The Spartan, 1849-06-28

... . ^ m/ ' I rnitteu to appear in piiblib: Tiiougli reduced in lus circumstances by the restoration, lie refused to accept the Latin secretaryship which was honorably offered him by Charles II., and lie devoted himself earnestly to the completion of Lis great poem, on which he had ulreudy bestowed much labor. He was assisted in his literary pursuits bv Thomus Kilwood, a quaker, who acted as un amanuensis, and duily visited him. In 1665, during the plague, the poet retired to a small house at St. Giles, Chalfont, Buckinghamshire, and while in this placo, he was visited by his friend, into whose hands he put hii Paradise Lost, now finished, and modestly requested his opinion. KllWood read the work with approbation, and in returning it to the poet, told hirn he hud read much About Paradise Lost, but, added he, what hau thou to say of Paradise Found 1 The hint tvas not lost ; Paradise Regained was begun, and afterwards when visited by Ellw-ood, Milton presented him the poem which originated in his conversation. It is singular that the poet considered Paradise Regained as a superior performance to Paradise Lost but posterity have decided otherwise ; and this matchless poem; which long remained unknown from the prejudice entertained aguinst the author gradually rose to notice, to fame, and immortality The critique opened the eyes of the nation, aui in banishing prejudice, liberally proved thut however violent the publications of Milton were, how ever biased in his love of republican principles and however blamcable in soine purls o! his polit ical life, yet his merits as a poet cannot be affected he must, shine as the greatest ornament of tin British Isles, and in the ranks of immortality, b placed by the side of Homer, of Virgil, utid o Tasso. Miltoti died in thu beginning of Novem her, 1674. It is supposed thut Milton drew hi p idea of Lis great work from an Italian trdgedy o the Loss of Paradise, on which lie originally ii j tended to compose u tragedy ; hut as his matte i enlarged, hift genius gave it the form of nn epi poem. His Samson Agonistes was written alto } the Greek model, but is unfit for representation the Comus was first acted for the benefit of hi grand daughter, Mrs. Clark, a widow, in indigei circumstances, and the public support Was earnest ly solicited by a prologue from the nervous pe , of Dr. Johnson. Tho prose works of Milton ar numerous and highly respectable. Besides Ii

ii^vausc icvuriou irum me ion 01 ine tirain?-lie rushes forth one morning. His book is written ; it now must be printed?scattered to the homes of America. But look ye, not one printer will touch 1 the hook, not a publisher but grows pale at the sight of those dingy pages. Because it ridicules the British Pope; ridicules the British Monarchy; because it speaks out, in plain words, that nothing now remains to he done but to declare the New j World free and independent. [ This shocks the trembling printers*? touch such a mess of treasonable stuff?never ! But at last a pi inter is found, a bold Scotchman, named Robert Bell. Write that name on your hearts, for it is worthy of all reverence ! lie transformed those loose pages into type, and on the 1st of January, 1776, Common Sknsp. bu-st on the people of the New World like a prophecy ! Yes, that book bursts on the hearts and homes of America like a light from Heaven. It is read by the Mechanic at his bench ; the Merchant at his desk ; the Preacher in his pulpit reads it to his people, and scatters its great truths with the teachings of revelation. "It burst from the press," says the great Doctor Rush, "with an effect which has been rarely produced by types or paper, in any age or country!" Ramsay, in his History of tho Revolution, and his brother historian, Gordon, solemnly state the fact that this book was a most im|>ortant cause of the separation from the Mother Country. Thomas JefFursoo, Joel Barlow, George Washington, unite in their praises of this work. Long after its publ cation Jefferson sent a Government ship to bring the author home from France; Washington invited him to the shelter of his own home ; Barlow described him, yes, the man in the brown coat, "One of the most benevolent and disinterested ot mankind, er.doW_-d with tho clearest perception, an uncommon share of originul genius,

uyciuns, poems 01 such intrinsic merit as would i have transmitted his fame to the latest period of | time, if he had written nothing besides. On his I mother's death, he obtained his father's permission to travel abroad, And in 163S, he embarked for the continent, attended by one servant, prom l'aris, where he was introduced to the gteal Hugo Grolius, he proceeded to Nice, and by sea to Genoa, Leghorn, Pisa, and then to Florence, where ho spent two months, respected and beloved by persons oi eminence, rsMC, and learning. Ills noxt visit was through Sienna to Home, wherfe he pasaed tw o months, delighted with the vast treasures of t]ie Vutican, and honored with the kindness and civilities of Cardinal Uarbarini, Holstenius, and other learned men. From Rome he went toNuples, and formed the design of visiting Sicily ; but the disturbed state of affairs at hoine engaged nb'.v fall his attention, and he determined to hagtfen back. In 1641, he published some partiphlets, in which he vented his virulence against the church, and supported the republican principles of the times. In 1643, he married the daughter of Mr. Powell, a justice of peato in Oxfordshire ; but as she had been eduedted a firm royalist, this union proved unhappy, and after living with him about a month, she left him, and would not return. Disgusted with this coudilct; tho poet thought he might he permitted to take another wife ; and lie not only Wrote somfe strong tracts in favor of divorce, but paid his addresses to another lady, of great wit and beauty. This had due effect ; and his wife, after long despising his invitations, relented, and throwing herself ui ! his feet; obtained his forgiveness and reconciliation, in 1645. His talents Were too great to ho nei glected and therefore lie was appointed Lnliti Seer*Inrv Initio ^ "**

- - b-J p? """J scenes of the world, will lie follow you into your] gloomy abode, listen with attention to your ' tale of sympathy,' and minister the balm of consolation to your fainting ipirit t And lastly, when death shall burst asunder every earthly lie, will he shed a tear upon Jour ghive, and lodge the dear remembrance oy mutual friendship in his heart never to be reined? The man who will not do all this !U%j| Jj^ivour companion?your flatterer?your seduc?r A-UJ,)|^H.'nd tfpota It he is not your friend.?Enfield. , Source of Electricity* The earth is the grest reservoir of electiicity. from which the atmosphere \ and clouds receive their portion of this fluid. It is during the process of evaporation tint it is^ principally excited, and silently conveyed ;o the Vegions above ; and also during the condensation of this same vapor the grand and terrific ohenotiiena of thunder and lightning are made maiifest to bur senses. In order to form a correct estimate of the immense power of this igent in the production of electricity, we must bring to o|t view the quantity of water evaporated frnm the turface of the earth, und also the amount of electricity that may be developed from a single grain of this liquid. According to the calculations of Cavallo, about Ave thousand two hundred and eight million tons ol water aro probably from the Med iter ranean Seu, in a single sumocr's day. To obtain some idea of the vast volume of water thuft daily taken up by the thirsty heavens, let us compare it with something rendered more apparent than this invisible process. President .Dwight and Profosscr Darby, havo both e-tirnucd tho quantity o! water precipitated oVo?* tho Falls of Niagara al more than eieVun millions tor.t per hour. Yet all the water passing over the fcaUract in twenty davi

O r- . uv.w u. CIK." where. We have no sucli population at the South as ereate the wealth of Northern manufacturing establishments : their place is filled Ly another race. And any unprejudiced mind ivill see at a glunbo that One of two condequcneei must follow extensive systcrii of manufacturing forced upon us. now : Either manufacturing with out* species of Ikbor must depreciate their value as property, and therefore rendfer their employment in that department ultimately less profitable, or they must ba. driven out to mdke room for the other kind of labor; by whlbli alone Southern minufactories cati come into successful competition with those of the Mraj Wy ftile f-w oufcr y astrous legist, institution of slavery. AnolbVt point tti bo examined is, how would the carrying out of this system affect the Northerii people 1 Would the cmploymbnt of thai labor?? which they are now trying to rehdet* valueless and unprofitable?in a department which comei in immediate confict with their interests, render them more friendly to this institution 1 Would it not rather increase their hostility, nerve anew their energies against lis, and, in all probability ufiord their whole people such a bond of litiion as would enable them to strike a fatal blow at our institutions 1 We defy any argument to prove the negative of this ijuestion. And as it is of the highest importance to the people of the Sodth, both in a political and social point of view, to preserve intact their rights under llie Constitution, and maintain inviolate the conservative principle of that institution Upon which entirely depends their prosperity as a people, their sober judgment must condemn any Change in their general policy or industrial pursuits. In connection with this point, v a remark , and we think that statistical facts will.

the "Ambrican Syatetn," of "the dbceptive gowgawry bf extensive machine shops, and continuous ranges of the white coilagea of factory operative*, and the uthbr paraphernalia which insert Jijpjha looms and Spinning jerihies, anJ fatal blow WiM have been dtriick at Southern Capital and prosify. ... .. ' . The introduction of manufactures as a system in the Southern States, wb are convinced, will aifect disastrously oiir institutions. In the Brat place, it wotild be calculated to create prohibitive restrictions upon foreign manufactures ; it would drive from our marts the products and capital of other countries, and the inbvilable result of such d course would he the cohiplete prostration of commercial interests. The city of Charleston, and other Southern seaport towns, would speedily feel its effects in the depreciation bf cvory species of property ; their harbors would be deserted, and their markets glutted with manufactures, for which no bale would bo found. This most Certainly would recoil upon the people of tho State; and a corresponding depression In tho price of everjr kind of property would be the direct consequence. iif .f^uin t Ti.? |*r\ntui>4tvc uf rticr 0Anh it property?it is part and parcel of the active capital bf our citizens : and as such must be employed and investbd in that manner which yields the greatest remuneration, consistent with our happii ess and advancement ds a people. Experionco lias taught us that the appropriate department for that labor is agriculturb ; and this fdet alone id sufficient to outtveigh all (lie plausible argutxientd of the manufucturinrr -1?

.v w? utiiifA, L/iun inc pen oj ineaul/ior of (Joinmon Sense." Is there a heart that does not throb at tbo name of the author of the Declaration, Thomas Jefferson, the Statesman-Hero of the Revolution 1 And do your hearts throb at the mention of his name, and yet refuse to \pay even the tribute 'of one solitary pulsation of'justice to the memory'of his brother-patriot, his forerunner in the work of freedom, the Author-Hero of the Revolution? Thomas Paine 1 Character of a True Friend. Concerning the man you call your friend?tell mo, will he weep with you in the hoi^ of distress 1 Will he faithfully reprove fM\ to vour face for actions fjr which other* /in. ndiculiu ' or ! consuriug you belli" I vour back 1 Will bo dire ! to sum! Tor1, <noi: when detraction is i ** 'SV n*' v ">* r . ' ~*x: ' 7 ol y our supvrrtJTo iu rank and fu J the claims of pnda or vr-:\iiy do cot tnTefie ? 'Mil1, thoso i f frio' dship * If misfortune aud losses s'ldiiKl oblige y\ to re tire into a walk in life in which veil cannot appeal i with the same distinction, or eutei tain you.- friends with the same liberality as formerly; will he still thihk himself happy in your society, And instead ol gradually withdrawing himself from an Unprofitable connexion, take pleasure in professing himself your friend, and cheerfully assist you to suoporl the burdens of your afflictions 7 When sickness shall call vou to retire from tl?? #?? ?r,.J

uie Revolution. vl* I Yes, we wilt look into tbt half-clad ranks of Washington's army, we will hhold each corporal surrounded by a group of sildiers, as he reads aloud the pamphlets of lis Author-Soldier. What hope, what joy, what onergy gleams over Ice veteran faces, as 4vords, (ike these, break on the frosty air-^- /( I "These aro th* xim?^that try men's souls. The this crisisraii.tir . A service of his country ; but he that stands if flov, deserves the love and thanks of men and wetmo. Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered, /et we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph." Do not words like thcte stir up the blood 1 Yet can you imagine ihcir effect, when read to groups of starved and bUecing soldiers, by the red watch-fire, in the cpld ail of the winter dawn 1 Such words as these stirred up the ilarVed Continentals to the|attack on Trenton, and there, in the dawn of tfiat glorious morning, Qeorge Washington standilg sword in hand over the dead body of the licssitfn Rohl, confessed thu magic influence of the Atithor-Hero's pen. The vilest energy of this Author-Hero, a base hireling of the Knplish Court, ves even he, Atheist, Blaspheo.er, Libeller of Jefferson, and Franklin, and Madison, as he was, even he, a thing so small in his sou^ that his very masters were ashamod of him, vK.s forced to'confess that?-" The cannon of Washington was nob more formidable 'i ?- ? * ~