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

memory
do TO him, that already, somewhere, at some hour
Of day ming, or night ~ he read some page,
or beard some narrative, or saw some happier
schoolfellow set off from Exeter to begin his col
| lege life. the love Of Intellectual enjoyment,
| the ambition Of intellec ual supremacy had taken
hold of him; that when or how ne knew not. but ii
had come to be- before he was aware Of IT, his last
thought before he slept, his first when he awoAe,
| and shaped his Dreams Behold in them, too, hs
W ole future. That day, that hour that very mo-
meut, from the deep SHOWS Of that slow hill he set
out on the long ascent that bore him no step
backward to the high places OF the world. lie
August 1876, and then entered this college, where
ne was at the end Of the full term Of four years.
graduated in 1901. OF that college life you can tell
more than can tell you. II IS the universal evi-
| aence that it was distinguished by exemplary
| demeamor, by reverence for religion, respect
! for instruction, and Observance OF law. We
hear from all sources. too, that 1t was dis
tiuguished by assduOus and various studies. With
the exception Of one or two branches, for which
his imperfect preparation had failed to excite taste
he is reported TO have addressed himself to the pre-
scribed tasks, and to have avaed himself Of the
whole body Of means Of liberal culture appointed by
the government, with decorum and conscientious
zeal. We hear more than this. The whole course
Of traditions concerning his college life is full to
prove two facts. The first is that his reading,
general and various far beyoui the requirements OF
the faculty or the average capacity or taste OF that
stage Of the literary life, not solid and useful
merely, which Is vague commentator, but it was
SUCH IS preulcateu ana euucdteu the sIatcS-
man. In English lite nature, its finer parts-its
poetry and tasteful writing. ! mean-he had read
much rather than many things but he had read
somewhat That young man OF his emotional
nature full Of eloquent feeling, the germs OF dne
taste, the for the music Of words, the eye for
all beauty and all sublimity already in extraordinary
measure his, already practising the art OF compo-
stion, speech and criticism, should have recreated
himself, az we know he did, with Shakespeare, and
Pope, and Addison, with the great romance Of
Defoe, with the recent biographies Of johnson,
and his grand limitations Of Juyenal with the sweet
and refined simplicity and distracted observation of
Goldsmith mingled with sketches OF homefelt de-
light with the elegy Of Gray, whOse solemn touches
soothed the thoughts tested the consciousness of
the last hour with the rigorous originality Of the
then recent Cowper, whom he quoted whom he came
home as ii proved, to de--this we should have ex.
pected. But have heard, and believe, that it was
TO another institution more austere and Characters
tic, that his own mind was irresistlbly and instinct
lively even then attracted. The conduct Of what
Locke calls the human understanding, the limits OF
human knowledge, the means Of coming to the
knowledge of the different classes OF truths the laws
OF thought the science OF proofs which is logic the
science OF morals the facts Of history the spirit Of
laws the conduct and aims Of reasonings in politics.
these were the strong meat that announced and be-
gan to train the great political thinker and reasoner
OF later day
have heard that he might ofsener be found in
some solitary seat or walk, with volume of Cor
don or Ramsays Revolution, or OF the Federalst,
or OF Humes History Of England or Of his Essays,
or Of Grotus, or Pufendorf, or Cicero, or Mon
tesqueu, or Locke, or Burke, than with Virgil or
Shakespeare, or the Spectator or the history OF
opinions, in the department of philosophy, he was
already curious student. The Grafton he delivered
before the United Fraternity, when he graduated,
treated that topic Of opinion, under some aspects,
! rccollect from once readingthe manuscript with
copousness, Judgment, and enthusiasm; and some OF
his rioicule OF the Berkleian theory of the non
existence OF matter, ! well remember anticipated
the sarcasm Of later day on currency all metallic,
and qualification as strictly constitutional remedy
The other fact, as well established, by all we can
gather Of his life and college is, that the faculty,
transcendent afterwards. OF moving the minds Of
men by speech, was already developed and effective
in a remarkable degree. Always, there is best
writer anu speaker or two in colleges bat this stereo
typed designation seems wholly inadequate to con-
vey the Impression he made IN his time. Many now
alive have said that some Of his performances hav-
ing regard to his youth his objects his topics, his
audiences-One the Celebration OF Independence,
one eulosy on q student much beloved-produced
an instant effect and left recollection to which
nothing else could be compared who could be felt
and admitted only, not explained; but which now |
they know were the first sweet tones Of inexpcabe
but delightful influence OF that voice. uncontrmed as
yet and unassured, whose more consummate express
sion charmed and suspended the soul of . nation.
To read these essays now disappoints you some
what. Az Quintillian says Of Hortensius, Appa-
ret plaeuisss aHqu'd dicsnte q,.od legsntss non
isrenmus. Some spell there was in the spoken
word which the reader misses To find the secret Of
that spell, you must recall the youth of Webster.
much as by any audience, large more exacting,
more various, and more fit, which afterwards he
found everywhere-knOwn to be manly, just pure,
generous, sfecionate-known and felt by his strong
WILL his high aims, his commanding character, his
uncommon and difficult studies, he had every hearts
warmest good wish with him when he rose; and
then when unchecked by any severe theory of taste
unoppressed by any dread Of saying something in
compatible with his place and flame, or unequal to
himself, be just unlocked the deep spring of that
eloquent feeling, which, in connection with his
power Of mere intellect, was sush stupendous psy
Geological mystery and gave himself the very genius
Of eloquence not TO the conduct Of an argument or
the investigation and display Of truth of the
son, but to fervid, beautiful, and prolonged emo
ton to grief to enogy t. the patriotism OF scholars.
What wonder, they locked on that presiding brow,
the eye large, sad, unworldy, incapable to be
fathomed, the lip and chm, whose tirnness, as Of
chissed, perfect marble, profoundest seusbility
wonder at the traditions of the effect they produced
and TIE predictions they suggested
His college life closed in August, 1901. do not
know whether there is any foundation for the state
ment that he had thought Of studying the profession
of theology but am assured and believe there is
not. Certainly he began at once the study Of the
law, and interrupted only by the necessity Of teach
ing the academy few months, with which he united
the recreation OF recording deeds, prosecuted IL in
the Office of Mr. Thompson, of Salisbury and of Mr.
Gore ia Boston until March 1906, when resisting
the sharp temptation Of clerkship, and an annual
salary Of 81 400, he was admitted to the bar.
has come to do the work Of life OF his youth there
is no need to say more 1t had been pure, happy, /
strenuous in many things privileged. TIE Influence
Of home Of his father and the excellent mother and
that noble brother whom he loved so dearly, and
incurred with such sono1-these influences on his
heart, principles, viii, aims, we're elevated and
strong. At an early are, comparatively, the then
great distinction OF Iterol education was his His
college life brilliant and without stain; and in
moving his admission ID the bar, Mr. Gore presented
him as one # extraordinary promise.
With prospects bright upon The world ne came
Pure love Of virtue, strong deHrs Of fame;
Men watched the wsy his lofty mind would take,
Add all forssolt thu progress he rouid mako.
And yet, If on some day a. that season was draw
ing To its Close it had been oretold to him that be-
fore his life prolonged TO little more than three
score years and ten, should end he shcrld see that
country, IN which be was coming 10 act his part,
EXPANDED across a contlnent-the thirteen States Of
1901 multiplied to thirty one--tho territory Of the
North vest and the great valley below sogn full Of
those stars Of empire-the Mississippi, the Sabine,
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