Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1859-06-22
Jftistellaneous.
An Amusing Letter.

Rev. Francis C. johnson, we'll known in
this community, now residing at Micanopy,
East Florida, writes the following laconic
letter to the Editor of the Marietta (Ga.)
Adc6cate, in which the reader will find much
that is original and interesting.
MIcASoPY, EAST FLORIDA, May Sd, 1859.
Mr.. HUNT-Dear Sr:-I have been think.
ing sometime of sending you two things, lst, q
two.dollar note, in payment for your excellent
journal. This know, will be acceptable
deed what man is there, that eats and wears
clothes, who is not pleased when he receives
having vocation IN maffta aafftaiR is it that am
in none more than in this, that they are often
badly paid; laboring, as they are for the pub.
lie good, are often the last to get paid, for
their labor This is-aot as it should bea But
it Isl Gas it is," and d-some pueo> wrote
whatever is, is right" which certainly is not
true, or if it be true, why then wish several
things that are right (since they are) we're
wrong. However, this is a very abstruse and
Improbable subject and is not at all what I
started to write about. The other thing,
which I have been intending to send you is q
communication about Florida,-I mean East
Florida. But before l come to said COM
munication-now know you will think this
is a very rambling, incoherent and disjointed
piece to print-(you can just not print it, you
know if you please.) Grant it, friend, but
am preacher, and an extemporaneous preach
er, poor preacher and poorly paid preacher I;
such a man may be allowed to wander, and if
not, who may?-I was going to ask you if
you ever read Persius, that witty fellow, who
declares in his prologue, that it was not from
the Muses-and Parnassus &c.,-that he drew
his inspiration. No, indeed. Well where
then2 Hear him:
Magtster a,ziS, ingenntque largitor venter,
aaegatas artitfer sequi roces.
The note upon this excellent passage, saith
it means, "a hungry belly giveth skill and
power, which nature had denied "and illus.
trates the meaning by the proverb "Aulta
docet fames," which also the Greeks had
PolIon limos gignetai didaskalos." The
commentators then understand Persius to say
that lack of victuals produceth superabun-
dance of knowledge aud genius. he that
lacks money must therefore lack something to
Exhibitors and Preachers ought to have
knowledge and abilities in greatplenty. Don't
pay them; then they will be starved and
then they will be full of knowledge and pow.
er. Now / think this horrid Interpretation of
Persius, having become widely difused through
the community, has been the cause why we
are neglected, when pay day comes.
There never was a greater mistake than
"empty stomach, full head" "weak stomach,
strong brains,"-I know it; all history proves
it is mistake. For see: civilized nations are
better fed than savage. Compare the English
who eat beef and the French who eat frogs.
Which nation hath better laws, religion, arts,
morals which stronger men? Let Agin.
court Cressy, Poctiers, Waterloo answer,
Compare the Revolution Of the Hungry
French, with the Revolution Of tho Beef Eat,
ing English.
Compare OUT glorious Republic in any res.
pect and every respect with any and all coun.
tries, ancient and modern. Sir, victuals
abound in this country, good substantial vic.
tuals. Hence religious, sensible, good
people. No sir, Persius hath been misunder.
stood. IfI could think he meant what his
commentators make him out, 1 should burn
him, should. Examine his words; he saith,
center, I. e. stomach, maagister artis de-, that
means is master or teacher of art que, and,
largitor, 6estoacer, ingenui, of genius. What
sort of renter2 Tacuus aut plenusP say
plainly full stomach, o full stomach-then
can man think, or work, or write, or speak
not an empty stomach, from the cavernous
depths of which issue low, muttering, grum.
bling voices, as much as to say ell me-"
Let me conclude then by exhorting the pub.
lie to amend their ways in this thing. I ex-
hort thee, oh good mot so very good, Mr..
Editor) public, which readeth the paper, and
listeneth to the sermon; Pay the editor and
pay the preacher, and you will have less fault
to & with them. But enough.
East Florida. What about it? Why it is
one of the best countries in the world.
l. 1t is healthy, remarkably so. In this
respect find the country to be what did not
expect it to prove. But Mr.. Editor, this is a
rery healthy country. do not hesitate to
say that it is healthier country than upper
Georgia and that Micanopy is healthier than
Marietta.
2. Why do we hear so much then Of chill
and fever? Answer, because you are so far
off. When I lived in Marietta well recollect
that gentleman from near Augusta, was
forced by his business to visit Marietta GER
tain summer. Now sir, this gentleman was
in trepidation for his health, and had been
warned BY his wife to make his stay as short
as possible, because of the great sickness of
Marietta. He thought it dangerous to be
there. Now.sir lived there, and did not
knnw that IL wan uphealdy. Wyuu RR1t to