Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1856-12-13
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THE PRIVATE CORRESPONDENTS
OF DANIEL WEBSTER.

"TnE PRIVATE CORRESPONDENCE OF DANIEL
WKBsryR," which will be published by LITTLE,
BRoWH d Co., at Boston, about the middle
OF December fills two octave volumes OF
$50 pages each The earliest letter in the
collection s dated in December, 1898. when
Mr.. Webster was only sixteen years old, and
the latest in October, 1852, q few days before
bis death. Large gaps intervene in the
correspondence Of this extended period, there
being, in fact, whole years in which not a
letter of Mr.. Webster appears his cores
pondents having neglected to preserve them.
The letters of the last and most important
years of his life are by far the most numerous
and interesting.
The work begins with an autobiography
written in 1929, when Mr.. Webster was AZ
wears of age. The following extracts will
give an idea of its style and character:
The year following my birth my father re-
moved from bis first residence, which was =
log house Oh the HILL to the river side, in the
same town a distance Of three miles. Here,
in the meadow land, by the river, with rough,
high hills hanging over, was the scene OF my
earliest recollectlons; or, RS was SAID In
another cese, Here found myself" | can
recolIect when it WAS 1890; bat cannot say
that can remember further back. | have q
very vivid impression, indeed, Of something
which took place some years earlier, especi-
ally Of an extraordinary rise iii the river.
| remember how the dsluge of rain beat, for
two DAYS, on the house how all looked
anXiously to see the river overflow its banks,
how the waters spread over the meadows,
how the boat coming from atar, ou the other
side of the river, was roWed up TIL 1t almost
touched the door stone. How b r e. great
barn, fifty feet by twenty, full OF hay aud
grain, sheep, turkeys and chickens, sailed
down the current majestically before our eyes
and how we were all busy preparing to ny to
the mountains as soon as our house manifest
ed Gispost on to follow Mr.. G.s barn !
remember, OF seem to remember all these
thugs | did, indeed, see AS much Of them
AZ a child of FIVE years could, for l think il
was in 1887, but still | am Of opinion that
nv impression is from narrative, and not
! from remembrance of the vision. Plain
| inteligible aud striking things Of this kind
! | have learned, make an impression on young
ninds in recital which it is difficult after
wa:d to distinguish from actual persona
| recollection.
do not remember when or by whom
was taught to read; because l cannot an
never could recollect time when could no
read the Bible. l suppose was taught b.
nv mother, or by MY elder sisters. NJ
father seemed to have no higher object in tn
world than to educate lis children, to tn
full extent Of his very limited ability. N
means were within his reach, generally speak
ing, but the small town schools. These wer
kept by teachers, sufficiently Indifferent, IL
the several neighborhoods Of the township
each small part Of the year 10 these
was sent, with the other children.
When the school was in our neighbOrhoot
il was easy to attend when it removed TO
more distant district followed it., still liVinI
at home. While yet quite young, and 4
winter, | was sent daily q or 8 miles to tn
school When it removed still further, m
father sometimes boarded me out i'll neigh
boring family, so that could still be in tn
n school. A good deal of this was an extr
care, more than was bestowed on my eide
brothers, and originating in conviction c
the slenderness aud frailty OF my constitution
which was thought not likely ever 10 allo'
me to pursue robust occupation.
, In these schools nothing was taught bu
reading and writing and, as to these, IN
, first generally could perform better tha
the teacher, and the last good master eoul
hardly instruct me in; writing was so labo
ions. irksome aud repulsive an occupation
: me always. My masters used TO tell he tina
they feared, after all, my fingers were de-
tined for the plough-taii.
must do myself the justice to say tina
in those boyish days, there were two things
> did dearly love, viz: reading and playing
passions which did not cease to strugg
when boyhood was over, (have they .ye
altogether p and in regard to which neith'
the eta mors nor the vietor'a tGta could |
said Of either.
At very early day, owing | believe mai
. " to the exertions of Mr.. Thompson, II
:. lawyer, the clergyman, and my father, ve
small circulating library had been bough
These institutions, believe, about that YIN
received an impulse, among other cause
from the efforts Of DR.. Belknap, our Ne
Hampshire historian. ! obtained some
= these books, and read them. rememb
the Spectator among them and rememb
too. that | turned over the leaves OF Ado
!, sons criticism on Chevy Chase for the sa
of reading conuectedly the song the yers
Of which he quotes from time to time
IS subjects of remark 1t was as Doctor . oil
w son said in another case, that the poet "
read and the critic was neglected. co.
h. that Z