CHAPTER V.

Essay on Toasting-Removes to Vicksburg-Mr. Chilton's Reminiscences of HimLetters Home-Visits Washington City-Advice to a College Student-Forms a Partnership with Mr. Guion-Letters.

WHILE at Natchez he continued to cultivate, with much diligence, his literary taste. He read almost every new book that appeared; and occasionally occupied a leisure hour by writing articles, in prose or verse, for the local journals. Some of his poetical effusions, particularly one entitled The Ice Palace, yet live in the recollection of his friends in the Southwest; but we have not been so fortunate as to procure any of them. The only specimen of his prose that has fallen in our way, is a sportive essay on Toasting, from which the following passages are extracted:

Perhaps the most remarkable property of Toasting, is its wonderful facility in making great men. It was the ancient opinionthough one which has been long exploded—that to be great, a man must have performed some great, virtuous, or noble action, must have shown, either mentally or physically, some superiority over his fellow-beings. Now, thank heaven, nothing of this sort is required; for the whole secret of greatness is comprised in the single word notoriety; and the most approved method of becoming notorious is by Toasting. Iloes a man wish to become notorious—that is, great:-he gets a friend to propose his health at some public dinner, with an enumeration of all the good qualities he does not possess. The people, filled almost to burst.

ing with the fat things prepared for them, overflowing with charity and good liquor, drink the health with great applause; which is elicited, however, in most cases, not by the person, but by the flavor of the wine. Fired by such manifest signs of popular favor, the candidate for greatness rises, and assures them, very truly, that they are pleased to honor him more than he deserves; that modesty would induce him to be silent, but his heart (he had better say his stomach) is too full for restraint; that no sacrifice would be too great for their kindness towards him; that he would go even to Congress, for the love he bears his country; he assures them that the United States is the greatest nation on the globe-his own State the first in the Union-the county in which they are eating the best in the State at the same time modestly insinuating that he is himself the greatest man in the county—and, finally, winds up by proposing himself a candidate for the next election. The people are astonished to find they have had so great a man amongst them, without ever dreaming of it; and they send him to Congress forthwith. Thus sure and easy is the Toasting path to greatness.

The god Momus found fault with Jupiter for not placing a window in the heart of man; which would have enabled one, merely by looking in at it, to have ascertained a person's character as well at first sight, as after a dozen years' acquaintance. Mankind have sanctioned the criticism of the heathen deity; as is manifested by the great pains they are continually taking for finding out the real sentiments of their fellowbeings. It is to their anxiety on this subject, that we owe the various theories which have, from time to time, been broached for discovering a man's character by outward signs or appearThus Lavater considered the features, and the various and complex lines upon the countenance, as the true handwriting of Nature, which she hath affixed as a label upon the face-— precisely as an apothecary marks upon a vial the nature of its contents. Within a few years, Craniology has been made to answer the purpose of the window of Momus; and the human head, like the United States, is divided off into number of independent bumps, which have, however, a reciprocal influence

ances.

CRANIOLOGY AND A REPUBLICAN GOVERNMENT.

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upon each other. The character of each of these bumps is as well ascertained, as that of the people of any of the aforesaid States, and the character of the individual is made up by a com. pound of them all-each bump being taxed for this purpose just in proportion to its bigness. Now, although it is a digression, I cannot help observing, what a wonderful argument this system affords in favor of a republican form of government, showing that Nature herself has chosen it as the best, in her arrangment of the human mind. Take an example: Suppose that, like honest Jack Falstaff, my bump of discretion exceeds my bump of valor, and that some one insults me; the community of courage, residing in the bump of valor, is immediately enraged, and rises in arms to punish the aggressor: but, "Stop," cry the cautious, though more numerous, citizens of the commonwealth of discretion, "Most haughty Valor, we don't choose to be dragged into this contest—if you wish to fight, you must fight it out alone for ourselves, we have advised with counsel, and intend taking the law of the fellow." At this remonstrance, the community of courage lay down their arms, like good citizens, obedient to the will of the majority. But to return. Though I have great belief in physiognomy, and though I doubt not that the rapid development of intellect may force out corresponding protuberances of the cranium, just as we see mountains arise on the face of the globe by the operation of internal fire: yet both these theories are so liable to error, the exceptions to the general rule are so numerous, that I have been led to try some other method of getting out a man's true character. I have found nothing answer this purpose as well as his toasts. At such times caution is entirely off its guard; the Cerberus reason is quieted with a sop. The sentiments, finding themselves unwatched, fly out as surely as birds from an opened cage. It is under the jovial influence of good liquor, that the words of scripture are peculiarly verified: out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. Take a few examples, by way of illustration of my theory: "The star-spangled banner, oh, long may it wave," &c. Now, who doubts for a moment that the author of this is a young poet? I don't know him, but I'll lay anything he has made at least one line towards the comple

tion of an epic. "The ship United States, with her present commander and crew; all ready for sale (sail)," by a politica. punster; one of those inveterate perpetrators who, even if he was going to the gallows, would ask why hangmen are like physicians, merely that he might answer, because they both kill their subjects by drops. "The Island of Cuba-justice to ourselves requires that we should take immediate possession thereof." Now I will venture to say, that this man has no character at all; but I perceive from his toast that he is an old smoker, and he wishes us to appropriate Cuba to ourselves, because he thinks it would lessen the price of Spanish cigars.

His four years in Natchez and its vicinity, laid the foundation for some of the strongest friendships of his life. No portion of the Southwest contained at this time a social circle of greater intelligence, or refinement. There was, to be sure, not a little of the ignorant, pretentious, aristocracy of mere wealth; and this was to him a never-failing subject of ridicule. But there was also the aristocracy of cultivated minds and manners; the offspring of leisure, travel, and liberal pursuits. One might go far before finding a more generous, hospitable, and high-toned breeding than that which distinguished not a few of the families, then resident in and about Natchez. He often revisited this lovely spot, his first home in the Southwest, and never without being greeted by the warm affections and admiration of a host of old friends.

TO HIS MOTHER.

NATCHEZ, January 6, 1832.

MY DEAR MOTHER:

You will be surprised to hear that I intend to leave this place. I shall remove to Vicksburg, the last of this month. Vicksburg is about a hundred miles above this, on the Mississippi River. It is a flourishing town, nearly as large as Natchez, and much superior for business. Natchez has

Deen declining in business for many years, although I have done as well as I could have expected; yet I do not think the prospect here sufficiently flattering, to induce me to make it any longer my place of residence. Vicksburg is situated in the midst of a rich and flourishing country, and is increasing rapidly in wealth and population.

I have deliberated a long time on this matter, but did not wish to mention it in my letters, till I had fully made up my mind. I have had serious thoughts of returning to Maine, but the competition there, in my profession, is so great, and the prospect of success so small, that I am deterred-at least for the present from leaving Mississippi.

My present movement shall not, if I can help it, prevent my coming home next summer. Still I wish you not to be too sanguine.

We have, for the last two, or three weeks, experienced some of the coldest weather ever known in this country. I think I suffered as much as I ever did in the North. The ground was covered with snow for a fortnight, and it looked quite like old times.

Your affectionate son,

S. S. PRENTISS.

The following reminiscences are from the pen of John M. Chilton, Esq. of New Orleans, long a distinguished member of the Vicksburg Bar :

"In the year 1831, pending a Circuit Court at Vicksburg, then almost a frontier town, there arrived with other members of the bar, from Natchez, a limping youth in plain garb, but in whose bearing there was a manly, indeed, almost a haughty mien; in whose cheek a rich glow, telling the influence of more Northern climes, in whose eye a keen but meditative expression, and in whose voice and conversation a vivacity and originality that attracted every one, and drew around him, wherever he appeared, a knot of listeners, whose curiosity invariably yielded, in a few moments, to admiration and delight. There was then a buzz of inquiry, succeeded by a pleased look of friendly