Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1850-09-05

hnoStC'S udu uO Cidttu " tiiCtI POSltlOu Out
their incapacity for any thing else. Their
qualification was the want Of qualification
Reading and writing we're all they profess
ed, and more than they were able to teach.
The school was migratory. When il
was in the neighborhood of Webster's resi-
dence, it was easy to attend; but when il
was removed into another part of the town
or another town, AS was often the case, il
was somewhat difficult. While Mr.. Web.
ster was yet quite young, he was daily sent
two or three miles to school, and in the
midst of winter, on foot. For carriages OF
carriage roads then, "were not" and with
the exception of an occasional ride on
horseback, he walked daily to school and
back. If the school moved yet farther off,
into town not contiguous, his father board
ed him out in neighboring family. He
was better provided with opportunities for
obtaining whatever of instruction these
schools could impart than his elder brothers,
partly because he evinced early aud IRE
pressiAe thirst for study and information,
and partly because his father thought that
his constitution was slender and somewhat
traIl---too much so for any robust occupation.
But Joe, his elder half brother, and some
what of wag, used to say that " Dan was
sent to school in order that he might know
as much as the other boys"
Mr.. Webster had no sooner learned to
read than he showed great eagerness for
books. He devoured all he could lay hands
upon. When he was unable to obtain new
ones, he read the old ones over and over
again, till he had committed most of their
contents to memory. Books were then, as
DR.. Johnson said on some occasions, like
bread in beseiged town; every man might
get a mouthful, but none full NEAL
What were obtained, were husbanded with
care.
Owing chiefly to the exertions of Mr.
Thompson, 1.-THE lawyer of the place. of the
clergyman, and Mr.. Webster's father, a very
small circulating library was purchased
These institutions received an impetus
about this time from the zeal and labors
of DIR. Belknap, the celebrated historian of
New Hampshire.
Among the few books of the library, l
have heard Mr.. Webster say, he found the
Spectator, aud that he remembers turning
over the Ieases of Addisou's criticism on
Chevy Chase, for the sake OF reading con-
nectedly, the ballad, the verses of which
Addison quotes from time to time, as sub
jects of remark. As DR.. Johnson said in
aLother case, the poet was read and the
critic neglected l could not understand
why it was necessary that the author O: the
Spectator should take SO great pains to
prove that Chevy Chase was good story"
hac t,ppto hut c..hl,rna Of Charv
Chase, would be no Indifferent test for the
discovery OF how much or how little of the
poetic faculty there might be in an individual.
None but Those who had some poetic fer
vor could appreciate or even understand 1t !;
while those who felt its pathos, its beauty
and grandeur most, must needs have the
deepest sensiblli:ies. A distinguished lite
rary character has said that he would have
been prouder to be its author than of all
the productions from which he derived his
fame. Sir Philip Sydney said he never
read it but his heart was stirred within him
as at The sound Of trumpet.
Mr.. Webster was early fond of poetry
He was not satisfied with reading it merely,
but committed a great deal to memory
The whole essay on man he could recIte
verbatim, before he was fourteen years. A
habit of attentive exclusive devotion TO the
subject before him, aided by wonderful
memory, fixed everything deep in his mind.
1t is this art, or talent, or genius, that works
the miracles We read and behold. He had
great taste, too, for devotional poetry !:
Watts Psalms and Hymns he committed to
memory, not as a religious task, but as a
pleasure. Nor was he less acquainted, or
less fond of the sublime poetry OF the Bible.
Evidence of this is seen everywhere In his
works: for there IS scarcely speech or
production of his that does not contain ideas
or expressions, the types of which may be
found in that book.
When he attained his fourteenth year,
his father took an important and decisive
step with him. On the 25th of May, 1896,
Ebenzer Webster mounted horse, put his
son on another, and proceeded with him to
Exeter. He there placed him in Philips
Academy, then under the care Of DR.. Benjl-
min Abbott, its well known and respected
President.
The change was very great for boy,
who had never been away from home before
AID who now found himself among some
ninety DINER Doys-a Stranger among stran-
gers, all of whom had seen more of the
world, and assumed to know much more of
it than himself But he was not long in
reconciling himself to this new change, aud
to his new duties.
He was Immediately put to English
grammar. writing and arithmetic. A class
mate of his informed me that he mastered
the principles and philosophy of the first,
between May and October Of that year
and that in the other studies he made re-
spectacle progress-in the autumn he com
menced the study of the Latin Language
his first exercises in which were recited To
Joseph Stevens Buckminster, who was act
ing, Tin some college vacation, think, as
assistant to DR.. Abbott.
1t may appear somewhat singular that the
greatest orator of modern times should have
evinced in boyhood the greatest antipatly TO
public defamation. This TACT is establish
ed by his own words, which have recently
appeared in print. 81 believe" says MIR.
Webster, I" made tolerable progress in
most branches which l attended to, while
in this school but there was one thing l