Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1834-03-04
WILLIAM WRIT.

had been in attendance ana prOleSSlOndl eLlploy-
ment at the Supreme Court.
Mr.. W1RT was born at Bladensburg, Mary
land, on the 9Th of November 1772; and was
the Youngest of six children. His father "a
SwisS.) died while William was an infant; and
his mother "a Germany when he was years
DID, Being an orphan, he was received into the
family Of his uncle who with his wife, was al
so a native of Switzerland. He appears TO nave
been kindly treated and encouraged by his aunt,
who dividing his talents-had him continued at
the grammar school at Georgetown despite the
pittance left for his education by his parents
Here was also educated RICHARD BRENT, late
member of Congress from Virginia.
WRIT was thence removed to a classic school
in Charles County, Maryland, kept by Hatch
Dent in the vestry- house of Newport Church,
where ALEXANDER CAMPBELL, of Virginia, was
educated-of whom Mr.. Writ subsequently said,
some of the most beautiful touches OF eoquence
have ever heard, were echoes from Campbell
which reached us in our mountains
From Dents school, Writ Gin his 18th year,
removed to that kept by the Rev. James Hunt,
presbyterian clergyman in Montgomery county,
Md-of whose kindness, learning and affabillty,
his pupil ever retained grateful remembrance.
Writ had free access to the library of his tutor,
of which he made free use. Having read that
Pope constructed sentences and stanZas attWelVe
years of age, Writ became as emulouS to rival
him, as Pope himself had similarly been stimu-
lated to rival Cowley. A poetical effort was his
first attempt But an incident occurring where
by he became embittered against the usher of
the school, who had unjustly chastised his pupil
the latter to be revenged wrote an essay on
Anger which schoolmate recited as a schoas-
tic exercise, to the amusement Of the scholars
and the MASTER but to the annoyance OF the
usher. This pedant having left the school I'M
mediately afterward, was subsequently involved
in difficulties, from which Writ partly eXtricat-
ed him.
While Writ was at the school Of Mr.. Hunt,
circumstance occurred which controlled his des-
tiny. Writ with his schoolmates was permitted
occasionally to attend and hear the pleadings at
the Montgomery Court House. Writ became
so fascinated with the eloquenCe displayed-par
ticulary by young gentleman, since well known
as William H. DoTsey-that he suggested to his
school. fellows to have juvenile court of their
own; of which he prepared constitution and
body of laws, prefacing them in his report by
an apologize letter for himself In this Lillipu-
tan Court he shone "proudly eminent"
When Writ arrived at his fifteenth year, Mr..
Hunt died. He was subsequently compelled
(from his stratened circumstances to idle an
interval at Bladensburg, till late school mate
of his (Ninian Edwards, since Governor Of Hi
nois, showed the letter and constitution to his
father-he was induced by Judge Benjamin
Edwards, to act as tutor to his family In youth
particularly
=. teaching teaches,
And by giving We retain.
Writ promptly accepted the offer, and received
from the father more instruction than he gave
to his son. Under Judge Edwards, Writ laid
the foundation Of his knowledge Of law. But
having formed an unhappy attachment with
lady in the neighborhood, who did not partici-
pate his love, it filed his soul, fired his muse,
and fretted his constitution. Being advised. he
therefore travelled South, to Augusta, in GeOr-
gia, to restore his health and spirits.
On his return, he studied law under William
Hunt, the son OF his old preceptor; and after
wards under Mr.. Thomas Swami, in the District
of Columbia, where he was admitted to the bar
in 1892 Immediately after his admission, he
removed to Cupepper Court House, in Virginia,
and commenced his practice, when 20 years of
age.
The first case in which he was engaged was
divided with him by a brother debutant. 1t
arose from assault and battery, by three persons
two of whom had been by writs liberated; but
the third was continued in prison, because taken
Immediately in execution. To Eberate him
without formal writ but or motion, was the
object of the young pleaders and WRIT acquit
ted himself so well as to acquire the patronage
ofthe late General John Miner then attending
as lawyer.
In '95 he married the eldest daughter Of DR..
George Gilmer, of Charlottesville, which intro
hood-and among others, to Jefferson, Madison,
and Monroe. But it introduced him to scene
of life with which he became lntOXlcated and
through means of which he was plunged into the
depths of dissipation and debauchery. From
this untoward course, he was singularly ransom
ed by sermon which he adventitiously heard
from the blind preacher James WardeH, whom
he has so celebrated in his British Spy The
sketch there given is often placed in enviable
juXtapostion with those of LIE Fevre and La
Roche.
This dark period in his life was caused by i'm
bibng the visionary theories of Goodwin, to
which he thus alludes in the British Spy.' 1T
is at this giddy period of life, when series of
dissolute courses have debauched the purity
and innocence Of the heart, shaken the pillars
of the understanding and converted her sound
and wholesome operations into little more than
q set of feverish starts, and incoherent and deli
rious dreams--it is in such situation that new
tangled theory is welcomed as an amusing
guest; and desm is embraced as balmy COM
forter against the pangs of an offended con-
science.'
At that period he wrote farce called the