American union. [volume] (Morgantown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1855-1859, 1857-12-11
From the Weekly Press.
ELISHA KENT KANE.

Philadelphia. tfH ~ '
"The name of ELISHA K. KANE has
passed into history, the history of sci
tcnce and heroic adventure" says DR..
ELDER, his biographer. 1t has. KANE
was eminently the martyr-adventurer
OF his own time. Not even FRANKLIN.
In pursuit of whom he devoted his life
deserves so much merit. For Sir JOHN
FRANKLIN went out, as British officer,
to trayerse'thc unpathed waters of the
hyperborean sea, whereas DIR. KANE
was self.devoted voyager, partly in
| duced to become so by an irrepressible
desire oplungeinto adventure, however
daring, and partly by strong feelings
OF humanity. Arctic voyaging has had
many destinations for the enthusiastic
mind, during the last forty years.
PARRY and BEEcnEY, Ross and SCORES
BY, RICHARDSON, and MAC CLURE have
all been tempted into it, and latest and
most distinguished, the prowess of
hANE crowns the record, and throws
light upon it. He pcrished-a martyr
to the cause into which he had thrown
himself. Twice did he 60 forth upon
the noble mission Of humanitv-the
second time his state of health was
such that he was filter for sick room
than tor tho eXertion, vicissitudes, and
dangers OF such voyage. But Mind
was In the ascendant; it carried him
through; it gave him energy to write
that best book of travels which the
present century has produced ;-it sus-
tanned him, while receiving the we'll
mGrted homage which Europe did her.
sell honor In casting at his feet,--it
renamed undlmmed and active even to
tho last, sad hour, when the mortal
assumed his Immortality.
In intensity Of purpose, which no
obstacles could weaken or successfully
oppose, we find the secret of KANE's
conduct, the motive power which ruled
his career, and the cause Of his success.
like CRESCENTIUs,
I lie would dare '
The dcadliest form that Death could take,
And dare it for TIE daring'S sake. ...
That was KANE. Wow it was is shown
in his biography, which, with his whole
heart in the work, Dr. ELDER has
written con amOre. We have a biogra.
ply worthy ofits subject. The narrative
Is remarkably lucid. There is no at
tempt at what is called fine writing
The man himself is exhibited to us. We
trace him up from his earliest years,
and see how completely was fulfilled in
him the declaration Of WORDSWORTH,
that
"The Child is father of the Man"
The manner in which we are admit
ted to view the interior springs of ac-
ton, in KANE's life, is most creditablc
to Dr.. ELDERS s artistic skill. Greatly
! resembling his mother in personal ap-
pearance, as we'll as in mental organi-
zation, DR.. KANE was one in whom the
clements were finely mixed. We pre-
sent the opening chapter of the biogra-
ply in full. We shall give the second
chapter in our next. We shall take
our extracts from other portions Of the
book. In the present notice we pass
little beyond his entrance into manhood.
The leading characteristic of his life
was energy concentrated, in his youth
upon ninety-nine things out Of hund-
red, the hundreth being neglected or
i, dislikcd, because it was imperative. -
For this young, fresh mind never brook
ed control. At school, whether he
learned or was ignorant, young KANE
brooked no superior, shrank from no
danger. Of vices he literally had none,
but he did not like being commanded.
After he left school his viii carried
him, as a.conqueror, through the studies
he had neglected. He went to the Uni
versity Of Virginia, where he remained
eighteen months, and laid in q large
store of information. Yet, even there,
and thus early, he had a heart disease,
which subsequently killed him. Ian.
guages, practical science, natural his.
tory, mathematics, literaturc---hc ran
through them all, and how we'll let his
Voyages declare. Self. culture he Sc,
yercly applied, in his own way. At the
age of eighteen he was compelled to
leave the University ty--that fatal heart.
disease even then was in his system.---
lie expected death, and was prepared
for it. He struggled with Disease,
and that strong viii Of his carried him
through. lie pursued his medical stu.
dies, and in October, 1S40, ere he had
taken his degree, or attained the age
of twenty. one, he was Resident Physi-
clan in the Pennsylvania Hospital,
Blockley--heath still delicate, deter.
animation strong. SIN the spring of
lS41, says DIR. ELDER, ga few months
after he attained his majority, and a
year before ho graduated, he was in
stalled one Of tho Senior Physicians