Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1857-09-05

From the IIarrsburgh Herald.
CHARLES FENNO HOFFMAN-HIS IN
SANE FANCIES-HOW he RECEIVES
HIS FRIENDS at THE ASYLUM.

The last number Of Putnam's Magazine calls
attention to the fact that this gentleman, now an
inmate of the Pennsylvania State Hospital, is the
author of the iar-famed song, "Sparkling and
B~right"-one Of our c~Ountrymen's favOrite melo-
dies. There is something so strlkingly sorrowful
in the thought that a man of such powerful mind
as Hoffman, should filter out the days Of his life
among madmen, that the heart can scarcely re.
press a sigh when the recollection brings it to re-
Election, and still we love to call Impressions of
him and his works to memory. Poor Hoffman
the fruits of his pen will be read foreyer-they
are among the sweetes! gems Of American litera-
ture.
We well recollect when the poet was placed in
his present situation. We were then an apprcn-
tice in the Office of this paper, and had been en-
gagged in reading one of his thrilling productions.
The day after we had finished it, our surprise and
sorrow may be imagined when we heard that IT, g
man whose brilliant pen had previously given us
so much pleasure, had been placed in the Lunatic
Asylum. This was about four years ago. The
local column Of the Herald was then under the
charge Of Mr.. Adam Baum-a man who loved
Hofman's works as much as Ourself-and on the
day after his Incarceration he published one OF
the most beautiful articles on the subject we have
ever read from his pen, which was extensively
copied by other papers.
Since then we have seen Hoffman on two or
three different occasions at.the Asylum. The editor
of Putnam describes him as being once a large,
rudy man he is not so now. His face is
shriveled up, and his whole body shows the effects
of time and disease. He still retains that fine
military bearing, however, which he gained in the
army, and for hours will pace up and down the
long aisle of his division" giving orders to his
fellows, whom he ~iD,agines his soldiers, and ''pre-
pares them for the march" Then again, at times,
he will become in n sort of a pensive mood, seem.
ing to appreciate his position and mourn over it !;
but this is seldom. lie is generally vigorous and
jovial, as he was in days gene by.
Every visitor of intelligence who enters the
Asylum calls TO zee Hoffman. lie receives them
all with a hearty greeting, will ask them to sup
and drink with him, and when they leave, invite
them to ''call often" On the last occasion that
we saw him, after sitting in his cell and INDUCING
in a pleasant chat-no, not pleasant, for the feel
ing of his condition prevented this-he ordered at
several times some of his fellows to fetch wine
and glasses. They would just stare at him, and
he would seem to forget it, until suddenly the
order would be repeated and again forgotten. He
generally laSors under the idea that his place Of
confinement is a garrison, Of which he is The com.
mander, and is only prevented from enjoying the
outside by the advice of his physicians. He will
frequently endeAvor 10 prevail on the Superin.
tendeut to grant him liberty to roam through the
country for a while, and when this is refused
will submit quietly. Hoffman wears a cooked hat
continually, and walks with a cane. His appear.