazines. and m his leisuae hours he pros
rcuieI his geological observations, "h'cn
had Away, possessed sculiar charm w.
his mind. Il was while b. was in the bank
at Cromarty that he it.n;iisd the famous
P,richthys or winged fish as fossil oil the
cd led sandstone. The discovery Was maize
pubic a, me-ting Of the British a'soc'a-
ion AMI NJ. Agassiz declared in his BOOK
that "Cuyier did not fr-' more asIonshnen'
~ rIaminin. the Pie,iosGurI, than ! di'
when Mr.. u. Miller shoNeL me the sP"c'-
mems OF Pieriehlhys which he obtained from
the old rel sandstone. The sc logical
reatei is doubtless aware Of The Importance
Of The discovery s bearing upon The theory
oi development, or ,ransmuIaiiOn OF species;
aIhodoS men Of science have derived much
comiUIl fon il.
Mr.. MrlIer's mind was full Of The suhjecI
when the great .chism in the Kirk Of Scott
land bruke out. Wnh the waImIh and i'm
peiuOsiI, Of his nature he embraced the
cause Of the aLveIsaiies OF the Government.
IL was the cause OF democracy, aud Miller
always at heart a democrat. In the heat OF
the contest he published letter TO Lord
Brousham, stating the views Of his party
with iUroe and eloquence. II took like
wid-6re; all Scotland was reading the let
Ter. Just at that moment the Fee Church
men, Us they began 10 be called, felt tho
necessity of an organ in Eiinhurgh. All
'1he ready made editors" Us Hugh Miller
pc, sely calls them. had taken sides agains,
hem; 80 they sent 10 CroGa',y and en-
gagged Hugh Miller. The Witness was
started ia ls4D; from the commencement
l., the day Of hi, death, MIR. Miller WIS its
chiei editor. and conuibu.d no, u little, ny
MS powe. lnl style aud searching logic, 10
live IL The high position which il holds.
Very -horlly AFTER no became editor fIhe
Wiiaess h- published hts FIRST prose work
The Cd Red Sandstone which achieved
q, remarkable sue ,ess. Il obtained a, the
srne tine the communication OF SIR Roder-
lex Murchison, who Pronounced ii "wurlh n
thousand didacric ueati,e.," the praise oi
The Edinburgh Rsrier, and the other lead
hog organs Ol cIi lcIsrII, and the unbhunde,i
'avor OF the pub'ic. When, a Few years AT
rrT~ard, The "ve,,igrs uf Creation" pToduc-
ell such sensation, and seemed TO The
clergy to be pregnant with dangerous doc
,rrnr, Hugh Miller was the champion who
came TO TIER defence With his Footprints
Of the Creator" In that remarkable work,
&C whose ,xquisitely Saxon syle il is inn
possible ~ speak too highly, Mr. Miller con-
uuyerted with irresistible To- &C the noliOn
that species can be lIansmutei by change
ul condition. IL is generally believed by
The nthodOx portion o, the scientific world
that Mr.. Miller's argu,ner, is unanswera-
ole.
O,her minor works, together with his con-
uibutous to the WiHess, absorbed his time
duriag the rest Of hi, life. He enjoyed a
measure Of personal esteem second 10 no
ones in Edinburgh. His strong, manly
nature and clear head gave people grea,
confidence IN him. ~ head Of great
massisenrss," We ave tl with an sbun-
dAnt prolusion OF Celtic hair, set on a body
"i s,esi mus, ular comP"tnes wrapped
u, bulky plaid, aud with garb ready iur
a,y work rather resembling the shepherd
run the Ross-shre hills than man al
.cience"-such is the portrait dawn OF
him in his Later years by one who knew
hin well.
Hard work broke him down q, last. He
Aas wr,tns books, delivering leclurrs, ed
ms the Witness, AMI SUD, in. geology all
together. lie had always been ala imsgin.
alive man; from the vision Of Tie liyid hand
to his death, he seems 10 have had rema,k-
,blr attlchmen, for the supernatural. Lat
r,rly Intense application to u new book
The Testimony OF the Rocks" which her
was shortly to bringout lei to severe head
aches and extraordinary nervousness. His
overwOrked brain gave way. lie had al-
WAYS been courageous man he was now
dreadlully afraid OF robbers.
"He read al the recent stories OF hou,e
robbrries," says the Witness. ale b'lle'-
ed tina, one night lately an actual attempt 10
break IN upon his museum hal been made.
Visions of tlckrt-o'-lea'e men p'owlin.
abou, his premises haunted him by day and
by night. The revolver which lay nightly
near han WIS mol large enough broad
bladed dagger was kep, beside it, while he
hind him a, hts bel-hrad, u claymore sio,d
rady at hand. 4 week orso ago new
,nd more aggravated feature Of cerebral
disorder shos I'd itself in sudden and .ingu- |
lar Sensations in his head. They came Ola
only alter heightened intervals. They dbl
uol las, long, bui were intensely violent
When The paIox, sm was on him his lace
was a picture Of horror. He would fin.
hmsrlf on the sofia, and bury his head, as
It in agony, upon the cushion. On the eve
nf hi death he was thus attacked. The
yi.inn ,lid M, continue; and alter tea MIR.
Miller read two OF Cowper's poems 10 h's
l..mily, and one of hi most playful pieces.