Daily Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1857-1858, 1857-08-24
rcorre.nonasnee Of ths Patriot.1
ICorrespondence OF inc FAIIUV'J
BOWS THE RIVER, August II, 1857.

BOWS THE RIVER, August II, 1887.
MY DEAR PATRIoT:-Somebody has said, or
is reported to have said, (and "RepO''tcTS' are
never mistakenly that to travel most success
fully, that is to say, to learn the most of local
tiles, the relative position of places, the lati-
tude aud longitude of great natural or artih-
cial curiosites, and of life and the world, one
must stay at home and read. and scan maps
&c. Whoever said that was likely sitting 10
his studio, surrounded by maps and guide
books, and books of travel, with some charm
ing little waiting maid, or equally pleasing and
prompt serving boy, hoy or maid, makes no
difference, popping IN at intervals, short IN
tervals, with iced sherry COOLERS, which, in
imparting an abandon, [pity we haven't an
English word for that precise IDEA to the
body, gave an uncommon rein TO the imagna-
ton. 1t may be that there is an impalpable
Geographic connection between ideal things
and real things; and that if one imagines lie
beholds al object, it is all as well as if one does
see it. Your correspondent is far too matter
of fact a parsonage for such characterization.
1t may be that the author Of the non-locOmo-
tive heresy above referred to, was ''clever
man. but be was no traveller. At least he
was never on the steamboat ELLA, when she
was under the command of OOKBETT, and had
such a secretary as BELL. He never saw the
man with fiery red face, and fiery red hair,
and still redder nose, and eyes so "intensely"
THAT word is suggestive!l red, stO render green
spectaces indispensable. He never thought
of cycling this Rufus, as he paced up and down
the deck, up and down the cabin, and consid-
cred how near nature came in making this
turn out Of flesh and blood, to making ii sim
pie, moving, breathing, clot Of blood. he new
er saw that on a map or in a guide-boOk. Nor
that other pale, rnid-night-lamp worsl'ipper,
with smooth chin, a handsomely curling
mousache, but 10 make that very short and
common sleI witbal, an uBcommOnly beefy
ankle, as he sat from hour to hour devOuring
and nodding over, alternately, the "Pickwick
Papers" How much of pretense is there in
sitting half up the cabin of a steamboat, with
eyes of gentlemen upon him from one side,
and of ladies from the other, nodding over
PIckwick! The man was not in fault, nei-
Their his pale cast of cOunteHance, his hand
some moustache, nor lis wish to be, or appear
to be literary, but-his ankle was. "'Twas
passing strange, and pitiful as strange" Nor
the elderly widow lady in quest of a banker
nor the more recent widow being pursued by
the merchant; nor gentleman Of ease and
leisure and nonchalance, who had a wife and
divers other responsibilities at home, but still
the object of regard, say tender regard, from a
pair of bonnie blue eyes, which spanked and
burned, inviting and reckoning the weary life
pilgrim to trust the heart which they illumin-
ed, and the glorious and peaceful soul to which
they pointed, as the lighthouse beacon invites
the mariner from an angry sea into a haven OF
safety and repose. That author, whoever he
was, was guilty of a very great error. lie
could not stay at home, and from perusing au-
thorities, see and feel the truth aad realities
OF the stuff that EARTH and men and life are
made up of. If as suspected, lie had sherry
COOLERS, lie had too many Of them before he
gave utterance to his thoughts; his ideas were
probably upside down; he was not sober
Therefore to travel one must go, must loco
mote.
The Ella is going to st. Louis; she is "down
the river" somewhere between Nash willie and
Cairo, with a splendid list ,f splendid passen-
gers, and heavy freight. A number of Nash
ville's choicest spirits are cruising-you will
hear from some of them again-whether at
ST. Louis or elsewhere is Uncertain. They are
making the most of their time.
Yours, &c, NJ.