New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1859-10-22
MIIRrRN,S AUTOBIOGRAPHY.


for h. fersen. and impressive pulpit eloquence aud
bis varied Attachments ID literature though iaoor-
rg under the calamity Of almost tots! blindness,
ha, made frank, outspoken reyeisron oil MACY
pertopal experiences the peruiA " which VII
deeply Interest those who have been wont to Listen
to b. earnest appeals for religion and humanity
His flowing and often piquant narrative mss no
need Of The apology suggested in the pref,ce, that
Il gss written from BIZ. dictaton By the hands Of
his friends The deprivation of sight has increased
hi. concentratyepe.s Of thought, while u mas nos
iuuaired be power Of expression, AID Indeed o..
,'yle hs. a FRESHNESS. and point which are TAR from
| beipg cfumon with tbose VITO have the perfect
| u.e Of al their faculties.
Mr Mlburu j. native Of Philadelphs, where
| he wa, borr in the year l-23 He was almost
| entirely deprived Of hi. sight when only about I've
years of sge, BY &c accident which occurred While
PLAYING With another boy, DO oder than himself,
who in raising bis arm 70 throw piece Of glass Or
oyster snel laid open the left eye-ba Of hi' IN
fortunate companion. Improper surgical treatment
resulted in the total loss Of the eye, While the OTTER
| became 80 much Dhamed that il MAS fesred Il
would suffer the same fate For more than two
| years the young patient was imprisoned IL DARK
chamber On beng ST length released ne could
Only see through transparent spot on the right
eye, not much larger than the point Of pin, FORM
ing a sort Of artificial pupil, which could De 60
regulated as to allow the due quantity Of light TO
enter In this way, be was enabled 10 read
little for fifteen or twenty years IN strong daylight
holding the book very close to the eye and bringing
every letter to the precise spot or which the light
Was fixed
When young MiIburn was about fifteen years of
see. his father removed from Philadelphia TO the
State Of Illinois. where he opened country store,
in which the almost blinded boy was employed as
sn assistant. The love Of books, which was bis
earliest pa,.ion, here fouLd al opportunity for
large indulgence.
Nv old passion for reading had survived. and as |
scot became acquainted with smoet yoocy IN tile
village tocks enough were lent me TO MI my leisure
moments. Nothing came aIniss, and VIII Wha' greed-
pess nav rspacity cid devour every one that tell IN
ny way There was always volume at hand, sui
with NY seat at the door IN Summer time and by the
WINDOW in the inter for tie strongest light was need
ll every gap business was appropriated 70 the De
loved page: ard even while standing behind The
counter, couutng eggs, weighing butter ossuInml1S
ND accouns the rspturou- world 10 which books hal
orsces its profound truths sad este ideals, still
oxred NE az q new BON uhsotsnt, aud Wa hsppy.
Tie lowy affairs by which ] was employed seemed
unreal and the teachings Of the historian or the poet
alone appeared 10 be present and substantial have
often wondered Hbethe any one ever enjoyed such de-
light in reading a. cid ir these days the opportunities
we're 20 spare and the difficulties 30 great.
NV studies hsd hitherto been devoted, exclusively,
10 the English brarCues but began 10 yesrn Tor 81
acduart aIce with those tongues IN which the masrr
d. of antiquity hal spoken and 80 my KIND fataer
yielded TO my persuasion notwithstanding hi. fear that
persistent study would yet impair my sight ara
brought me home one DAY Latin grammar and read
er. Wy ought away with youthful ardor until hal
mastered them s1d a length. % our AFFAIRS began u
in prove il was arranged that should have master
for al hour two day. The lessons were conned a.
the store and rected AZ the school. Greek added
to Latin and in due time Sss ready to enter college
After remaining for some time at Illinois College,
bis health became so seriously im paired BY assduous
devotion 10 study, that he was directed by his ply.
.cisns 10 lay sside bis books, and take as much &C.
tive exercise as possible in the open air 1t was
not long before be commenced preaching as an
ituerant in the Methodist communion, in which
fur ctiou he gathered q rich store Of experience,
may "Reminiscences of which are here preserved IN
the form Of lively anecdotes and descriptions. We
suboin lively sketch Of his initiation as circuit
rider:
Nv frst rourd upon the circui, began in that most
gorgeous Of the year, the Indian summer Tue
rich ueowed sunshine stole lsziy through the soften
ing haze that filed the atmosphere, GROWING core
fields sId orchards ard prales with golden glory III
parseled a. ally other time. The groves gHt with tie
brave pomp Of the changing leaf, seemed 20 nave
borrowed the spenicr of the rainbow 70 wear as
scaif. The warm dreamy dsys were followed by chil
frightening nights, which llumined by msgni-
fctn, Iectacles, Visible only in the wLd est men
the hand Of the frost Las GCne i. work IL the ts oi
the yea. scsthirg and bastIg the long gra's Of tue
prsiries rer derg cry ali cooustioe as ncet the
ettlers, following the example OF the indian are &C.
ou.tomed 10 fire IT, not 90 much DOW ioF the SAKE 0i
the game a. from the notion that the coLhssr VII
enrich tie 1ext Summers crops Of grass. a. your rosa
skirts the ecge OF the timber, ANA the deepening
sh AIDES of the tail git, you see slrse ueIy column
rising, Cu il the sea O; olgbted Veiduie r4OM
60 uf.n Il b,nges 70 = py rsmid Of fame The Wind
rses the pyramid i nei iuio region OF uefY
serp.r.s tns yrihe and leap, and ds-t oGSsfd tlef
beads high IL az, wsylrg ara Dendng iorsafd tHen
tossing themselves erect e. preparing ioE reS sli
uors desperate sprus. Al emba ed host OF Dragons
parophei with NAL sluott too bright 20 look upon,
bar tered with eathed tCi- Of smoke Ike brea,hlag,
q tie pit iheT eIraid seems be the destruction @;
II scrd. They swift the hee,est horss, aud
their sound : Ike the sseep Of the tempest. he
drsgoIs disappear, ami II ther place stands "a. OF
fre stretching scloss the plain from ore verge u the
bCrizCn 10 the other, wal whose presence L the
touch Of jesn 70 every living thing Tie reIt dsy
yCur way lies by the side Of waste, spparenty
bour dle;s the ocean black the waters Of Acne
ron and carop.ed with clouds OF smoke.
U.gsly had the esco!. Of q hieri from oce ap-
poiutmeI 10 The next tina, my horse and l. between
us might learn tae way. Rising early N the morning
breskiastirg for ak or seven months N tAe !eh "
cardlehzht OF the blaze Of pine-krc.., the mea-
having slwsys been preceded by reading or recns
chapter from the Bible, singing AM prayer we were
pepa.e ed 10 enter upon the duties Of the iay WIN ue
risiug Of the sun. ny noble Charley was A.s!t
attended to- fed CURED ard brushed, with scIupa4ons
Gaze From ore to three hcuis were then passed u
trdv and then 70 horse or the preachrg place OF Ioe