The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1851-04-30

cALLISTHENEs-
Ne. n.
10 fAs Edilor Ehe HsltI~ssgA Rseord~.
SIR: In the narrative which have IN.
derisksn 10 furnish ior your columns. I
entertain no fear Of incuring The impuia-
lion Of inroreclness In detailing ordinary
facts; bur must Al The same lin. sp-
prise you. tlisl ! an moi equally confident
Of that accuracy. which ronsisls in the
foil relation Of circumstances. or that pre-
rision which !. desirable in recurring 20
dates. A careful biographer viii no doubt
have il in his power 10 reclify errors of
lhe last mentioned kind. and 10 supply
Deficiencies. by reference 10 the public
Offices. and 10 the departments Of state.
William Hooper. the subject Of these
sketches. was born l7ih June. i742. in
Boston. Massachusetts. His father. the
Rev. William Hooper, pastor Of Trinity
Church in sha, town, is mentioned brief
Iy and imperlecily. in Ellioi's Biographi-
cal Dictionary. The addition Of Few
words would have prevented the su.pl-
cion that The acrount was pcnned in the
spirit Of prejudice. Certain il 10. That no
minister ever enjoyed more fully The az
feciion and re. ercnce Of his congregation,
and few have been so much admired for
elegance of manners. and bold and inn
pressive eloquence. Besides the learning
and the sciences which are obtained II
universities. be possessed accomplish
menls.s such as are NOT considered, in
any degree, essential in forming The cru
diie and well bred divine. He mar
ried in Boston. the daughter Of Mr.. John
Dennie, an eminent merchant. William
was the eldest OF Ave children by This
marriage.
i The plan Of his education commenced
in his infancy. A, The age OF seven. he
was removed in part from The pupilaRc
Of his father. and placed al a free gram
mar school in Boston. The master Of which
was John Lovel. almost as much celebra-
! ted in America, in his dsy,f as was once
, The famous Doctor Busby iu England.
Here lie was distinguished for his prof.
cheney in the studies preparatory 10 his
J entering into college; and completed The
!. regular course Of seven years with com'
) mrndalion and praise.t Al this early pc.
Rod lie was remarked on. for The weak.
ness OF his constitution. His nerves were
SO sensitive. thai he became an object oil
incesssni iailery 10 his group OF lIille re.
lalves and 10 his falher's domes.ics. With
increase OF ears. bis constitution grew
frmer, but lis nerves always retained
much Of their early delicacy. Aided By
the instruction Of his father. which was
never RENTED, hc made literary acquire
menis. uncommon for one Of his age, and
advanced himself. in his scholasli: studies,
beyond his contemporaries. II was. no
doubt, owing 10 this circumstance. that he
was admitted, contrary TO established
rules, into the sophomore class, al Har-
ward college.S There he took rank among
the most distinguished, Ind signalized
himself in ora,ory. He graduated A. b.
in l7G0. and A. M. in 1863.
Such was The anxious attention which
his father bestowed on him. in order 10
form him as an orator. that his vacations
were periods Of more labor,ous study and
exerion. than the terms Of hls scholastic
exercises. And here il is worthy Of OBJ.
servalion, thai the genius of the father
and son were diamelrically opposite.
I'ha, OF the father was Of loflier cast.
and was formed in the school of Demos.
themes that Of The son was Ciceronian
in It's features. The characteristic of the
father was yehemence; that Of The son.
insinualion. Were /. not a presump,u-
ous comparison, would say. The father
! was Chatham; the son was William
Pitt.
: Il was the early intention and earnest
wish Of his father, 10 devote this son TO
the ministry. TO this, however. the son
was disinclined, for reasons that were con-
! sldered satisfactory BY his father. who
agreed 10 alter his destination. Finding
that he preferred the study Of The law. he
placed him with James Oils, esq. who
was then lawyer Of eminence.
Al this period commenced the attempts
Of The English parliament against the
: rights and privileges Of The subjects in the
provinces. Mr.. Oils took an early and
decided stand, by his writings and open
declarations. against this assumed power
of the British government. He was ex-
ceeded bv none in zeal. and equallcd by
few in abilities. The high esteem and
. respect which the subject Of these sketches
entertained for Mr.. Gus, naturally render.
, ed him partial 10 his political principles
and there can be no doubt had the efIec,
Of assisting TO engraft those principles on
his mind, and 10 establish them permanent
! In letter from the late venerable Doctor
Lloyd, Of Boston, dated Gath September, 1886, to
one Of the sons Of w. Hooper, pastor Of Trinity
Church, he says, " Your fathers memory will ever
be dear to me. He was the most accomplished
gentleman, and one Of the best friends ever
had"