The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-07-30

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Gen almost call MP from their hsbteton in the past,
q In fancy the whse spiritual circle which environ
q that time of his life, the opinions he had en-
hraeed the theories Of mind Of religion. OF morals
e philosophy b which he had surrendered himself
Che oanons of tasts and criticism which he had
ascepted-the great authors when he loved the
bsst-the great trophies which began TO disturb
his Sleep the fac Of history which be had learned
believed and he began TO interpret, the shapes OF
hsps and fear in which imagination began TO
erng before him the good and evil Of the future.
etli, the sane outward world is around you
and above yeu. The sweet and solemn how
Of the river cleaning through intervalo here
and there, nsreius and samples Of the sane old
woods, but thinn~d and retiring; the same range
q green hills yonder, tolerant OF culture % the top,
bat shaded Their by prmeval forests on whose crest
the last rays Of sunset fingered; the summit OF As
quincy the great northern light that never sets; the
cancellations that walk around and watch the pole;
the same nature. undecayed, unchanging, - here
Almost the idoatries Of the old paganism grow in
tehigible " MagnoruDi f,snlinwr, elptG rcHeran'-
v /" exclaims Seneca. Subttnr d er Gbrppto s1sfi
anss,s eruuso aYoS habet!n We stand at the foun-
tain Of strsa We stand, rather, where stream
sudden and rom hidden springs, bursts to lsa1,
from which we can look along and down. IS u were:
on oar own Connecticut, and trace It's rcspienueh.
pathway 10 the sea; and we venerate AMI almost
wsQld build atars here. Almost Is seems as II hsre
" might learn the secrets OF his supremacy. We
know that God gave him excellent spirit and an
understanding above that OF other men. That u't-
mate fact We accept and repose on; yet more we
would know, If We could, and hither we should come
70 know it.
II may adopt the lofty language OF one Of the ad
mirefe Of William Pitt, We come naturally here as If
could recall every circumstance Of splendid pre-
para6on which contributed to fit the great man for
the scene Of his glory We come. Is If better here
than elsewhere, I've could watch, fold by fold, the
bra0iDg Of his Vulcsnian panoply, and observe,
with pleased anxiety, the leading forth Of that cha
riot which, borne on Irresistible wheels, and drawn
BY steeds Of immortal race, is TO crush the neck of
the mighty and sweep away the serriea strength OF
Arnies' And, therefore, it were filter that should
ask o( you than speak to you concerning him. Lit
tie. indeed anywhere can De added now to that
wealth Of eulogy that hes been heaped upon his
tomb. Before he died even, renowned in two hemis-
pAeres in ours he seemed TO be known with unlver>
sal 1earness Of knowledge. He walked 80 long
and 80 conspicuously before tho general eys-his
actions, his ooinipBs on all things which had
been large enough 10 agitate the public mind
for the last thirty years and more had had mportance
and consequence 40 remarkable, anxi0usy waited
for, passion ,eiy canvassed not adopted always into
the particular measure, or deciding the particular
vote Of government or the country yet sinking deep
into the reason OF the people, stream Of influence
whose fruits il is yet too soon for political phloso
ply to appreciate completely; impression Of his
extraordinary intellectual endowments, and of
their peculiar superiority in that most imposing
and intelli.ibls Of all forms Of manifestation, the
moving OF others' minds by speech-this impression
kndled curiosity 10 hear him and read him, so wide
and 30 largely INDUCED his individuality altogether
was " absolute and so pIonounced-the force Of
VIII no less than the power OF genius the exa;
type and fashion Of his mind not less than its gen
ersl magnitude were 80 distinctly shown through
his musical and transparent style-ths exterior
OF the man-ihe grand mystery of brow and
sye-the deep tones, the solemnity, the soye-
reienty as OF those who would build States,
where every power and every grace did seem to
set its SEAL bad been made by personal observa-
ton, BY description. BY the exaggeration even of
these ~ho bad felt the SPELL by art, the dagusrreo
md nj nd sf1 n liar IN nc
American eye. craven on the memory like the Wash
ington Of Stuart the narrative OF the mere incidents
o( his life had been often told, by some 80 anthen
teay, and with sncs skill and had been 80 literally
committed t. heart that when he died there seemed
TO be little left but u say where and how his change
came, with what dignity, with what possession OF
himself, with what loving thought for Others, with
what gratitude to God, uttered with unfaterng
voice. that it was appointed to him there 10 die, to
ny how thus leaning the rod and staff Of promise,
he took his way into the great darkness undismayed
6n death should be thus swallowed up Of life; and
then to relate how they laid him IN that SIMPLE grave,
and turning an pausng and joining their voices to
the voices Of the sea babe him hail and farewell.
And vet hardly know what there is in public bio
naphy what there is in literature, TO be compared
= it, kind with the variety and beauty and adequacy
Of the series Of dscourses through which the love
and grief, and deliberate reasoning admiration OF
America for this great man, have been uttered Lit
De, indeed, there would be for me to say, II were
capable Of the higher ambition Of professng 70 omit
lie to add il sought TO say anything new.
nave Thought, perhaps, the place where was to
sneak suggested the topic-thst before we approach
the ultimate and historical greatness OF Mr. webster,
IN its two chief departments, and attempt to appre-
sate by what qualities of genius and character, and
what succession of action be attained IT, there might
b an interest in going back OF all this 30 to say,
and pansjng q few moments upon his youth.
include in that designation, the period from ms
birth on the 18Th day Of January, 1882 until 1905,
when, twenty three years OF age, he declined the
clerkship of his fathers Court, and dedicated him.
salt irrevocabIy to the profession OF the Law, and
q public life. These twenty.tbree years we shall
call the youth OF Webster. Its incidents are few
and well known ard need not long detain US. I'm
til May, 1876, beyond the close OF his fourteenth
year, be lived at home, attending the schools or
Masters Chase and Tappan, successiyely-at work
sometimes and sometimes at play, like any boy
but finding all eady, few beside him did tue stnu-
atons and the feed of intellectual life in the social
library drinking in unawares from the moral and
physical aspects about him. the lesson aud the power
Of contention and seiftrust and learning how much
Grarder than the forest oenaing 70 the long storm,
or the silver and cherlshing Merrimac swollen TO
inundatiOn, and turning, as love become MADNESS,
to ravage the subject nterva!e--or old woods sui
ienly retiring before axe and flre-Iearning to feel
how much graDder than these was the coming in OF
civilization there he saw it, courage, labor, pa
tence, plain living, herocal setting high thinking,
beautiful feeling the fear Of God, love Of country,
and neighboi hood, aud family, obedience to law and
al that form Of human life Of which his father, aud
mother. and sisters ard brother were the endearod
exem plfic attain. In the arms OF that circle on pa
rent knees or later in intervals Of work play the
hture American statesman acquired the idea OF
country, ard became conscious OF national tie and
. national life. There and then something ghmpses
little of the romance the sweet and bitter memo
es Of soldier and borerer OF the old colonial time
and war opened to the large dark eyes OF the chld
memories of French anc Indians stealing up to
De very place where the story was telling; o. msn
shot down ut the plough within sight OF the old log
house; Of the massacre at Fort William aHd Mary;of
OF Howe OF Wolfe falling in the arms OF VIC
tory; and then Of the next age, iH grander scenes
and higher Names: Of the fathers part at Bennins
tor and White Flsns; Of lafayette and Washing.
ton; and then Of the Constitution, Just adopted, and
ne Ant President Just insuguratsd with Of
public Thanksgiving 10 Almighty God, and the Union
lust sprung into lifeall radiant az morning, haroln
ger ard rronisc Of brighter day. fon have heard
Row In that season be bought and first read tne Cons
tuition on The cotton handkerchief small cannon,
think his bioQrsphers say, was the ominous pay