Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1858-1860, 1860-03-12
Genius aud Misery.

Professor J. III. IsGRAHAN. the well known
and popular author. has been contributing
some sketches lately to the Southern Field and
Ffreside Augusta, Ga. In the course of these
be Describes visit to the grave of S. s. PREM
TIss, at Natcbez. Mis-, and takes occasion to
explain the secret Of the unhappy and irreg-
ular life of that marvellous and meteoric
genius With what glowing admiration and
with what tender sympathy Professor ISGRA-
HAM touches the theme, the subjoined extract
will show:
Emerging from a romantic dell we came
upon n biz road which led US to small
brick enclosed cemetery. half hidden by
shrubbery. We bad inquired for Premises
grave, and we were told we should find it
within this quiet enclosure, wherein three or
fouT ancient looking, mofs-grown tombs were
visible, half obrcured by vines The iron
gate was locked. / climbed it. and making
my way through matted grass and tangled
creepers, stood before the upright slab of
" bite marble which marked the resting place
of the great orator / barred nv head in the
presence OF the mighty dead for, with all
his iniirmities, Prentiss was the peer OF the
greatest intellecis of his age Justice has
not yet been done TO his noble character. His
Iiy. He was lame-very lame, and had been
so from bis birth. When he grew to boy
hood. sensitive, and talented and ambitious.
he felt keealy his lamenes-, and wept over a
defoFmlty which, in his own mind, degraded
him in the presence of his schoolmaies. Ear
ly he learned to taste the bitterness of an
ambitious and lofty spirit, feeling physical
inferiority- while he was proudly conscious
OF intellectual superiority. When he became
man bis painful sensitiveness to his lame
ness led him to withdraw himself from all f,-
male sUcitty. Under The eland OF his morbid
feelings he iarcied woman scorned him. He
felt bundled and degraded in her presence
The barb TINS ranked ever in bis heart. He
did not know till long Ifterward, when a love
ly WOMAN gave him her heart and hand, that
a trur woman IL interested more nv The spleu-
dor OF mind in man than symmetry of person;
that beautiful women look rather to The in
tell, CT aud are dazzled by IL, no matter how
plain the caskeI.
For thirteen years of his earlier manhood
he refused introduction 10 ladies. Such was
the sen-itiveness of this proud naturei He
well knew his own intellectual powers, and
knowing them, he drspiSed more and more
his inlirm body. aud believed that all others
did. Yet his face was wOndcrts lily handsome
His head was large and nUb'e. aud grand in
outline. His smile WIS beautiful. His pow
ers of conversation were imperial and unap-
proachable. yet constantly feeding upon his
own morbid emotions, he de-pised himself. |
He fit (Iike sume mighty angel in chains, |
BIZ und to- a body that lacked the fell and per-
feet impress OF his kind Ti.is one unendura-
BILE idea was never absent from him. Once |
an injndicious friend, indiscIeet with wine, |
said. ..Prenti>s what made you lamef"
Gods curse sir!'
Thin. IuI ming his back upon him, with a |
lip trembling with unIati'omable f. cling. be |
covered his face with his bands. and hasten
ing-to his chamber cast himself upon the b. d !
in a paroxysm of bitter weeping. Who could /
not pity such a mani Who shall wonder, oh. |
uncharitable Pharisee, that he sought relief |
at the gaming board, stalking thousands reck- /
lessIy upon a card or in the intoxication OF |
the winc-cup? He gambled not for money; |
he drank not from love of strong drink; but |
90 escape the pressure of damning thought. |
The sight of this infirm limb at times would |
drive this proud man TO fierce despair. What |
cared be for the sots who focked about him |
and drank at his expense? They were his
tools. lie made use of them TO help him
drown reflection. They drank for sens nal
thirst; he to queuch the fires of thought! he
despised them. Not one dared TO take a ia
with him. He who spoke to him
him forevermore!
Who will fling the stone? Who will con-
denim? Who can judge him, who was never
in his place? What mind can conceive of the
and moral torture OF this proud,
brilliant genins. going through life hating his
own form, and stunning, for years. Gods
greatest and best gift to man, for a sense OF |
self -degradaiion in wOman's presence?
No, justice has not been done to this great |
and wonderful man. he was understood by |
but few of his uearcet iriends--never by his
boon companions. They fancied he was such |
q one themselves. when he lowered above
them like "a prince. and dcspised them like |
god. His own brother, who wrote his life in /
two volumes, did not at all compreh, nd his
true char actor. and has unawares lett a false |
and unjust impression of bin upon the mind
Of his readers.
Even the grave lifts up its voice in echo Of
the vulgar opinion which classes him with |
ordinary inebriaies and reckless gam.stcrS.
| was with pain that | read the inscription /
upon the maidstone; il lie with SORROW l copy /
il. l give it below:
:r thou, L rd, shoUidst mark iniquity, who snail
stand
But there is forgivnes. with Thee that Thou may
lie Ared.'
S. 8. Prentiss. horn ct Portland. Maine. |
September 80. 1908 Departed this life at
Sstch-z, July /, 1850.
Had not the holy Bible some other verses
han these bitter ones? We are all sinners
,uf why should this man be held up thus a.
siuneT more than all