Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1858-06-17

iancy, and such varied information reVoted
at mere sophomorical parade. The Vir-
giniaD statesmen, III their speeches and
writings, are profuse in their classical allu-
sions-such as have been gathered from a
careful perusal--in translation-of Corne-
Illus, Nepos and Plutarch. The files of the
Richmond Enquirer formerly abounded in
long-winded dissertations by Agricola and
Agrippa, Camillus and Cincinnatus, Pub
Illus aad Publicola. Gen. Harrison had
this affect alton in an eminent degree, and
his inaugural, as originally drafted, con-
tanned the names of whole regiment of
Roman consuls. On the morning of the
Inauguration, a frieLd met Mr.. Webster
near the White House, who appeared
grestly agitated. "What is the matter
Mr.. Webster!" inquired bis friend anxi-
ously. "Matter enough,n replied Mr.. Web.
ster. 81 have committed murder, murder,
SIR, wlfh malice aforethoueht, on, ] knolO
not ho,o nany Greeks and Romans"
Notwithstanding this purgatiop, there is
still in the address plentiful supply of
ancients, and we are constantly reminded,
in reading it, of "the remark of Roman
consul, in the early days of the Republic.
Mr.. Webster, in private conversation,
appeared to as great advantage, as at the
forum. or in the Senate. He was an ad-
mirable talker, and like Macauley, when
once his mind grasped theme, he was dis
posed TO run on, brooking no Interruptions
He was affluent in anecdote and personal
"reminiscences, which he clothed in natu-
raj and expressive language. He had Ger
ia in set themes on which he would dilate
by the half hour. His table talk, if phon-
ographically ly reported, would have formed
one OF the most delightful books in the Ian
guage. | recollect one evening at his
house, Inc conversation turned on wine
He proceeded to state, with marked pre-
cis.on, the conditions OF climate necessary
to produce and mature the grape; that it
required purity of sky which was to be
attained only in districts remote from the
sea; and that the grapes which yielded the
richest and most lu scious wines grew on
South-side exposure. He then adverted to
the conditions of temper ,ture which were
requisite, showing that an equable climate
was untavorable- that the thermometer
should indicate between the summer and
winter temperature, as shown by Humboldt,
a range OF 81 down to 33 .. He next
spoke of the conditions of soil, stating that
the volcanic slopes, in whose soil potash
was conspicuous element. were the ap-
propriate habitants of the vine. He then
passed to the geographical boundaries of
the wine districts, showing a gradation
from the rich saccharine wines of Burpun-
dy and Bordeaux to tho sub-acid wines of
the upper Rhine and Maine. This disser-
tation embodied more sound philosophy |
than three-fouIths. of the papers. .tbatsaseI
submitted at our scientific associ- |
atons. The Cincinnati wines were the n
discussed. Mr.. Webster did not believe
that We should succeed in producing rich |
delicate wines in this country, that the re-
quisite conditions of climate did not OBJ |
tain; but that we should probably succeed
in producing the inferior sub-acid wines, in |
considerable quantities "There was nv
friend" said he, "Mr. Justice Story-a man
brought up on good old Madeira" (as though
a mans character depended upon whether
he imbibed generous wine, or fiery corn
juice, and am not certain but that there
is great deal in i..) my friend, Mr. JUS
tice Story was dining one day with the
President, Mr.. Madison, who had received
a bottle Of ma tive wine from the Swiss set
tlement of Vevay, branded 'none SUCH In
the course of the dinner, the president,
after narrating the circumstance, ordered |
it TO be broached, and turning to the Judge
asked him to fill hi. glass. None such, l |
thank you,' replied the Judge.
The character of the Book of Job was
another OF his set themes. He treated it'll
as the greatest Of epic poems; that while
in unity of action, and in the subordination
OF incidents, all tending to the progres sive
development of a fixed plan, it was equal
to the Iliad, or the Ereid; in grandeur of
i'm agery, in strength of delineaton and in
sublimity of thought, it surpassed all unin-
splred productions. In support of these
views he would quote and comment on va
rious passages. He asserted, too, that there
was natural rhythm which had not been
wholly destroyed in the translation.
The prayer of Habakkuk was also the
subject of mis- admiration, and he had read
1t SO often that he could repeat it by heart.
No one can doubt but that he was thor
oughly imbued with the Holy Scriptures,
and neither in his speeches nor in his con-
versatiOn was there ever an irrelevant allu-
sion to them.
1t was The delight of Mr.. Webster to es-
cape from the cares of public life and re-
tire to his farm. He loved the smell of
new-mown hay-he loved TO imbibe the
warm breath of the generous ox,-I believe
Theodore Parker says the same tbing-he
loved to talk of the breed Of cattle and Of
swine, of the rotation of crops, the renova
tion of soils--the appropriate food of
plants; and yet every ton OF hay and every
bushel of corn that he raised probably cost
him twice the market value. He loved,
too, the rod and the gun Charles March
says the Bunker Hill address was planned
IN Marshpee brook, the author elaborsting
the best passages and catching trout at the
same time. As he drew up a remarkably
large one, he was heard to exclaim: "Ven-
cradle men! you have come Gown to us
from former generation. Heaven has
bounteously heightened out your lives, that
you might behold this joyous day" Off
Duxbury and Cohassett, with a party Of
friends, he loved to trole for blue fish, or
sink for cod; and he prided himself quite
as much in compounding the elements of
C.,l L. i