Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1860-04-19
CITY AND STATE AFFAIRS.


Mn. THonPsos's LEcrURE.-Mr. Thompson's
lecture on Edgar Allan Poe. delivered at the Hall
Of the Young Mems Christian Association in this
,,;tv. on Tuesday evening. was attended By nu-
mnrnus. in'ei!isen' and highly appreciatise auli-
once IL j. hardly necessary tete!l th'se ut our read
ors wh1 were So unfortunate rs not 10 hnre been ~
attcnaance. that the discourse was-maikei Ivy nil
,he scholarly aud poetic graces which so greatly
distinguish nil the productions ol Mr.. Thompson
r;chly gifted mind In the beginning oil his DIS.
course. tina, tender grace OF charity, that we IRE
usually 80 unwilling, or unable to accord to 9TH
crs. was invoked by the speaker in behalf Of the
wonderfully gifted but unforiunat and errct:c
,cnius. Poe. The very intolcraut article on Mr..
Pro recently reuubished in this country from the
Edinburgh Review. FIR April, 1858, in which the
m, At injurious anecdotes Of DR.. Griswoli's me-
m,;r have aeon most patiently copied and talicis
- and their cnarmties enhanced by the gratu-
,,us suggestions and assumptions OF the writer,
,yns referred to in scathng terms, and the hycna-
Ek, propensities If the reviewer held up to the
.,,xe and extcration Ut nil right-thinklng and
iisht-minded people.
Mr. Thump,ei's estimate Of the literary char
aceristics OF Poe. was we thought, eminently
lust and discriminating, and accorded fully with
our own preconceived opinions. Inc lecturers
personal "reminiscences of the poet. with w!iomhe
long enjoyed an intimate acquaintance were ex-
ceedingly interesting, and gave us clearer
idea Of Poe's peculiar organization aud tempe
rament than we were, before, in possession
of. Gould we believe that any plea urse1 in
cxtcnuation Of Elgar Poe's inGrmites and err
would make the fatal path lie trod less ahho,ent to
others, such would have never been proferel
No human sympathy, no human charity could
avert the penalties of that erring life. Ono clear
Glance into its mournfu corrid,rs--i,s halls Of
ira gedy and chambers Of retributon." would ap-
nal The Lodest heart.
Theodore Parker has said that ''every man of
genius has to hew out for himself from the hard
marbles of lifc the white statue IF .Tranqnility
Thosewho have best succeeded in this sublime
work. will best know how to look with pity and
reyerent awe upon the melancholy torso which
alone remains to us OF Edgar Poe's misguided ef
forts to achieve that beautiful and august statue of
Peace" In these concluding paragraphs Of II recent
work written by woman, with the charitable In
tent of defending the memory of this Inflated
child of genius from the obloquy attempted to be
heaped upon it by his literary rivals and eneme the
general scope and chief object Of Mr.. Thompson's
effort is Swallowed firth.
We regret to hear, that i. is Mr.. rs intention
to remove from Richmond at an early day. HIS
future residence will he Augusta. Ga where,
We learn, he will devote himself entirely
to literary pursuits. Virginia can lily spare such
a son, specially at a time when she seems
to have awakened in some slight degree, to the
importance of developing and cherishns her ill.,
tcllectual resources. Wc wish Mr. Il. the most
unbounded success in his new home.
IMPROVEMENT OF TWELFTH STRgEr.-We understand
that memorial is now being circulated, and will be
presented to the Council at its next meeting praying
that that body make appropriation for the improve
ment of Twelfth Street, better known as Poes Tan
Yard Alley We earnestly hope that the petition of
the memoriasts will meet with the favor it deserves
at the hands of the Council If we except Main
Street. there is other horoughfare in the city, rs
much used as is the one in question, and certainly
tln la caAi in yauto of mail pyD I'm
of money to make it what it ought to be. During
the winter; wagons and pedestrians are almost sub
merged in mud. whilst in summer, the dust is so in
toerablc almost cut oil TINT portion of the city
from intercourse with the more favored sections.
This may to be rather shly drawn picture Of
the present condition Of that locality but in conrmn-
ton of what has been stated, confidently appeal
to the denizens Of that much neglected district. We
understand that some five or SIX years since, the
Counci made n liberal appropriation for the paving
of this Street but from some or other, the sum
appropriated diverted Fl ON the channel indicated,
and expended in improvements not contemplated
when the money was voted. While feel assured
that the Street Committee have, within the last few
yearsperformed great msunt Of gratutous labor in
this connection, and expended large sums of monr5
in the Improvement Of streets, sill it was not
to be expected that the members of that Committee
could give much of their personal attention TO the
matter, as its importance demanded, and 10 this cir
cumstance, more than any other, do attribute the
present condition of some Of our suburban streets.
AZ already intimated we think the Council will meet
n great public waut by voting jndicous appropria-
tion for paving and otherwise improving Twelfth
Street