Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1853-05-27
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"If Preston had n,y head on his shoulders,
what an extraordinary man he would be y
was the remark of short, and stern looking
man, when Preston was making one Of those
extraordinary speeches. that flashed from the
Saluda To The sea in blaze of glory. Who
was he that ventured to make this remark,
and what were his claims 10 such distinction |
It was Hugh Swinton Legare. the first scholar
in the South. and one OF the most accomplish.
ed orators, lawyers, statesmen and phioogisis
in the United States.
Hugh ). Legare was born in Charleston.
in the year 1897 His parents were highly re-
spectable being defendants of Hugucnot fam
iiy, that settled in n. &. on the revocation Of
the edct of Nantz. He was carly distin
guished for extraordinary talents, eclipsng all
competitors, and winning the admiration and
respect of his teachers. Under the tuition
of DR.. GalsRher-a Catholic Priest-he be.
came an adept in the Latin Language; and
subsequently under the Instructions of the eel.
ebrated DR.. Wadde he acquired that taste
for Greek which was conspiciously dis
pIayed in his writings, when editing the South
ern Review. From this school he was sent
to the South Carolina College, at Columbia,
and Preston informs us that the young Aris.
tarchus entered that College, preceded by a
how reputation, the most brilliant for abilities
and requirements.
He entered College, says Peston at the
early age Of fourteen. His reputation had
preceded him; he was OH his arrival an object
of curiosity and interest to the students; while
on his part, with ~boyous ingenuousness, he
was not indisposed to exhibit his requirements
nor backward in giving it to be understood,
that he intended to run for the honors Of his
class. His previous attaEments, the astonish
ing facility with which he added to them, and
the eager industry with which he threw him
selfupon his studies, gave him at once lead
which he maintained throughout his course,
until he was graduated not only with the hon.
o,s OF College, but with reputation in the
State. He mainly devoted himself to the dc.
partmen,s of Classical Literature and Philoso-
ply; and he zealously engaged in the discuss.
ions ofthe debating societies, IN order TO prac
tice himself in the art of speaking Those
studies were passion with him. His atten
ton to the Exact Sciences however, seemed
to be stimulated, rather by an ambition and
sense of duty. thar particular Inclination
His recitatons in mathematics, chemistry and
natural philosophy, were always good--equai
to the best of his class; but his heart was In the
classics He was graduated with the highest
honors of the College p December. 1914, and
returned to Charleston, where he entered the
law office of Mitchell King--a leading barris
ter-and after studying four years. he embar-
ked for Europe, with the intention of prosecu.
ting his studies in German, or English uni
versty,
After lingering in Paris for several months,
listening to the eloquence of Foy, Manuel and
Chaleaubriand, and Witnessing the acting oi
Talma, Dnchesnos and Mademoiselle Mars he
determined to visit Edinburg; and arriving
there in the autumn of 1918, he entered the
classes OF civil law. natural philosophy. and