The independent press. (Abbeville C.H., S.C.) 1853-1860, 1857-04-03
MISCELLANY.
sam'l Johnson's Struggle in Life.
For Press.

saml Johnson's Struggle in Life.
Macau'ey, i'll his recent biographical essay
on the "Lite Of Saml Johnson" and at that
period when his struggle was severe and
his reward scanty, says:
The misery of that struggle needed no
aggravaton, but was aggravated by the
sutferngs of an unsound body and an un-
sound mind. Before the young man left
the University, his hereditary malady had
broken forth in 4 singularly cruel form.
Ito had become all incurable hypochou-
drlac. lie said oug after, that lie had
been mad all his life, or at least not
perfectly sane and in truth, eccentricitics
less strange than his have often been thought
grounds sufficient for absolving felons, and
for setting aside wills. His grimaces, his
gestures, his mutterings, sometimes diverted
and sometimes terrified people who did not
know him. At dinner table he would. in
ut OF absence, stoop down and twitch off
lady's shoe. Lie would amaze drawing
room by suddenly circulating clause Of the
Lords Prsyer. He would conceive An un-
lntell'glble aversion 10 particular alley,
and perform great circuit rather than see
the hateful place. lie would set his heart
on touching every post in the stree,
through which he walked. Ifby any chance
he missedFa post, he would 60 back IA hun
drcd yards and repair the omission. Under
the influence of this disease, his senses BE-
came morbidly torpid, and his imagination
morbidly active. At one time he would
stand poring on the town clock, without
be'ng able to tell the hour. AT another,
lie would distinctly hear his mother who
was many miles off, calling him By name.
But this was not the worst. A deep mel
ancholy took possession of him, and gave
dark tinge to all his views Of human ma
ture and OF human destiny. Such wretch
edness as he, endured has driven many men
to shoot themselves or drown themselves
Nut he was under no temptation to CON-
mt suicide. He was sick of life, but he
was afraid Of death !; and he, ,shuddered at
every sight or sound which reminded him
of the inevitable hour. In religion lie
found but little comfort during his long anu
tervent fits Of detection; for bis religion
partook of his own character. The siigl t
from heavel shone on him indeed, but not
IN direct line, or with its own pure splen-
DOR. The rays had to struggle through a
disturbing medium; they reached him fe-
traeted, DUH and discolored by the thick
gloom which had settled on his soul; and
sbough they might be sufficiently. clear to
guide them, were too dim to cheer lin.
-~>->-sr--4-.1 d o
A DIRTY Bishop Meade, in
The Southern 4Churchrlan, gives an ac-
codnt ofmany'of the old families of Virgia.
"a. Among these lie mentions -Insn
named Watkins, of whom the celebrated
John Randolph, Of Roanoke, left manu-
script notice. A part 81 that notice is in
these words :-s.'Witbont shining abilities,
or the advantages Of an education,e by
plain straightforward industry, under tile
guidance of old. fashioned honest and pE3ps
GeaL good sense, be acean56lsted ID SaIbs
BE fortune,ia which sftig firmly 'befietsd
there was not one dirty ssssllliiag." This ID
Spsry honely Saxon slaagasge, but itJs foil
of Pitf and point. III RandsipI,s mind
shere most have taen running soiiiis. faint
teminiscence Of the apostles phrase, a6kky
,!aers' used more than o&csi ias~his ::epnis
Ate0. = fv s"%rt'i ~ e.: IN ~ S1t .,i',e;fI5
: fSD'g q ,yNS 10 ~.