The independent press. (Abbeville C.H., S.C.) 1853-1860, 1858-01-29
, WHOLE NUMBER M7.
Aaron Burr;

U. >. Senator, Vice Presidents soEt United
States, &c. by j. Parton, author of "1unior-
Gus Poetry Of the English Language" 'Bsle
of Horace Greeley" &c ; PIP. 700, vo. Ma
son Bros; l0s and l 10 Duane.staeet Rus
sell d Jones, 25l King street, Charleston,
S. G.
To attempt the life of AARON Burr at
this day argues, no little audac:ty, and this
quality alone will commend the work to
many. This exhibition Of audacity in this
case, however, will not surprise any one
when it is remembered that the author is "
the biographer Of HORACE GREELEY, and
the husband Of FANNY FERN. .
A friend, of some critical experience and
observation in men and books, has examined
this volume and reports to ms the following
results:
There is a good deal Of merit in this book,
and more pretcnsion. Perhaps, we should
have said, there is a good deal of interest in
it, which arises, after ALL from the mystery
and bad eminence of the subject of the bio
graphv. We remember hearing one of the
greatest editors of our day giving advice to
young man whom he had employed to-,
assist him in the use Of the scissors, say that
any paragraph which brought men and uo.
men together in the matter of scandal and
crime, was read by both sexes with avidity.
BURR's reputation for gallantry has made
his life of more general interest, we suspect,
than any mystery which hangs over his po.
ltical movements or his trial for treason.
Novels have been written about him, and
tales have derived their interest from his
name and intrigues.
~, oF
glance-the glance whereby mt once the
warrior saw. how to avail himself Of the
chances and the changes of the contest, :
when 10 seize the banner and pass Lodi,
when to bid the Old Guard to charge.
There is also. an oratorical glance, so to
speak, Mr.. CLAY and Lord CHATHAM and
MIRABEAU' had remarkably-the glance
which caught the tone and temper OF wha-
ever assembly they might be addressing,
and gave them the power to adapt their
speeches and manners 10 the OCCASION, 1t
may be said that there is also Geographic
glance, whereby the biographer at once
comprehends tho character of his subject.
This glance Mr.. Parton certainly has not:
This book is a thing of shreds and patches.
He often contradicts himself-saying in one
place tor instance, that Burr. was never
melancholy, was always cheerful, and in .
another for hours he would gaze on bis
daughters portrait, while the tears would
roll down bis cheek in Silence Burr was
too proud a man to expose his griefs to the
world, and too cautiousto commit even his
sorrows to paper but he felt them, nevler-
tLeess, and all the keener that be bid them
as the bird feels not the less the barb of
the arrow because her wing hides it. Tai
leyrand, we know, in the last year of his
life, wrote in the silent midnight on bit of
paper on his table his ungniet and his un-
rest-and the next morning when he went
to court what an imperturbable old man he
The greatest comic actor of France went to
physician to whom he was unknown to get
a prescriptiorrto cure his low spirits, when
he was recommended to go and see himself !
| actl - - -, 2.
Burrhad one great great gift, elf:reliance.
He was BORN soldier, and his mind eas Of
just that cast to give him success at the bar.
lie asked no favors Of the opposite couti-,
sci, and he was not .aptto grant any. When
he was tweuty-six years of age and wished
to be married ,(hy the by, to a widow, with
two sons, and she was ten years his. senior;
it is strange what marriages this sstyle Of
men often makes) he studied law but nine
month, ,when he applied for admission To-
.ne oa'. ile nau nlred an astqte OLD Law. :.
he might quito him, and stDdied lin that
way. The rule of tho court required the
es,ous s.uuy o. 'asee years oe.ofe adm,t- ql
,a.Ie ~ .Ie oar PUT eoul1 get no iawyef
~ .ae apP''eat'ou lot :h h'.p: he sought lIss,
H;pp' p,y"se u''I's'ew W'.n:ue l'ege' 9ow a,A
n" ano os'"S ttceNea lasofaoly, sl9 ne
"ue r. @ Ioa,on ior ms So OWL adamlsslon l an
'oTt w.. a"o ua. sucSeeeeo ~,
".oouns ~ t's aael Mln ~ IiamlIon g1 ,s
,ha .ass,., ~ anu IRON, .ne way s 40 Wnleh'
."e P.esent ologssaaPhet PI,s M tne ;sases ne.