Columbia August 1846
Dear Cousin Eliza
It would puzzle
Mnemosyne and her nine daughters (of course a lady who learnt mythology and
every thing else at Dr. Marks’ knows who they are) to tell how often I have
intended to write to you. But at length here I am, engaged in that laudable
undertaking. I believe you to be a good girl, besides which, there subsisted
between your father and myself an affection even more than fraternal. A large
portion of that affection his daughter would have inherited, even with less
merit of her own than I hope and think she has. I should be sorry, therefore,
to see our acquaintance cease, and make this effort to prevent it.
An interesting incident
of any kind is rare in this quarter at this season. I’ll tell you what happened
to me this evening, for want of something better. It was a balmy evening and
gorgeous sunset, such as are unknown in your hyperborean clime, so I thought
I’d fetch me a walk down towards the river. There was bit the least speck or
wrinkle on the whole face of the hemisphere, which was all of one clear pure
deep azure; so that I at once perceived the fallacy of the doctrine of the old
philosopher, that the sky is composed of three elements. I then fell to
consider what a rare prerogative the optic virtue of the eye hath, much more
the intuitive quality of the thought, that the one in a moment can reach
heaven, the other go beyond it. Therefore surely that philosopher was but a
frantic fool who would have plucked out both his eyes, as a hindrance to his
speculations.
Moreover, as I was in this mood, I began to contemplate the
immense magnitude of the universe, and to consider what proposition this poor
globe of earth may bear to it. For if those numberless bodies which stick in
the vast roof of heaven, though they appear to us as spangles, be some of them
thousands of times bigger than the world, surely the astronomers have reason to
term this sphere an indivisible point and a thing of no dimension at all, in comparison
to the whole creation. I fell then to think that it is no more for God Almighty
to fire this world, than for me to plank a road, yea a grain, of powder.
As I
was musing this I spied a swarm of knats [gnats] waving up and down in the air,
which I knew to be part of the universe as well as I, and methought it was a
grand opinion of old Aristotle, that the heart of these small unseated ephemerons
is more noble than the sun, because it hath a sensitive soul in it. I then could
not quite fail to think, that the proposition which those animalcule have with
me in point of bigness, the same I bear in regard to those glorious spirits
which are near the throne of the Almighty. What then, should we think of the
grandeur of the Creator himself!
Walking a little further
I spied a herd of cattle and horses, which made me think that if these strong
animals knew their own strength they would never suffer man to be their master.
Then looking upon them quietly grazing up and down, I fell to consider that the
flesh which is daily dished upon our tables is merely concocted grass, which is
reconcocted in our stomachs, and transmuted to another flesh.
I fell also to
think what advantages these innocent animals have of man, because as nature
sends them into the world they find their food dressed, the cloth laid, and the
table covered. They find their drink distilled, and their cloaths ready. And
though man hath the faculty of reason to make him compensation for the want of
these advantages, yet this very reason brings with it a thousand perturbations
of mind and perplexities of spirit -- cares, sorrows and anguishes of thought –
which those harmless silly creatures are exempted from.
Going on, I sat to
repose myself on the trunk of a tree, and I then considered further what
advantage that dull vegetable had over these feeding animals, as not to be so
dependent upon or beholden to nature, nor to be subject to starving, to
diseases, to the inclemency of the weather, and to be far longer lived.
Then I spied a great
stone, and sitting a while upon it, I fell to weigh in my mind that that stone
was in a happier condition in some respects than either of those animals or
vegetables I saw before, in regard that it grows by assimilation, and needs
neither grass, nor corn, nor water, nor the warmth of the sun, to maintain its life.
As I directed my pace
homeward, I spied a hawk, soaring high in the air, and smoothly gliding up and
down the clear region, so far above my head that I began to envy the bird
extremely, and repine as his happiness, that he should have the privilege to
make a nearer approach to heaven than is allowed to me. And so I came home.
There, you are a learned
Lady (I mean for your age) have you ever read anything like that, and if so,
when?
I have more to say, but
defer it till next time, except that I am always your fond cousin
A. S. Johnston
[Algernon Sidney Johnston (1801-1852), who lived the second half of his life in Columbia, South Carolina.
Eliza Mary Johnston (1825-1909), daughter of Charles Clement Johnston and Eliza Madison Preston Johnston. She was Syd's niece, though he prefers to call her cousin.
Eliza Mary Johnston (1825-1909), daughter of Charles Clement Johnston and Eliza Madison Preston Johnston. She was Syd's niece, though he prefers to call her cousin.
Dr. Marks = Elias Marks (1790-1886), head of Columbia Female College, known variously as Barhamsville Academy, Barhamsville Collegiate Institute and South Carolina Female Collegiate Institute.
Mnemosyne = Mother of the Nine Muses (with Zeus).]
[Many thanks to Sue Davis, William Myers, Mary Davy and Sally Young for their ongoing research collaboration.]
Mnemosyne = Mother of the Nine Muses (with Zeus).]
[Many thanks to Sue Davis, William Myers, Mary Davy and Sally Young for their ongoing research collaboration.]
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