Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1882-07-26

George Perkins Marsh, minister to Italy,
died suddenly at Valambrosa Monday
He was born in Woodstock, March II,
1901. In 1920 he graduated at Dartmouth;
afterwards studying law and going into
practice at Burlington. In 1884 he was
member OF the council and beginning in
March, 1S43, served six years in congress,
On the incoming of the Taylor admins
tration in 1849 Mr.. Marsh was sent as
minister to Turkey. where he served four
years, going meantime in 1852 on special
mission to Greece. He made deep study
of languages and was one of the first men
Of the world of learning. He did some
work for his native state in 1857 and the
two or three years following, making a
report on the propagation of fish an serv
ing as railroad commissioner.
In 1861 Mr.. Lincola appointed him
minister to Italy" as all the obituary
notices put it. We have not the docu
ments at hand but our memory is that the
appointment was as minister to Sardinia
and that his diplomatic service for the last
81 years has been at the court of Victor
Emmanuel and his son, the present king OF
Italy.
Mr.. Marsh was emit emily qualified for
diplomatic service and WAS much respect
ed by tho nation 10 which he was so long
accredited. But he was moro than
diplomat as the following sketch Of VIVA
he did in the world Of letters, which W.
take from the New York Trij4mc, wei
shows:
Early in life Mr.. Marsh began tn,
pathological studies by which he has beer
distinguished. In 1888 he published a
Burlington "a Compendious Grammar O
the Old Northern or Icolandlc language
compiled and translated from the gram
mar of Rask. He also contributed sevora
articles on Icelandic literature TO Tn
american Wing, and printed several ad
dresses he had delivered before difieren
learned and historical societies. In on,
of these, 1.-The Goths in New England" h,
traced the presence of the Gothic race il
the Puritans. In 1856 he published 9Th,
camel: his organization, habits and use
considered with reference to his introduc
ton into the United States.' Referring
to this book. The North american Reviea
said at the time it appeared: ut is as en-
pertaining as book oftravels, and abound
in pictures from memory of life in th
desert and In the east. In the earlier
chapters there are evidences of that ex
tensive scholarship and acquaintance will
many tongues for which the writer has 5,
enviabe fame" THE great book o
natural history, the universe" said III
London Attengune, also referring to thu
work, "does not contain chapter NOR
striking than that which is supplied by tn
subject of this treatise" A more import
ant production was his Lectures on th
English language" QS6l), which he dc
livered In 1859 in the post graduate cours
of Columbia college. In these lecture
Mr.. Marsh 'aimed to excite more gen
eral interest among educated men an
women in the history and essential charaC
ter of their native tongue, and to recon
mend the study of the English languag
in Its earlier literary monuments rattle
than through the medium of grammar
and linguistic treatses.' This work wa
followed in 1862 by the Origin and bistor,
of the English language and i'll 1864 b.
MAN and nature" The latter work witt