The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1867-09-10
For the Richmond Dispatch.
Professor Edwin Taliafcrro.


For the Richmond Dispatch.
Professor Edwin Taliaferro.
In the Dispatch Of the 9Th is contained
the following notice:
"Died, at Bellville, Gloucester county,
Va, on Sunday morning, September lst,
Edwin Taliaferro, Professor of Languages
in William and Mary College, and late
major in the Ordnance Department OF
Confederate States army, aged thlrty-tWo
years."
Thus, in the fullness Of youth, land yet in
the fullness of learning and usefulness, has
fallen a man who could have adorned any
position and delighted any society. There
has been no richer intellect, no nobler
spirit, among all the slowed and lost'' OF
Virginia in all these bitter days!
The writer of this knew Professor
Taliaferro from boyhood up, in every
office and relation Of life; and while he
cannot now write calmly of one whom he
loved so well, yet he can truly say that no
| words of sorrow could be charged with ex-
| aggeration upon the loss of such q man
He was endowed with some of the highest
gifts of intellect, that were enriched WIFI
| all the graces Of deep and manifold learn
| ing. Becoming first Master of Arts 0!
the University of Virginia at an early age,
he had then spent several years in Europe
in study and travel, and the writer feels
confident he speaks the truth when ne
nronounces him to have been the best
scholar he has ever known in the Ian
guages and literature Of modern Europe.
Returning TO Virginia in 1858, he was
made professor Of Latin ard Romano Ian.
guages in that venerable institution, Will
liam and Mary, and in this position he not
only maintained his high reputation for
talents and scholarship, but, by cha racter
and conduct, won the respect and admiration
of every circle of society. here he T'as
rapidly rising to the highest ranks of his
profession, when the war interrupted his
Iabors. Though he might have claimed
exemption from military duty on the
ground of his profession, or even then OF
failing health, yet he ws5 among the first
TO volunteer. Entering the service as nd.
jutant of the Thirty second regiment Vir.
GINA volunteers commanded by Cclcne
3. L. Ewcll, the president Of William and
Nary, he was afterwards transferred t
the staff Of Major General McLaws, where
he won distinction on many occasions ir
| actual battle, and was finally promoted II
the rank of major of artillery, and assigned
| to the command of the arsenal at Macon
Ca, where his scientific knowledge and
mechanical talents were Of valuable service
At the end of the war he returned to his eos
at William and Mary (now laid in ashes)
and there continued HE arduous labors
doing double service, until Frustrated by
disease. But so full was he yet Of life ant
hope, Ut noble ambition and far-reachin,
enterprise, that he could scarcely be in
duced to surrender his duties until actu
ally disabled; end rarely, indeed, has
life been cut short that was fuller of no
blest zeal and Of highest promise. Hi
talents were of no common order; his taste
were the loftiest and most refined. To
solid and matured scholarship he added
high poetic genius, which he had cult
waited with equal modcsty and devotion
Concealing his original productions fror
all eyes but those Of intimate friends, h
had yet given to the world some transla
tons of the best lyrics in German, French
and Spanish, which are not inferior to III
best that have ever been produced
and both in poetical literature and in tn
more solid learning of his profession, tn
writer has been privileged to read others {
his manuscripts, which gave high rromis
both of usefulness and Of fame, some {
f which, at least, it is hoped his friends ma
yet deem it proper to publish.
But beyond all this, higher, deeper
lovelier than intellect, learning, or genius
lay that pure and spotless character
those sweet and gracious manners, tha
manly yet tender heart, that made Edwin
Taliaferro more than admired-that mad
him honored, trusted, loved. Here no Ian
guage could do him more than justice. II
was indeed gentleman sans peur ct san
reproche. The writer has known him un
der every circumstance Of trial, of tempta
ton, of vexation; yet he never knew hr
to be under any circumstances any othe
than the pure and lofty gentleman, tn
Christian, the upright, courteous, faithful
heroic man. No man ever deserved sue
praise more than he. And to all thes
qualities that inspired confidence and re
spect there was added peculiar sweet
ness Of manner, a gentle, deli
cate, almost feminine tenderness O
nature, that made him supremel
charming in society and rendered him 81
premely dear to all who knew him well
Such life cannot be too highly honored
The loss Of such man cannot be to
widely mourned, especially in such time
as these, when such men are SO sorcl
needed. Such an example should nc
perish, and it cannot. His brief life, full {
noble deeds and Of Hottest aspirations, ha
not been lived in vain; and though we Sc
him no more after the flesh, yet his monu
ment and his influence remain, and sha
remain, in the hearts of those that kne,
and loved him. The alumni and student
Of William and Mary College, whcreye
they may bc-and especially those who's
high privilege it was to sit beneath hi
teachiugs-will all unite to mourn his los
and to perpetuate his memory.
Washington College, Va, September