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1852.]
a third she indolent of the “odour of
sanctity-” * or ourse lves we would
not e—“ange Uncle Tom’s unlettered, but
and unpretending piety, for the
/tudite godliness of the Rev. Henry
Ward Beecher, who can read his q v
vv b Xdyoj in the original Greek, or the in
tellectual devotion of his worthy sister,
who can “make a story-book,” as the
children say, “all out of her own head.”
The sundering of family ties among the
negroes is undoubtedly a dreadful thing
as represented by Abolition pamphletT
eers. Nor have we any desire to close
our eyes to the fact that occasionally
there do occur instances of compulsory
separation involving peculiar hardship.
But we have shown that in the very State
which Mrs. Stowe has chosen for her most
painful incident of this character, there
are statuatory regulations mitigating very
much the severity of this condition of af
fairs, and we may add that every where
the salutary influence of an enlightened
public opinion enforces the sale of near
relatives in such a manner as that they
may be kept as much as possible togeth
er. We are of opinion too that heart
rending separations are much less fie
quent under the institution of slavery
than in countries where poverty rules the
working classes with despotic sway. But
admit the hardship to its full extent, and
what does it prove? Evils are insepa
rable from all forms of society, and this
giant evil (it you will call it so) is more
than counterbalanced by the advantages
the negro enjoys. Ever since the day
that St. Raul bade adieu to the little flock
at Miletum, who followed him down to
the ship, “sorrowing most of all for the
words which he spake, that they should
see his face no more”—there have been
mournful partings and sobbing farewells.
The English soldier ordered to the dis
tant coast of India, with a high probabil
ity that he will die there of a fever, weeps
above his wife and children before he
marches oft’ to the tap of the drum ; and
yet it is no argument for the disbanding of
the English army that family ties are
rent by its stern and undiscriminating
discipline.
There are some who will think we have
taken upon ourselves an unnecessary
trouble in exposing the inconsistencies
and false assertions of “Uncle Tom’s Ca
bin.” It is urged by such persons that
in devoting so much attention to Aboli
tion attacks we give them an importance
to which they are not entitled. This
may be true in general. But let it be
borne in mind that this slanderous work
has found its way to every section of our
country, and has crossed the water to
Great Britain, filling the minds of all who
know nothing of slavery with hatred for
that institution and all who uphold it.
Justice to ourselves would seem to de-
SOUTHERN LITERARY GAZETTE.
marid that it should not be suffered to cir
culate longer without the brand of false
hood upon it. Let it be recollected, too,
that the importance Mrs. Stowe will de
rive from Southern criticism will be one
of infamy. Indeed she is only entitled to
criticism at all, as the mouth piece of a
large and dangerous faction which, if we
put not down with the pen, we may be
compelled one day (God grant that day
may i ever come !) to repel with the
bayonet. There are questions that un
derlie the story of “Uncle Tom’s Cabin”
of far deeper significance than any mere
false colouring of Southern society, and
our readers will probably see the work
discussed, in the next number of the
Messenger, in other points of view, by a
far abler and more scholar-like hand than
our own. Our editorial task is now end
ed, and in dismissing the disagreeable
subject we beg to make a single sugges
tion to Mrs. Stowe—that, as she is fond
of referring to the Bible, she will turn
over, before writing her next work of fic
tion, to the twentieth chapter of Exodus
and there read these words —“Thou shalt
NOT HEAR FALSE WITNESS AGAINST TUT
NEIGHBOUR.”
AMUSEMENTS OF GREAT MEN.
Spinoza, after some hours of close stu
dy, would join the family with whom he
lodged, and take part even in the most
trivial conversation. A favourite amuse
ment of his was setting spiders to fight
each other. So much interest did he
take in their combats that he was often
seized with immoderate fits of laughter.
Dr. Samuel Clarke, the Bible commen
tator, used to amuse himself by jumping
over tables and chairs; and Swift, by 7
running up and down the steps of the
Deanery. Shelley took great pleasure in
making paper boats, and watching them
as they floated on the water. Pie used
up in this way the fly -leaves of the books
which he took with him on his pedestrian
excursions. On one occasion, finding
himself on the north bank of the Serpen
tine River, and without any materials for
indulging that peculiar inclination which
the sight of water always inspired, he
twisted up a fifty pound bank note, and
committed it to the waves. While Pe
tavius was engaged on his Dogmata.
Theologica, his principal recreation was
at the end of every second hour to twirl
his chair for five minutes. Barclay, the
author of the Argeneis, and D’Andilly,
the translator of Josephus, diverted them
selves during their leisure hours by cul
tivating trees and flowers. Tycho Brahe
amused himself with polishing glasses for
spectacles ; and Socrates in playing with
children.
Great Panic in Stocks. —Corn stalks,
which had risen to such an extent, have
fallen in consequence of the harvest.
[ Carpet Bag.
(tutor's Department.
CHARLESTON : SATURDAV, NOVEMBER 6, 1852.
OLD PETER —A SKETCH.
iVo. I.
Peter Sober.
In one or two sketches of notables “about
town,” presented to our readers in former num
bers of the Gazette, we crr.'t'ed to mention an
individual, who is certainly as worth; of atten
tion as the “Faded Gentleman, or “The Vv an
dering Jew.” In fact, some points of his charac
ter are really remarkable, and ali. points of his
appearance still more so. Let me introduce him
gentle reader ! as he appears on a clear, bracing
day in Autumn, sauntering on the pave, or—as
often happens—in the centre of the street, with
the sang jroid of a millionaire, monarch of “all
he surveys,” and an immense cotton bag stuffed
with a miscellaneous assortment of rags, iron, and
we know not what beside, dangling at his back.
He is a man about forty-eight, perhaps fifty. His
hair is completely grey, but he has the youngest,
pleasantest,most humourous, devil-may-care coun
tenance that was ever encountered under a tatter
ed hat, and in such close proximity to a vagrant’s
bundle. His eyes are of a bright blue, and abso
lutely sparkle with joviality. His complexion is
ruddy, healthful and smooth, and there is a con
sciousness of independence in his aspect, and
about all his motions, enticing and commendable
in the extreme. He has never been known to
look gloomy—never! As you see him in this
Autumn sunlight, so he appears always, except
indeed upon occasions to be mentioned hereafter,
when certainly, gloom forms no part of the pic
ture. Old Peter strolls sturdily under his years,
and as for his bag, he looks upon that as a “baga
telle.” No one meets him so surly as to resist
the exquisite bonhommie of his manner. Os course
he is a Frenchman, an educated one too, beyond
doubt, for his accent is purity itself, and the very
style of his “bonjour ” expressive of gentility.
Yes ! gentility, though loaded with, a patched bag,
and concealed under exceedingly exceptionable
garments. The stories we read concerning the
aristocratic mendicants of Spain, who ride upon
magnificent horses, and affect “the sangue azu
la,” are very readily appreciable after a survey of
“Old Peter not that there is an affectation of
blue blood, or of any thing else about him, but
the careless bearing, the pleasant, yet somewhat
stately smile, the very air with, which he smokes
his pipe, (Peter is partial to smoking,) arranges
his chapeau and carries his wallet, are sufficient
to prove that ho is conscious of gentle nurture,
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