The telescope. (Columbia, S.C.) 1815-1818, June 11, 1816, Image 1
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-H, ' V , q(lWMDIA, (S. CO TUEBlSrAV. JUNE 1?; 1816. [No. 8#.]
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PJJgSMr^W. iorraikV * .
^ "lOftHAPiJv "
f>I? .MAJOR JOHN HMD.
In tlf political Ipurnala of oqrcountrj, woof*
ten seonnnuneed in a short and hnsty manner
the erf <?f thb revolutionary hero, the accom
plish? statesman, and still more frequently
of liii/wno far remote from vice end vanity,
hasnwued the even tonorof lilf ways, ainbi
tioupnlrof his share of duties decently ful
fill^ Nor do we mean to'pass a couture on a
custn of publication, which allow* tiino by a
paup, for the futonisned affections, to ineditato
onwnourn upon tho distressing scene.?But)
who the heart has ceased its preternatural pul
NltMS) when the mind has become habituated
t? Ma94 Meat and the event is beginning to l>o
rnroered with the years beyond the flood, what
so becoming the pietv of friendship as to
[the attention to an object too dear to be
Iten'j or what employment more pleasing
Ituful people, than to learn, though lute,
ticularsofalife which will infallibly con*
wrtnjp justice of the applause which the extacy
vfioVation lttul involuntarily oxtorted.
;Th?eath of Mr\jor John Iteid lias long since
been yiounced in the paper*, and society
HUjwUjimrBiiig over the awful chasin with
which l)nd been rent asunder* and though the
latter of his life, which ho bad spent ho ho
norably (ho service of hi? country, needs no
pen nor loj^y of ours, yit the public at largo
may still^-ive mournful satisfaction from a
short un\N|ighed summary of the whole.
Major in Ueid. late aiu to General Jackson,
was the sokf Major Nathan 'Held, near New
London, iMmpboll county, Virginia. This
respectablcWtleman is one of the herresofthe
revolutionaiwar, and his relations ofhTsyoung
encounters. I of the scenes and rharacfcrtLof
those times, ed the youthful mind ?f his son
with an inex guishablo thirst of virtuoulg^ry.
At an early 5 he liad learnt in this way
material eve i of that distinguished era, anft
his comment pen them displayed at once the
Correctness, e force and the elevation of his
.mind. Aftcicquirfngfrom teachers in the
Qefoltborhooi 10 more elementary parts of edu
cation, he wi nit to school at too New-I?ondon
, Academy, v re the vivacity of his mind, his
attention toi dv, and the frank and manly o
penne*- - -J h character, soon gained him the
notice and qiectofall parties; and. signalized
him as a vou of m premise.. Living
very near tojds institution ami intimately no
((?tainted witita successive teachers, students,
library and ^narahis. he seemed in a measure
dnmiciliatcdipre, and all the indescribable ad
vantages wh? such a situation presented, he
seized with n avidity peculiarly his own.?
Knowledge s?ined hero intuitive to him, and
sometimes, l< iJ;before he was called upon to
study a brom. jor author in succession, he had
in this incom ions, imperceptible manner, not
only acquire* intolerable idea, but actually made
himself mast- i.of the autyect. Of every advan
tage and mot m improvement lie jnstantly a
voiled himse J?and while yet reputedly but a
novice in its utiet* he had almost become Jhe
dean of the l stiiuuon. To this iteiiriolt and
this rapid ad ancement in all the routine of a
^collegiate edlection, he was greatly indebted as
well to the gimlifesH and amenity of his dispo
nitlbty Which risde iiim so agreeable to all, an to
the sprightliiiesil of his genius and the studious
habits he acquired.?In all the literary exercises
of the school,' he was invariabled distinguished
burffce studei^s, the teachers, tho trustees and
tue neighborhood. If in iiomo became a synonymo
of genhis amiiiftegrity. lie was the foremost
of his class asjbften as he chose to he so, though
lie was often blown to do an injustice to himself,
before he woiifd incur the displeasure ofhisclass
mates, by th^iiidividious, tho' justifiable means
of leaving the a behind l||m.
The power^of his mind seon.ed to Ik* exactly
balanced by tufoc of his body. His personal as
Wpll as Intellectual activity wore alike the sub
ject of genera remark, and recalled to the mind
tho sinu'ilaraccounts of the adinirublo t'rltch
ton. These qualities sometimes brought him in
to coll'minn with othcrs,of similar ago and size,
whom, (to use their own phrase) ho could gene
rally manage t and though possessed of a spirit
andindependence which%as never known to
submit tft what he thought to lie an insult, lie
was generous, rational and easily apposed. He
was both loved ami feared by his equals, and res
pected of course, hv his superiors in age. Na
turally lively and fund of diversion, he was al
ways ready at proper time* to join in tho usual
games ami exercises of youth, but he often did it
fi(?m a sense of its necessity, slid would return
with renewed pleasure to the employments of
tho mind. In allthe time lie reinnmetl at school
ho was never known to be guilty of a single dis
honorable act. His temper was quirk nut not
irascible,and malice and revenue never louml an
abode in his breast. Ills perception of absurdi
ty in thought sml action was ioMintivelv acute,
nud though fond of a satiro wjjieie the subject re
quired it, w as of that innocent kind whirh a I
ways afforded pleasure instead of pain. In what ?
ever lie undertook, lie iqvariably endeavored to
surpass?for being seldom if ever equalled, ne
ver excelled by Huy. his emulation led him to
exert himself in' airi uncommon degreo, whene
ver another seemed likely to acquire greater
distinction than himself. ftensibl?* of his stand
ing, tenacious of his right*, and jealous of his ri
vals, he would sometimes display on the?e occa
oilman affair*,.pro*
: actions anic
teal and a perseverance in
to that, Which in tho coursc
.broduceathe greatest and. nq
ongst in on. HeMvn.s not inscn'
of the influonce and advantages of female
upon the mind and manners, but Ids
?for book* and all the more manly ex
ercites of the mind atid body, made him dimdeht
and reserved in the company of the sex.?It was
in the athletic struggles of tne Olympic field in
which it is said the young Washington delight
ed | it was on the classic ground of Greek and
Roman literature, or in the forensic eloquence of
the debating society, he preferred to appear and
never failed to ahine. f lis abilities in these lat
ter, and well known to many, and his speeches
when not altogether extemporaneous, might well
become some of the oldest pleaders at tho bar.
tt'ich was the character of M^jor John Held,
St that artless time of life when the qualities of
lie mind and heart can bo most easily discover
ed f and such tho sure presages of the distin
Kished, though swift career of glory, which all
vo scon him run: After completing at Loxlng
ton, in Hockbridgo county, ?u less time and
moro lustre than common the ordinary course of
academical education, it still remained for him
to decido upon the nature of hi i future life, and
to such qualifications as he possessed, the pro
fession of the low was assigned as well by general
consent, as the almost unavoidable inclination of
his own mind. With Christopher Clarke, Ksq.
of llcdford county he soon became a proficient
in that study, and immediately began to think
of the theatre of his nrofcMional career.?
At length he determined to visit the state of
iciinessee, and nothing could so well display
the mutual anguish of this separation from lus
mends as his own feeling and elegant descrip
tion after he had becamo an inhabitant of that
country* His letters.to his parents and friends
about that time, while ^l?y discover a sensitive,
3uick and accomplished understanding, aro mo
els of filial and social affection, and afford an
interesting spy^tyclo of youthful enterprise
struggling at once with cpntrariant obligations,
snd tho inseparably difficulties of such a situa
tion. Hero hebctama.acquainted with Mi**
Klizabeth Maury/daug|?er9? ?"JlV -
Franklin, to whom he waefawriedjajid by whom
ha hasten the posterity of honor in tho persons
of a little son and daughter. Of his actual sue -
thor of this
Ml
_
volvedHhose talents there, which JwMione
conspicuously in eyery precciling period of I
life, and we.atfi$' cpipibly informed, that dun
tlio timo of his remaining at New-Orlvnns,
one instance, B10,000 and in another, fc7,000
annually, were offered him as an associate prac
titioner by soino of tho most eminent lawyers
of that plate..^? I
' AH a man?nr-andor, bumor, honor, good sense J
and a good disposition, abounded in his charac
ter. lie was gay without guilt, and studious
without austerity. He wo* lively,but not vola
tile?he was satirical /but not sour. He had
wit without pride, and learning without pedan
try. If any thing lay concealed, it was courage
beneath nvxlcsty, and friendship behind a frame
and amiable sincerity. His attachments were
warm as they came from tho lieai-t, abiding and
disinterested. His company and conversation
were courted by ninny, nml'having been always
a candidate for the public favor, and once for
a seat in the house of representatives?caress
ed while in the army, and afterwards, when out
of it, followed and mirdened with a flood of live
ly applaueea, lie had become for a time social
and generous almost to an extreme. At a hus
band or as a child lie v;as exemplarily affection
ate, as a citizen we say nothing, for history shall
tell. His comprehension was quick,: ana when
engaged in an argument orconversatipn, his.re
plics and repartees were given with a force and
rapidity that astonished. Ho possessed, ax we
said before, an uncommon share of true wit
and if, as is asserted, this brilliant quality is
seldom united with a strong judgment or an in
offensive disposition, here is at least a distin
guished exception. One knew not which to ad
mire most, his sprightly and inventive genius,
the shining nature of the colors, or the solid |
texture of Ids mind, the fascinating powers of
Ins fancy, or the warm and tendor affections of
Ibis heart. He was intimately acquainted with)
the lives of the principal characters of ancient
Orcece and Home, and took greut delight In
contemplating the exploits of those renowned
people. He equally admired their eloquence,
their refinement and their devotion to their
country, and hr. I he lived in those ages, no one
would have si rove with more ardor for the prir.es
?for we will venture to ussert, few, if ativ, of
modem time*, possessed more emphatically a
Ilomun soul.
Hut A neriod ma* approaching calculated at
once to ?fevofri|H> nil the fncullicH of hi* natrre,
nnd to ha*ten to maturity that blooming crop of
bottom, to wliicli they hat! low; ho deservedly
<*n(itlo*l him?*vc mean (he war. It won impon
nihil? for such a spirit anil iut<'lligMuce an hp po?
wMfdj to rBcapn tho notice of tho*e who pretti
ed over the moan* antl lelt thcntHelve* account
ahte for their u*e in the itcrvico ??|* their coun
try. Ail intimacy wan accordingly formed Ix
twecn him ami Ocnenil Jnck*on, uIiohu aitl he
soon hecame t and thin intimacy* contracted in
the times that tried the soul, and cemented hv
recollection* of mutual danger* and unparallel
ed privation*, strengthened and increased to
tint Intent moment* of hi* life. In the war with
the Creek Indiana hn wan remarkable for his
humanity?a difttinguitthin^ trait in tho charac
ter of a truly brave, made more mo by the ?.v
vage character of the enemy. IIim military ta
lent* d hi* public letter*," if not official bul
letin* of tho war, have formed a blare of never
fading honors to surround his name. No one
ifW 'y ?r
jtood no high in the catenation of hU xenural f
and thegonerou* cf tlie enemy whom I?o so nig*
Dully aided to conquer and dispel, shall carry
ti? another world and enrol', bis namo with thu.
favorite of her sons. Far bo it from us to de
tract any thing from the merit* of thnt illustri
ous commander* who has rendered such i?MH>r
tal service* for his country)* but it is well un
derstood, thnt to the glorious succes* of the
south-western campaigns the counsel and the
aid of Major Reid essentially contribut^T-tl'o*
he properly, distinctly and uniformly ascribed it
to Divine Providenco. His official com'nuuica
tions from the head-quarters of thftf army are
public spccimeus oruis style of ?.writing, which
waa sprightly, strong* elegant And perspicuous.
These were read with [just delight by his coun
trymen at large, and suugestev a confident be
lief, that the history which no proposed to write,
in which he had made considerable progress, and
for the cony-right of which he had been offered
30,000 dollars, would nqt have disappointed the
expectations of the world. Uutulas ! while en
gaged in this work, with n mind expanded' by
the varied stores of human foaming, whilo buoy*
ed on the incense of gratitude ami honor, in un
bounded prospect of all that the world calls
good or great; fitted l?y nature, art aud service
for any post in the gift of his country?the idol
of a numerous and respectable connection?be
fore he had readied the meridian of life?in all
the pride of manly beauty, the commissioned
arrow of resistlesH fate, whom he had braved ho
often in the field of battle, fastened in his bosom.
At the house of his father, just returning witli
General Jackson from the city of Washington,
lie was seized with the I vphoid pneumonia, which
terminated his career in the uncommon short
space of twenty hours. The fortitude with
which he bore this excruciating illness, astonish
ed every spectator, and cheutcd to the last that
ready torrent of tear* aud burst of lamentatiftT
which were to disturb him not, ?'
calm repose of death.
Lir;m H1UCAL.
?~TCTM IIOI.LANb'8 TKAVKlJi IN t.KKRCK.
j school.?1 was intcre#ted in walking through
Lite itreetsof Vatldby the spectacle of an Itlmcuu
school} (he preceptor or llidnskalos, a vencra
l)lc old man, with a long board, who oat before
his door,giving instruction to a circle of fifteen
pr twenty boys, oach with a modern Greek ver
sion of the New Testament in his hand, it wa?
' W sounds familiar to the ear, from
Homer and Thucydides, shouted
1 strinlings, many of tbcm not more
fcight vears of age. The old school
: ? tewed Ayith tike attention given to
himself and nls scholars, and endeavoured to
rouse them to greater elVovta of display ; which
htre,MWithboya every where else, lisd simply
tho effect of producing more loudness (if speech.
, vJMt*i^*re.?-Tho Greeks of loannina are ce-(
leWatcd among their countrymen for their lite
ifyy, habits. anil unquestionably merit the repute
they have Outlined from this source. The litera
ture of the plnce is intimately connccted with,
tind depending upon, its coivmercinl character,
'lite wealth Acquired by many of tho inhabitants
S'lvcftthcm the mean* of adopting such pumuits
iem*elves, or encouraging thorn in others.?
Their connections in Germany and Italy, and
frequent residence in thesecountrie*, tend fur
ther to create habits of this W?d? and atthesame
time fiii-msli those materials for literary pro
grcM, which would be wanting In their own
country. At the present time*nearly two-thirds
of the modern Greek publications are translati
ons of Buropcan works ; and whatever may be
said of the powers of undirected genius, it is cer
Itainly letter that for some time it should con
tinue to be so. Huelt translations are often both
suggested and executed abroad, and the passes
at Venice, Vienna, Ijcipsic, Moscow, Paris, are
all made subservient to the active industry of
these people in forwarding the literature of thoir
country. The extensive traffic of the Greeks of
loannina, is further a means of rendering this ci*
ty a sort of mart for books, which are brought
here" from the continent when printed ? and
from this point difluscd over other parts of
Greece. At the dogana of Artn, I have seen nu
merous pnckrmch of books on their way to loan
nina, nnd in toe city itself there are several
shops, which have long been known for their
extensive dealings in tills branch of business.
There are two academies in the city ; at
which, in sequel to each other, the greater part
of the young Greeks Mt foniininn are instructed.
The Gymnasium, if such it may be called* of A?
thatinsuiH Psalidj, ranks as the first of these j
and has acquired somo reputation from tho cha
racter of the master him?elf, who 1? ivmsidertri
as one of the chiefs of the literature or modern
urcece. it i? true, tlml thcro are others who
have written more 5 hilt I'sulida hau travelled
much, is muster of many languages a good clus
nical scholar, n sharp-sighted critic, a poet, and
versed UchuIoh in various parts of the literature
and Hciciicc of European nations. Ills only a
| vowed work, as far as I know, is ono entitled,
|" True Happiness, or the ItaHUofall Religion*
j Worship,** in which a general tone of sceptical
opinion is the predominant feature. He is the
author al?o, hut anonymously, of a singular
! rompound of prone ami poetry, called KrotM
j printed at Vienna in 170flj and
probably may have partaken in otherVorks with
which I am unacquainted. The funds of the ft
cadeinv which INalidn superintend* are lodged
in the hank of Moscow, lie ims.a nieat num
ber of public pupih, whom he instructs not only '
in the languages, hut also in history, geography. |
and various branches of general phiUophy* , lie
has one or two assistant* in his labourH| but it
in the reputation of his own name which main
tains the character of the school.
The ot'ior academv of loannim ison? of lo<r
or stamp, nnd devoted to a younger clans of
scholars. It is conducted at preient by an el
derly tlreok, of the name of Valauo, vciy rei
pectabloand industrious, but with loss learning
tliah I'salida. The father of Valauo, who prece
ded Mm in this office, is the author of one or
two rilnthemntii-al works of tome eminence in
the country. The school in supported in great
part by tlio obi e benefactions of the Zosimader,
one of tjio greatest and most wealthy of the mo
dorii Gftek families. Two of tlio brothers of
Zosimadrc resident in Italy, a third in Russia.
I have learnt that the sums they annually trans
mit to loAiiniua, in the form or books, of funds
for the school, and of other literary heno.fnctU
ons, do not fall short of ?0,000 piastre*. This
is a splendid instance of genuine and well-di
rected patriotism.
Manner a and Cuidomn.?A slight xkeich ol"
the manner in which wo lived, during mi'* n ?i
dence in the latter place, may affiled the reader
a better idea of the domestic and social usages
of the modern Greeks, than could lie u'iveii by
any general remarks on this subject. Our h.?st
was a man of independent property, and anci
ent family. ills wife, with more vivacitv nnd
much beaut;, had thesamo excellent qualities of
heart, and their domestic relations wen- ?vi
dently of Hio most exemplary kind. Their fa
mily consisted of two sons, two daughters, und
an older'y lady nearly related to our host. IV
rldest laughter, at this time eleven yeap??s*
was n vretty and engaging girl j the Ijwmst ?e
ius & Mteohanos, still younger, and- - - i ,
feet models of juvenile beatltv?rcountenai?ce al
have seen j tlio Ureciau-*'set oR by the open
ready formed in lwl*iong hair flowing dow n be
forehead, anilMho small red cap, which is
hind froJMtHop of the head.
wore/habitation of our host resembled those
.,i(th arc common in the country. Externally
o the street, nothing is seen but' A high stono
vail, with the summit of a small part of the in
ter building. Largo double gates conduct vou
into an ouier arei, Iroin which you puts through
other gates into qu inner square, surrounded on
three sides hy the buildings af the house. The
basement story is constructed of stone, the up
per part of tho structure almost entirely of wood.
A broad gallery passes aloni? two *ide<? of the
urea, open in front, and shaded overhead ty tho
roof ol the building. To this /?hH *ry you as
tend by a flight of stairs i the <]<>?. r* which con
duct to tho different living rooms uf the house
all going from it. In this country it in uncom
mon, except with the lower clas?.c<, to live upon
the ground-floor, which is therefore generally
occupied as out-buildings ) the first floor being
that always inhabited by tho family. In the
house of our host, there were four or five which
might be called living-rooms, furnished with
|couches, carpets, ana looking glasses, which,
with the decorations of the ceiling and walls,
may bo considered as almost the only appenda
| ges toa Grecian apartment. The principal room
| (or*what with us would bo the drawing-room)
was larjre, lofty, and decorated with much rich
ness. Its height was sufficient for a double row
of windows along three sides of the apartment;
all these windows, however, being small, and so
situated as merely to admit light, without allow
ing any external view. Tlio ceding was pro*
fusely ornamented with painting & gliding uptin'v
carved wood, tho walls divided into pannell,
and decorated in tho same way, with the additi
on of several pier glasses.. A couch*or divan,
like those described in the Seraglio, nasr.ed a
long three sides of the apartment, and superse
ded equally the use of chairs And tables, which
are but rarely found in a ureek house.
The dining-room was nlso large, Imt furnish
ed With Ictb decoration, and the same with th?
| other living-apartments. The kitchen and ser
vants'rooms were connected bv a passage wi*U
| the great gallery > but this gallery itself formed
a privileged place to all the members of the fami
nuly, and it was seldom that some of tho domes
tics might not be seen hero partaking in tho
| sports of the children, nnd using a familiarity
I with their superiors, which is lufffciqntly coin
I mon in the south of Europe, but very unusual in
England. Rcd-chamber* are not to be sought
for m tlreek or Turkish habitations. The fofas
of their living apartments are the place of night
ly repose with tho higher classes ) the floor with
those of inferior rank. I'pon the sofas are
spread their cotton or woollen mattresses, cotton
Hiieets, sometimes with Worked muslin trim
mings, nnd ornamented oiiilta. Neither men
I nor womon take off more than a small part of
I their dress | and the lower classes seldom mako
any change whatever before throwing themselves
down among the coarse woollen cloaks which
form their nightly covering. In this point tho
| oriental cuntoms are irreatlv mnw Jmni.. <!.???
thoso of civilized Kurope.
The separate communication of the rooms
with an open gallery, renders the Orcek house*
very cold in winter, of which I hud rennet) to !><?,
convinced during both my residences at luanni
no. Tho higher class ofOreek* seldom use any
other mean* of artificial warmth than a brazier of
charcoal placed in the middle of the apartment,
trusting to their peli^es and thick clothintr for
the rest. Bometlines the hra/.ier is set under a
table, covered with a thick rug cloth, whieh lulls
down nearly to the floor. The heat in th is con
fined, and the feet of those silting round t'.c ta
ble. acquire noon an agreeable warmth, which
it oiiTuMjd to the rest of the hod v.
The rJrthily of Met /011 generally rote before
j eight o'clock. Their breakfast consisted "imply
of omo or two cup? of codec. served up w in a
salver of sweetmeat*, but without any more sub
stantial food. In consideration to our . roster
morninjr %pi>etitc?, bread* honey, and nee mill
were added to the repast width v.ns set befor
us. Our host who was always addressed wit
the epithet of Aftcndi by ids chlltlrcb *nd d?.