New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1866-07-21
SATURDAY MORNING. JULY q, 1866.
a Remarkable Charaeter-The Admira bic
CrichtUn"

Among the remarkable characters who have
riLen to astonish the beholders, or to elicit the
eolat of nm admirng world, we may fairly place
high on the list James Crichton, who was born In
Scotland in 1861, and who has in all succeeding
times, on account of his singular talents and ac'
Complishments, been called Admirable erich
tom" The celebrated Dr.. Johnson, (8lst No. OF
the AdVenturer) grayely speaks Of him as fol.
lows:
" Among the favorites of nature that have from
time to time appeared in the world, enriched WIN
various endowments and contrarletles OF excel
lence, none seem to have been more exalted above
the common rate of humanity than the man known
about two centuries ago by the appelIatton OF the
Admirable Crichton," of whose history, what
ever we may suppress as surprising credibilty
yet we shall upon incontestable authority, relate
enough to rank him among prodigtes. .-.....,
Virtue says Virgil, Is better aceeplel
when it comes in pleasant foFm the person OF
Urichton was emnently beautiful; but ms beauty
was consistent with such activity and strength
that in fencing he would spring at one bound the
length of twenty feet upon his antagonist, ana he
used the sword in either hand with such de&terity
that scarce any one had courage to engage MN.
"Hayng studied at St.Andrew's, in Scotland
he went to Paris in his twenty first year, and
affixed on the ga of the college OF Navarro a
kind of challenge to the learned of that university
to dispute with him on a certain day; offering to
his opponents whoever they should be, the choice
of twelve lahguages-Hebrew, Synac, AfaeiGt
Creek Latin. Spanish. French, Italian, English,
Dutch Flemish and SClavOuan-and this either IN
verse or prose. at the discretion of the several
disputants; and also Of all the faculties and
sciences. On the day appointed three thousand
auditors assembled, when four doctors OF tne
church and fifty mhsters appeared against MN ;
and one of his antagonists cuniesses that the aocr
tors were defeated that he gave PROOFS Oh
knowledge above the reach Of man; ard that a
hundred years passed without food or sleep WOuld
not be sufficient FOR the attainment OF MS learn
ing. After q disputaton OF nine years. he was
presented by the president ana professors wlth
diamond and purse OF gold, and dismissed with
repeated aoclanation.
From Paris he went to Rome, where he made
the same challenge, and had, in the presence OF
the Pope and cardinals, the same success. After
wards he contracted at Venice. an acquaintance
with AlduA Manntius, by whom he was introduced
to the learned Of that city; then Slsited Padua
where he engaged IN another disputauon, oegln
ming bis performance with eXtempOral poem IN
praise Of the city, and the assembly then present
and concluding with an grafton, equally unpre
medtated, in Condemnation of ignorance,
He afterwards published another challenge, II
which he declared himself ready to detect The
errors of Aristotle, aud all his commentators
eitheriu the common forms of logic or in any way
which his antagonists should propose, of hundred
different kinds OF verse. ... .. ... .-..... .
These acquisitions Of learning, however stu
pendous, were not gained at the expense Of an
pleasure in which youth generally INDUCES, or b.
the omission of aLy accomplishments in which ]
becomes gentleman to excel. He practiced il
great perfection the arts of drawing and painting
he was an eminent performer in both local and in
strumental music he danced with uncommo
gracefuness, and on the day after his disputatio
at Paris exhibited his skill in hoTsemanship befor
the court Of France, where at 10 public match 9
fitting he bore away the ring upon his lance hi
teen times together. -.s
HE excelled likewise in domestic games of les
dignity and reputation; and IN the interval %
tween his challenge and disputation at Paris, h
spent so much Of his time at cards, dice and tel
mis-, that a ampoon was fixed upon the gate {
Sorbonne, directing those that would see this MOI
utar NJ tn lnnE n
SO extensive was his acquaintance with life an
manners, that in an Italian comedy composed b
himself and exhibited before the court of Mantu
he is said to have persOnated fifteen different cha
acters, in all Of which he might succeed withol
great difficulty, since he had such power Of rete
ton, that once hearing an Grafton of an hour, /
would repeat it exactly, and in the recital folio
the speaker through all his variety Of tone ar
Nor was his skin in arms less than in learnih
or his courage inferior to his skill. There was
prize fighter at Mantua, who, travelling about Il
world, according to the barbarous custom OF th
age, as a general challenger, had defeated Il
most celebrated masters in many parts OF Europ
and in Mantua, where he then resided, had Kill
three that had appeared against him. The Du
repented that he had granted him his pr0tecto
when Crichton, looking on his sangunary succe
with indignation, offered to stake fifteen hundr
pstoles, and mount the stage against him.
The duke, with some reluctance, consented, a
on the day fixed, the combatants appeared-tht
weapons seem to have been single raper, viii
was then newly introduced in Italy. The pri;
fighter advanced with great violence and tiert
ness and Crichton contented himself calmly
ward Ills masses and suffered him to exhaust
vigor nv his own inry. Crichton then became
assaila6t, and pressed upon him with such FOL
and agility that he thrust him thrice through
BODY and saw him expire; he then divided
prize he had won among the widows whose HI
bands had been kniea, ,.r,, .,,,, ,,,,.io,, =,
me DEAN on Ihls moHqeli l tnaIl MI. iJt
In MS tWenty.lhra year3 9hoUlu ps "iHI;E
cungpaI. did | not know that every reader VIII
qure cuHousy after t4a1 ia.ai Dlo@ %AC : ~ c(
mon to all human beings, however alstlhS uiSi
from each other oy nature OF by lorGuAg'
The Duke OF Mantua having received SO ila
proofs Of his various merits, made INN tator TO
son Nincentio dt GonZage, a prince OIL loose N
ners and turbulent disposition On THIS 9c .i
it was that he composed the comedy IN Whch
exhibited SO many different characters VAIN TX
prnprietv. But his honor was OF short cont