The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1858-11-26
TIE POET PERCLElL.

The New York Tines, in an article on The
/ Iamented Percivai, gives rs an insight into his
private lif-, as f1lloWs:
P-rcivd was one of the most remarkable
men Of his time. As nEuist and as man
Of science he was more eminent than as poet,
anil vet his poetical faculty was marvelousIy
brilliant AMI prolific. II was 4 ggologist and a
gpog-anher: be understood lhe structure OF the
earth we live on. and kn-w all the highways
and hy-wavs Of lis surlIce-r2adS, rivers and
canais-as Familiarity as most m-n know th~lr
own domicilp or the way 10 market. Ills hab-
lfs Of study were peculiar. He would take up
volume at a booksellers counter, and stand
till he had r, al Il through. Fl never cut the
leaves Of his books. For many years he occu-
pied rooms at the Hospital at New Haven, and
durlrr the whole period those rooms We're en-
tered only once bya visitor. Hp had no food
cooked during that time, bat lived trugalIy on
dried herG herring, bread, with apples and other
fruits when they were abundant IN the mnri<rt.
H. read al dav and all night-throwng him
on his bed IN his clothes, when nature IN
sisted on repoSp Wapn his bedroom was
opened. after his death, It was covered more
than an inch thick with dust, except 4 path
that had been kept free from the door 10 the
bed
An anecds.e is toll Of him in this connection
that serves to 'ilaSt'ai" his character. ne Ia"
contemplating thr survey, provided that he gc-
ol1yis should receive his remuneration after he
had made his report, and 1t hal been approved
~ tn Governor Parclval waite! upon Gov
ernor Ellsworth With the report ana was very
c0urtrousiy received. The Governor took the
report, and promised to give 1t ms Immediate
attention, aai when he had examined 1t as the
law required, would make the necessary re-
Guisiti0n if 1t were satisfactory PercNai roll
led mp his report and wihdrrW. Hr INSISTED
that neither the Governor nor any one else wa
competent u pass upon The merits OF his re-
port, an he would not submit to the indisnity.
H. was desperately in want OF the money that
the report would bring him, bot he would not
take If on such conditions. Some Of his friends
finally procured the report tor him 5y an lnno-
cent stra iagem, and II received, Of course, !he
formal arPr2 ,aji3n Of the Governor, who adj
mittrd his Incompetence 10 receive q geological
work Of Dr.. P,.rciyal, but was too g7oi N olti-
Ger net to Weld due obedience to The law.
We all remember the story told OF the pair
of new shoes left al DR.. J3h0Sou'S door, when
he wls a voung man, and ha moi decent Pa:
TO his trct sr.rilar anfcdoie IS related Of
Dr.. Prrciyal 4 friend noticed that the cap,
which bad 50 long prefgd above the cloak in
which the D ,c,or enveIo7ed himself, was be-
coming a'tozether TOO shabby, ana lrtt word
with batter on Main street TO present him
with a more aFrfapjate, though less Po't'cal
covering. In the most delca'e way possible,
the shorraan ati.aated 10 The poet that any hai
on the counter was At his service but the poet
turned on his heel wihcontempl fir would
never accept Pecunary favor UI any d@ScFip-
ton. Being at one time somewhat r".oaFFas<ra