Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1875-07-09
AN INTERESTING LETTER.


Some of the speeches at the semi-centen-
Mai commencement of the University OF
VIRGINIA showed that while colleges may
and do give man desirable amount OF
education, they cannot give him wisdom,
and the reader will not miss their printing;
but they would sadly miss the :eproduc-
ton of the following letter OF an old English
scholar who was Professor OF Languages
at the University when it opened, hall
century ago. 1t was read at the SEMI
centennial, and is published in the Rich
mond dispatch. 1t is a private letter
addressed by Prof. George Long, OF Eng
land, to Prof Henry Tutwiler, and its
reading was cheered by the alumni:
FORTIFIED, CHICHESTER,
May 80. 1873.
My Dear Friend SEM you lew Wofos,
at your request, which you may use as you
please.
Early in December, 1924, | Travelled from
Washington to Fredericksburg, where |
stayed I'LL night. do not know how L
was known, but d gentleman called on me
and asked me to his house, and 1 spent a
pleasant evening. [ saw some young VIZ
ginian ladies there, and l thought they
were very charming. [ was amused with
the curiosity which my new friends showed
to hear some news about England. A
gentleman came up to me and asked how
| left MI. Campbell. the poet. Luckily l
had lately called on him in London ON
some business about a relation OF his who
thought of emigrating to America, and
could therefore give satisfactory answer.
At Fredericksburg [ first tasted corn.
bred, and | used it all the lime that L lived
I in Viryinia. / wish that | could have it
| now.
From Fredericksburg I had two days
rather unpleasant journey to Charlottes-
vile in the stage-coach. The roads were
bad, the accommodation not good, and the
company indifferent. The young men OF
the present day can hardly conceive what
this road was then, for [ suppose that
there is now railroad the whole distance.
At the University lived at least two
months in the house which was assigned
| to me, in great solitude, and during bad
weather 1t would have been still worse ii
/ had not experienced the Kindness of the
| proctor, Mr.. Brockenbrough. whose wife's
sister [ afterwards married. The other
professors had embarked in an English
vessel for Norfolk, and they had a very
! long passage. The ship was described to
me as something like an old hay-stack.
| 1t could Just float and go before the wind.
[ had more wisely embarked i'll one of the
| New York American packets from Liver
pool Since that time the English have
| learned to build good ships for the Amerl-
can trade When my brother professors
arrived at the University they found me
| eating corn-bread and already q Virglnlan
in taste and habits. Things were rather
rough, but have always had and still
have the faculty Of making myself happy
! under anV circumstances. A few days at
| ter INV arrival at the University / walked
| up to Monticello to see
! MR. JEFFERSON.
I made myself known to his servant and
was introduced into his great room. In a
few minutes tall, digaifed old man en-
tered, and after looking at me a moment.
said. ssAre you the new Professor OF
Ancient Languages?" [ replied that
was. He observed, "You are very young;'
! to which | answered that would grow
older. He smiled, and said that was true
He was evidently startled at my youthful
and boyish appearance, and could plainly
see that he was disappointed. We fell to
talking, and I stayed to dine with him.
He was grave and rather cold in his man.
ner, but he was very polite; and ! Was
pleased with his simple Vlrginian dress
tation. | remember this interview as if ii
took place yesterday.
During my solitary residence before the
University opened [ visited Monticello
several times, and occasionally passed the
night there I thought that MI. Jefferson
became better satisfied with the boy pro-
fessor, and we talked ON all subjects. He
saw that | took great interest i'll the geog-
raphy of America and in the story of the
Revolution, and he told me much about
it, but i'll a very modest Way as to himself
Declaration Of Independence, and he could
clearly see that [ was in habits. as [ have
always been and still am, a man who pre-
ferred plain republican institutions to the
outward show and splendor 6f European
kingdoms when | say republican institu-
lions mean genuine II publican, for re-
publts nay have the name. and very little
besides, that value.
| often saw Mr.. Jefferson between this
time and his DEATH When he came on his
/ horse to the University lie generally called
on me. His thoughts were always about
this new place of education, of which he
was ; really the founder; and though the
| first few Years OF the University were not
quite satisfactory he confidently looked
forward to the future and 20 the advaa-
tages which the State would derive from
the young men who were educated in the
University of Virginia.
remember we'll long conversation
which l once had with Mr.. Jefferson on
] GEORGE WASHINGTON.
/ He smoke of him freely and generously as
of a man of great and noble character
| Mr.. Tucker. In his life of Jefferson, has
| given the character of George Washington
as Jefferson wrote it, &nG it is, perhaps,
certain that the character was written at
the time when MI. Jefferson spoke of
| Washington to me, though he told me
something more than the written charac-
| ter contains, but nothing that is contra
dickory to it. The character is exceeding
| " well written, and it proves that as d
| mere writer Jefferson might have eXcelled
most men Of his day,
discovered that Mr.. Jefferson was well
| acquainted with Polybius, who is not d
! good writer, but man Of excellent sense
and the soundest Judgment. The last
time that saw Mr.. Jefferson, when he
was suffering from complaint which
caused his death, he was reading Pliney' s
letters. and we had some talk about pas
sage A few weeks after, when ! was at
the Sweet Springs during the summer va
cation, heard Of his death. There was
much foolish display in Virginia. and
some extravaganza honlbastia olations.
Those who hal more sense showed their
feeling ip ANOTHER way. The man Who.had
done So much for Virginia and the United
States was honered fef his services, for
his talents, and for his gFeat ana simple
character. He ought TO be leYeral by all
who enjoy the advantage of being educated
| liz his University, and ever remembered as
! one Of the great men whom Virginia has
| produced. His great deeds are recorded
| in the aptapif which he wrote FOR his own
| tomb.
Soon after my arrival in Virginia | re
ceiyed a letter from Mr.. Madison, whom [
had not then seen. Re2sked me if conld
write something in the newspapers which
would give the people some notion 81 What