Autobiographical Data

I am not glad to-night. Gloom has gathered round me like a mantle, tightly folded.

The oppression of my heart is not fitful and has no pangs; but a torpor like that of some stagnant pool.

Subjects for articles

Rapid and temporary mann[obscured] of American changes of popula[obscured] for eminent statesmen.—(inst[obscured] of Crawford) (reverse instance, Pi[obscured]

Answer the objection that democratic forms of gov. not energetic enough in cases of emergency. (Commonwealth of England—directo[obscured] of France.)

Give us turbulence, ^^{give us excitement,} give us f the rage and disputes of hell,—any thing rather than this lethargy of death that spreads like a ^^the vapor of decaying corpses over our land—

Why what was it—that little thing that made the rebellion of '76—a little question of tea and writing paper ^^{only great because it involved a great principle}

The next worst thing to having such enormous outrages put into laws and acquiesced in by the people without any alarm, is to have them practically carried out.—Nations sink by stages, first one, and then th another,

I come not here to flatter

There is invariably this fact about superior natures; they understand each other, and ^^{with similar sight} behold the ^^{soul, the} universe, immortality, and the fallacies of all the aims and arts of men.—

The constitution covenants that [illegible] the free states shall give up runaway servants—that we all know.—But by by the letter and spirit of its most important provisions, we hold the right to decide how to do it, who the runaway servants are, and to settle ^perform the whole thing obligation as we perform any other obligation by due process of law and without any violent or unlawful intrusion from abroad.—

I know that timidest America is strong, and supple, and full of growth.—I know we are on good terms with the world, and on extra good terms with ourselves.—^^{Treaties we make with Europe; steamships paddle ^the sea} Gold comes from California, and trade is brisk, and the jobbers are busy nailing up goods, and sending them off to customers, and the railroads go ^run loaded, and all goes gay and thriftily.—These things I do not expect to see grow less [illegible] ^^of n[illegible] but more, for and if any one suppoes​ I am at all alarmed about the prospects of business ^^{on this continent} he misunderstands me, for I am not—son no I see its way clear for a hundred years.—But with all this ^^such decking ourselves [illegible] ⁱⁿ the robes of safety and gain, there ^^{at the gate} sits Mordecai the Jew and we know that ^^{terrible sign that} either [illegible] we r[illegible]t h[illegible] are to have his life, or he is to hang the best part of us on the gallows high.—

What are all your ^these business prospects, your ^these steamships, your ^these fat sub-treasuries and your ^our profitable trade? [illegible] ^{I do not want these} want brave and large souled men, wicked men if not +

If this ^^{Are these ^two or three drops be any prophecy of} sample held any prophecy of the requirements of the g[illegible] ^{of the storm} that is cooking for us? If I thought it was, men of ^these would be no days of dalliance or of ease and or talk.—They would be days of for all live all Americans to get on their killing clothes I should ^^advise all living Americans to get on their killing clothes, for there would be a little butchering to be done

I was years ago present at Years ago I formed ^one of a great crowd [illegible] ^{that rapidly} gathered where a building had fallen in and buried a man alive.—Down somewhere in those ruins the poor fellow [illegible] ^lurked, deprived of his liberty, and either in in danger perhaps dead or in danger of death.—How every body worked! how the shovels flew!—And all for black Caesar—for black the buried man wasn't any body else.—

Our country seems to be threatened with a sort of ossification of the spirit. Amid all the advanced grandeurs of these times beyond any other of which we know—amid the never enough praised spread of common education and common newspapers and books—amid the universal accessibility of riches and personal comforts—the wonderful inventions—the cheap swift travel bringing far nations together—amid all the extreme reforms and benevolent societies—the current that bears us is one broadly and deeply materialistic and infidel. It is the very worst kind of infidelity because it suspects not itself but proceeds complacently onward and abounds in churches and all the days of its life solves never the simple riddle why it has not a good time.—For I do not believe the people of these days are happy. The public countenance lacks its bloom of love and its freshness of faith.—For want of these, it is cadaverous as a corpse.

Going among a large collection of blind persons—the wish that they could see and have all the blessings and knowledge thence—would it make your sight any less valuable to you?

As to the feeling of a man for a woman and a woman for a man, and all the vigor and beauty and muscular yearning—it is well to know that neither the possession of these feelings nor the easy talking and writing about them, and having them powerfully infused in poems is any discredit . . . . but rather a credit.—No woman can bear clean and vigorous children without them.—Most of what is called delicacy is filthy, or sick, and unworthy of a woman of live ^^rosy body and a clean rosy affectionate spirit.—At any rate all these things are necessary to the breeding of robust wholesome offspring.—

What can be a more admirable aim for the most exalted human ambition, than the wish and resolve to be perfect?—Though the carrying out of this resolve requires some mental purification, the most of it, I think is of a physical nature. How many faults have I!—How many weaknesses!—Ah, if the flesh could but act what my rational mind, in its moments of clear inspiration aspires to, how much better I should be!—Faint not, heart!—Advance stoutly and perseveringly!

I went to edit the Aurora in April 1842.

In Jamaica first time in the latter part of the summer of 1839. In the winter succeeding, I taught school at between Jamaica and Flushing—also in February and spring of '40 at Trimming Square.—

In summer of 40 I taught at Woodbury.

Was at Jamaica and through Queens co. electioneering in fall of 1840.—

By the article of Sidney Smith (1826) it appears that at that time certain high orders of criminals had not the privilege of being heard by their counsel in their trials—jury

"I have myself," says Mr Scarlett, the English Barrister "often seen persons I thought innocent convicted, and the guilty escape."Sidney Smith 
  essays

"Folly, sanctioned by antiquity." Sidney Smith

Winter of 1840, went to white stone, and was there till next spring.—

Went to New York in May 1841, and wrote for "Democratic Review," worked at printing business in New World" office boarded at Mrs. Chipmans—

—Went in April 1842 to ed[illegible] Aurora

Wrote for "sun," &c

J. W. died at Dix Hills Sept 8th 1845

There is a quality in some persons which ignores and fades away the [no handwritten text supplied here] around the hearts of all the people they meet.—To them they respond perhaps for the first time in their lives—now they have ease—now they take holiday—here is some one that they are not afraid of—they do not feel awe or respect or suspicion—they can be themselves—they can expose their secret failings and crimes.—Most people that come to them are formal or good or eminent—are repugnant to them—They close up their leaves then.

French Revolution. The king by his weakness extortion and ​ had incensed the people the States' general had assembled—the commons wished one body made of the three orders, and assumed the title of national assembly—Paris was (1789.) environed by a royal army of 50,000. The popular minister, M. Necker was removed, and then the insurrection broke out, the Bastile was destroyed, the king (17th July) visited the hotel de Ville and surrendered himself to the people.—In June, 1791, the king attempted to escape from Paris.—He was caught and brought back National assembly completed a new constitution, which was accepted by the king in Sept. the same year.—The Nat. As. then dissolved, and a new one was chosen, to the exclusion of every member of the former.—(Duke of Brunswick's proclamation 2nd page.) Sept 21, 1792, new Convention met, and decreed the abolition of royalty, and the formation of a republic.—Since the deposition of the king, the prisons had been filled, with suspected persons; on the 2nd of Sept. they were found open, and a horrid massacre took place.—In Dec. 1792, the Convention tried the king, convicted him, and on the 21st of Jan. 1793 he was beheaded.—

Little known before time of the Romans.—About the beginning of Christian era— Had rude forces, infantry and horses—Cesar first visited the island.—Claudius was the emperor, under whom it was subjected. Caractacus sought to free his country, was taken prisoner and carried to Rome.—"Alas! he said how is it possible that a people possessed of such magnificence at home should envy me a humble cottage in Britain?"—Boadicea, a Briton queen, [illegible]d by the Romans, fought, led her own armies, was routed, committed suicide by poison.—Romans left, after being masters for 400 years.—

After Romans abdicated, the British were so annoyed by the Picts and Scots, that they invited the Saxons, to come [illegible] from Germany, and protect them.—They came under Hengist and Horsa, brothers.—Vortigern was their king.—Treachery of the Saxons.—Prince Arthur a native Briton took up arms against them.—Es-sex Sus-sex, ^^Wes-sex &c. Saxon kingdoms.—About 400 years after the arrival of Saxons, they having founded different kingdoms, and, quarrelled—all were united under Egbert of Wessex, who was crowned king of England. At this time St Gregory (Pope) (St George?) sent missionaries to convert them. (Saw some children for sale in the slave market at Rome)

Danes now invaded England, and committed great ravages. "Alfred the Great" fought against them.—Edward, Son of Alfred Ethelstan, son of AlfredEdward.—Edmund.—Edred. Edwy.—Edgar.—Edward II.—Ethelred II.—Edmund Ironside. (Danes, under Canute [illegible] invaded Eng.) Canute and Edmund, keeping the kingdom in constant war, the nobility obliged them to divide the empire.—Soon after Edward was murdered, and Canute thereby came into possession of the crown.—Harold, son of Canute.—Hardicanute, another son— Danes deposed, and Edward the Confessor, ^^{a Saxon,} king.— Harold, son of a nobleman.— His pretensions were opposed by William, Duke of Normandy.— The crown had been left William by Edward the Confessor.— Pope in favor of William. William entered England, fought Harold, defeated him, and gained the crown. End of Saxon dynasty, after 600 years.