The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1857-02-11

JEFFERsoN's ACCOUNT OF PATRICK HENRY
Patrick Henry was originally bar-kceper. He
was married very young, and going into some
business on his own account, was a bankrupt
before the year was out. When I was about
the age of fifteen left the school here, to 90
to the college at Williamsburg. | stopped
few days at a friends in the county of Louisa
There | first saw and became acquainted with
Patrick Henry. Having spent the Christmas
holidays there, l proceeded to Williamsburg.
So the question arose about my admission, as
my preparatory studies had not been pursued
at the school connected with the institution
This delayed my admission about a fortnight,
at which time Henry appeared in Williams
burg, and applied for a licence to practice law,
having commenced the study of it at or sub
sequently to the time of my meeting him in
Louisa. There were four examiners-Wythe,
Pendleton, Payton Randol PHI and John Ran
dolph. Wytle and Pendleton at once reject
ed his application. The two Randophs, by his
importantly, We're prevailed upon to sign, the
llcence; and having obtained their signatures,
he applied to Pcndleton; and after much en-
treaty and many promises of future study, sue
cceded in obtaining his. He then turned out
for a practcing lawyer. The first case wlicl.
brought him into notice was a contested cleo
ton, IN which he appeared as Il counsel before
the committee of the house of fburgesses. His
second was the Parsons cause, already we'll
known. These and similar efforts soon obtain
ed for him SO much reputation, that he was cleo
ted member Of the legislature He was as
well suited to the times as any man ever was.
and 1t Is not now easy to say what we should
have done without Patrick Henry. H. was
far before all in maintaining the revolution
His influence was most extensive with the mem
bers from the upper counties, and his bodness
overaWed and controlled the more cool or the
more timid aristocratlc gentlemen of the lower
part of the State. His eloquence was peculiar,
if indeed it should be called eloquence, for it
was impressive and sublime, beyond what can
be imagined. Although it was difficult, when
he spoke, TO tel! what he had said, yet, while
he was speaking it always seemed directly to
the point. When he had spoken in opposition
to my opnon-had produced great effect
and myself been highly delighted and moved
have asked myself when he ceased: "What
the devil has he said?" l could never answer
the inquiry. His person was Of full size, and
his manner and voice free and manly. His ut
erance neither very fast nor very slow His
speeches were generally short-from quarter
to half an hour. His pronunciation was vul-
gar and vicious, but it was forgotten while he
was speaking. He was man of very little
knowledge of any sort He read nothing, and
had no books Returning one November from
Abernale court, he borrowed of me Humc's
Essays in two volumes, saying he should aavc
casure in the winter for reading. In the spring
he returned them, and declared he had not been
able to 60 further than twenty or thirty pages
* T., II,
he could not write. The resolutions Of rs,
which have been ascribcd to him, had been
written by Mr.. johnson, who acted as his sec
ond on that occasion but if they were written
by Henry himself, they were not such as TO
prove any power of composition. Neither in
politics or in his profession was he man of
business; he was man for debate only. His
blographer says that he read Plutarch every
year. | doubt whet Their he ever read volume
in his life. His temper was excellent, and he
generally observed decorum in debate. On
one OF two occasions have seen him angry,
and his anger was terrible. Those who witness
ed it, were not disposed to rouse it again. In his
opinion he was yielding and practicable, and no.
disposed to differ from his friends. In private
conversation he was agreeable and facetious,
and, whllein genteel society, appeared to under
stand all the decences and proprietics of it; but
in heart he preferred low society, and sought
it as often as possible He would hunt in the
pine woods of Flusanna, with ovvrseers, and -
people of that description, living in camp for
tortniyh at 4 time without change of rament.
! / have ottt11 been asonished at his command
of proper language; how he attained knowl
edge Of 1t, never could find out, as he read SO
little, and convcrsed little with educated men.
After all it must be allowed that he was our
leader in the measures of the revolution, in Vir-
gina. In that respect more was due to him
than any other person. live had not had him.
we should probably have got on pretty well, as
you did, by number of men of nearly equal
talents, but he left us all far behind. His bio
yrapher sent tie sheets of his work to me as
they were printed, and at the end asked me for
my opinion. | told him it would be a question
hereafter, whether his work should be placed
on the shelf of history or of pancgyric. 1t is a
poor book, written in bad taste. and gives 50
imperfect an idea of Patrick Henry, that it
seems intended 70 show off the writer more
Eshan the subject of the work
In the museum Of Berlin, remarks a writer
I: in Newark cotemporary, in the hall devoted
TO northern antiquities, they have the repre-
sentaGions of the idols from whom the names
of the days of our week is divided. From tie
idol of sun comes Sunday. This idol is repre-
sented with his face like the sun, holding
burning wheel with bo;h hands on his breast,
slgnifyng his course around the world. The
idol of the moon, from which cometh Monday.
is Labited in a short coat, like a man, but hold
ing moon in lis hand. Tuisco, from which
comes Tuesday, was one of the most ancient
and peculiar gods of the Germans, and is re-
presented in his garment of skin, according to
the peculiar manner Of clothing. The third
day of the week was dedicated to lis worship
Wooden, from whence Wednesday comes, WAS
a valiant prince among the Saxons. His image
was prayed to for victory. Thor, from whence
Thursday, is seated on a bed with twelve stars
over his head, holding sceptre in his right
hand Friga from whence we have Friday,is is
represented with drawn sword in his right
hand and bow in bis left He was The g:ver
of peace and plenty. Scatter, from whence is
Saturday, has The appearance Of perfect wretch
ednesss; heis Thin visaged, long haired, with a