The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1876-02-02
FoR THE CENTRAL PRESBYTERIAN.
LETTERS OF DAVIE CALDER TO AN
ELGIN GENTLEMAN.
No. s.


Dear L,-Before leaving Richmond fOr
the Valley, friend had shown me manu-
script by ThOmspOn, Virginia poet. He
certainly wrote lovely hand. We have
never seen its equal. Could your cOrrespOn-
dent write such an one, all your complaints
about my scrawls would come to an end.
He was native of Richmond, we think,
though in this broad land, tbs sometimes
difficult to tell where people are born. There
must be many Homers here, and the Amer
leans could easily assign to each one four
teen instead Of seven cities as places of ma
tiVity. The railways have increased loco
mOtiveness, and people are no longer salts
fed to work velOcipedes with their toes. But
what mighty debt has Watts steam inven-
ton brought upon Virginia. And Scotland
is responsible for holocaust of lives.
Thompson will rank as the Collins of Vir,
ginia; and to Collins, Dr. Johnson has given
an honorable niche. His biography mas moi
yet been written, but should record Of
Southern poets ever appear, he will not be
forgotten. BE was educated at the Univer-
sity of Charlottesville, fine InstitutiOn.-
DR.. McCOsh took birds eye view of the
South, and reflected on its education, but the
University is far superior to the College over
which he presides The grand secret of ed
ucation is that every student should choose
the branches he may prefer. These frac-
tional attainments would end in an sggre-
gate at which the world might soon be as
tonished. Had his studies been less various
Sir w. Jones would have been greater man.
Thompson was an able editor of literary
work in Richmond. He subsequently went
to Europe, about which he wrote book =
An edition of thousand copies was pub
ished, but the books were all burnt with the
exception of glorious minority of one
This incident was given me by Mr.. Frank
Cabell, to whom was introduced. He is a
scholar, but follower of SwedenbOrg. The
Baron was profound man but in his re-
Hgion about as crazy as Queen Christina, OF
the wild man caught in the woods of Ger
many.
Thompson, when abroad, spent some time
in the shire of Cumberland. He no doub
ascended its mountains, and explored tht
vale of Keswick, localities which challenged
the pens of Gray, Wordsworth, ChristOphel
North, and the Junior Coleridge, son to tht
opium eater. But ne did not enrol his name
in the Lake School of Poets. 10 this he wai
wise. The name he bore reminded every
BODY of our Bard of the Seasons. Though
trained at Ednam, KelsO, and Jedburgh, th'
Scottish Thomson sailed from Leith to Lon
don. He passed for an old bachelor, but tn,
proofs that he was married seem of late tt
be irresistible. And yet in 1S47 his siste
at Lanark ieered him in letter about hi
single blessedness, bat in his reply ne doe
not undeceive her, which he ought to hav
done. The Virginia Thompson died at n
very advanced age. Hschylus lived to be
hundred, but the birds pecked at his make
head.
During my scjourn in the Valley l be
came acquainted with several ministers wh
belong to the Synod of Virginia. You hay
asked after this body of venerable men.
was we'll you made no enquiry after th
Presbyterianism of this whole country, fC
we neither could have enlightened you
mind, or grstifed your curiosity upon so vai
a subject. 1t would require another decad
of letters, and my space is limited. Yo
cannot expect person under water to writ
for your correspondent is drowned beneat
foods of daily news. What news? All sOr
of that cheap commodity. Wemust keep
the subject and not mind the arrival of frei
intelligence.
The Synod of Virginia, made up of all
constitutional members, is larger than Il
General Assembly of the Southern Churc
though very far from being equal to the d.
egatiOn of the Northern Assembly. 1t NEE
once in each year, and many of its membe
are distinguished for their talents. 1t co