Evansville daily journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1863-1866, 1863-12-22
Letter From Junius,

The following letter will be eagerly
read by the many friends of Junius II.
Browne, now in castle Thunder, at Rich
mond. His peculiarities are prominent
through the entire epistle, and show that
be is himself, even in a rebel prison.
CASTLE THUNDER, RrcHMoxG, Va, !
Thursday Afternoon, Nov, &c, '63. !
EDITORS TIMEs-FeartuI that l may
forget how to write, semi-occasionally
practice on those mythical creatures
known in polite society as " friends, the
lost art of hieroglyphics. anever was
remarkable, you know, for my legible
chirography, and now my hands are so
cold in this freless apartment, orna.
mented with ragged men and iron bars,
that I can hardly hold my pen.
Fuel is very scarce down,here, and as
we have no fire four-ftths of the time,
we take refuge in the one or two blankets
we have the good fortune to own, in the
vain effort to keep warm. The weather
las teel rather moderate thus far; but
when the genuine winter comes, the com
fortableness of our situation will, of
course, be greatly increased. wish l
owned an interest in a woodward, and
could convey it hither. Fuel just now
is better than sympathy or love, and al
most as scarce an article.
We have nothing new in the Castle ex-
cept the small pox. OF that we have
new cases almost daily. In the depart
ment of tie prison where we are confn-
ed with some ifty others, nearly dozen
instances Of this poetic disease have de-
clared themselves this month.
have refused to be vaecinated be-
cause do not think so fine an opportu-
nifty of getting out of prison by the gen.
erous agency of the small pox, as is now
presented, should be neglected.
We all expect to have the charming
complaint, and ! look for an improve
ment in my personal appearance; you
must remember | am as handsome as
Ksop or Loame Jenyns, provided 1 re-
cover from the delicious desease.
Perhaps 1 may escape. My fellow
Bohemians say there is not enough Of
me left to be infected. L rather in cline
to this opinion, for | was compelled the
other day, when l went into the yard be-
low, to make six attempts before l could
cast shadow in the sunlight l am as
thin as the subject matter of q religious
novel.
Well, well, what shall say that will
pass current with ''the authorities?'
You know what l want to write, but can
not Under existing circumstances 7
must use the words of Montesquien to
D'Alembert, when the former declined
to write for the Encyclopedias: "Je
chant toujours la meme chose"
BY the by, l have heard that an i'm
preston has obtaiued in uniformed
circles that Mr. Richard Z. Colaurn, of
the New York World, procured his re-
lease here last May, by some kind of
disloyalty to his Government, or his con-
freres of the Tribune, (Mr. A. D. Rich
ardson and myselD. OF course, no one
who knows Mr.. Colburn would harbor
such an idea; but as many may not be
informed of the circumstances, | would
state that no more loyal or honorable
! gentleman than he is reckoned among
my acquaintance. In all things. he
proved himself entirely true to our
cause, and genuine and generous
friend to ourselves. We owe him much
for his preserving efforts in our behalf,
and regard him as one of the frmest and
most faithful friends we have had dur
ing our captivity.
l have several times been on the point
of freshening my ideas of German, and
think shall begin earnestly next month.
[ still play the part of Latin Professor
to Richardson, who expects to 60 through
all the classics before his release. l am
now meditating a work on high Meta
physics, to be written in the language
and after the manner of Schopenhauer
and as / design giving only twenty years
to the task, the labor will be accom- plish-
ed long before my confinement ends
Health good, and spirits superhuman for
one who has endured over seven months
ofexclusive society in Virginia.
JUNIUs H. BROWNE.