Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1866-11-06
From the Galena Gazette.
JAMES G. PERCIVAL.

| julius H. Ward has published the
LiteS and Letters of James Gates
| Per9ival," the poet, who died at
HazSi Green, few years ago. We
have not seen the book, but have
seensnotices of it. At the time of
his feath, Mr.. Percival was pro
noun ted by men capable of Judging
of such q matter, the most learned
man n the United States, if not in
the world. There was no branch of
learning that he had not mastered,
and that more completely than other
scholars. Yet, he was so eccentric, SO
different from other men, that the
task of writing his life must have
been j most difficult one indeed. He
always seemed to Us to have two
points in his character which are
we'll calculated to make man mis-
erablc-he had low selfesteem, but
high Sambition. He knew that he
knew more than others, and this
gave him pleasure. But, let any
one, accidentally or other wise wound
his sely esteem and all the powers of
his mind seemed to fly around it for
its protection, as naturally as moth
err would fly to protect her helpless
infant in its cradle, when in danger.
1t was his weak part, and defense
was needed. The praise of him was
even more an offense than censure.
A gentleman in Galena, who was
once very intimate with him, got
along very well on intimate terms
till he one day, with the best intent
in the world, thoughtlessly tried to
be of service to him by commenting
a feat Of his in Geology, in this pa
per. Perciyal was never communi-
cative TO him afterwards. The idea
that he could be helped or that be
needed ne help of q newspaper writer,
was TO him most disagreeable. The
offending gentleman, to cap the eli
max, when Percival was alone at
hotel, and complaining of i'll health,
tried to introduce him to his wife,
hoping that her gentle and soothing
voice might comfort him or her in
genuity relieve him. He turned on
him in disdaln, and that was the last
time our friend ever saw poor, proud
PercivaI, who at the same time that
he thought himself a great man in
one sense, thought himselfa child in
another
Perhaps the last few months of
Pereivaiss life were the most misera-
Bile. He was weak, nervous and melan-
cboly. A friend in whom he had the
most confidence inquired the cause.
Percival told him that he was cut of
money, and afraid of becoming bur
den to 90 re one. He was at that
time State Goologist of Wisconsin.
His friend said nothing, except some
words Of consolation, but wrote to
the Governor of Wisconsin. inquiring
how Percival's salary stood on the
books. The answer was, that the
State was IN debt to him, and the
Governor inclosed in the letter the
balance, several hundred dollars.
Here another difficulty interposed
Percival had been sick, and failed to
finish l,is report, and hence, in the
poets estimation, he had no right TO
take pay, lie could not in conscience,
touch dollar of the money. Some
men, nowadays, are not so particular.
How the :hing was got along with,
as to the money, we do not know,
But, from thas time our friend took
him into Biz family, and till death re,
lieved hin. Of the troubles of earth,
Percival had every kindness shown
him that was possible to bestow on
such man.
Ills death was remarkable as his
life. He literally starved himself to
death, under the false impression that
be had been bitten by mad dog.
The friend, at whose house he died,
was a physician, and knowing the
weakness Of his patient, kept away
from him as far as possible his medi-
cal books One day, however, there
came by mail, q Philadelphia medi-
cal quarterly, and Percival got hold
of it and vent to devouring It's con
tents with the usual avidity.-
Among the cases reported was OF one
who had died Of hydrophobia. Sew
eral weeks previous to this, it seems
that Percival had in fact been bitten
by dog, bur 10 one supposed that
the dog was mad, not even Percival,
who now, fer the first time, could
see what notody else could, that he
had the premonitory symptoms Of
hydrophobja. From that time till be
died he refused to take liquid, for
fear that ii would throw him into
commissions. Every effort was made
by entrealy and otherwise to disa-
buse his mind Of that idea, but in
vain. On most things bis mind was
as clear as purity itself, but on this
one his imagination was TO him
faith. He fingered q number of days
in this condition and died more from
exhaustion than from disease.
4 short eine before be breathed
his last, called forhis watch which had
always been reliable in the measure
ment of time He looked at it and
appeared to be absorbed in deep
study, and then remarked that it was
too slow for the motion of the earth
He then went to work counting the
seconds, one, two, three, &C.. till he
reached fifteen, when he said that it
was that number OF seconds variant
! fr.,yn tbs aarrhs motion IT haiDC So