Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1859-01-18
A Great Law Lord.

Stunlin" in the narrow Gothic riiirfi"H
space reserved for the ~puhIic-thc throne at
the opposite extremity of the Hou,r-you
NAV see. on one ufthc hench", TO the right,
almost every forcnoon-Saturday AMI Sun
dav exrrpted-iuring the session. a very old
man with a white head. and attircd in Il sim
pie frork and trousers of Shcpcrd : pIalh. 1t
!, a ~lcuninc head. and the white locks are
bushv and prufuse. 80. too. the eyebrows
lighthouses tu the eyes somewhat weak now,
but that can fash fire Yet upon occa>lonS.-
The face Is p~loughcd with wrinkles. a well
il may be. for the old man will never see
four->core wears again; and Of these. three
score. at the very least, have been spent IN
study and the hardest labor, mental and
physical.
The m"sc is Il neutrality-suspicious., rugoS".
aggressive. inquiring. and defiant: unloyeiy
but intellectual. There is trumpet mouth
a bclligercnt mouth. projecting and sclt-as-
scrting: largest ears, and on chm or cheek,
no vestigr of hair. Not Il beautiful man this
on any theory of beauty. llogarthcsquc. Rus
kinesgue. Win~kclmancSque, or Otherwise
rather II shaggy, gnarlcd. battered, weather
beaten, ugly. faithful. Scotch collie type
Not Il soft, imploring, yielding iace-rathcr
IL teasing, hooking, pugnacious east OF coun-
tcnance. The mouth is fashioned to thcsay-
ing Of harsh, hard, pertinent things; not
cruel, but downright: but never TO whisper
compliments, or silnpcr out platitnd"-. y
nose. too. that can snuff the battle atar OF.
and with dilatcd ~nostrils. breathe forth Il glory
that is sometimes terrible, but not 4 nose for
Il pouncct-b box or Il Covcnt Garden bouquet, or
a Hacoa of Frangipanni. Would not care
much for trufics. either, | think, or the deli
cate aroma Of sparkling Mosellc-would pre-
fer onions. or strongly infused malt and hops;
something honest and unsophisticatcd.
Watch this old man narrowly, young Nl>l-
tor To the Lords. Scan his furrowcd yisage.
Mark his odd angular ways and gestures
passing uncouth. Now he crourheS, very
dog like. on his crimson bench: clasps one
shepherds plaid leg in both his hands,
Bothcrcm. q. g.. is talking nonsense, think.
Now the lcgs are crossed, and the hands
thrown behind the head; now he iigS his ell
bow into the little Gothic ~writing-table before
him. and buricS the hands into that pleasant
white hair of his. The quidditie, of FIoorcm
q. C.. are beyond human patience. Then
with Il wrench, a wriggle, Il shake, Il hail
turn. and Il half start up. still very dog like,
but If the newfoundland rather, now he asks
a lawyer or a witness Il question. Question
very sharp and to the point, not often COM
plimentary BY times. and couched i'll that
which is neither broad Scotch nor 'Northum-
brian burr but Il rebellious mixture of the
two.
Mark him well; eye him closely; YOU have
not much time to lose. Alas! the giant is
very old: though with frame yet uniccblcd.
with intellect yet gloriously uncloudcd. But
the sands are ever running. Watch HIM.
mark him. score him on your mind tablets;
then home and in after years it may hc your
lot to tell your children that once N least yuu
have seen with YOUR own eyes, the famous
Lord Of Naux: once listened to the voice that
has shaken thrones and made tyrants tr"m-
blc-tliat has been Il herald Of lcliyerance to
millions pining in slavery and captivity: 4
voice that has given uttcrInce. in man most
eloquent words, to the noblcst, wiSc>t thoughts
lent to this man of men BY heaven; II Voice
that has been trumpct->oundiHg these sixty
wears past in defence of truth. and right and
iusticc-in advocacy of the claims oilearnlng
and Justice, and Of the liberties of the great
English people, from Whose ranks he rose:
a Voice that should be entitled t. q hearing
in a WaIhalla of wise heroes. after Francis Of
Nrrulam. and Isaac of Grantharn: the voice
of one who is worthily a lord. but who will
Ice better remembered. and "a ali tine-rc-
membered enthusiastically and afectionate-
" H. the champion of all good and wisu and
beautiful Human Thing>-llarry Brougham,
Lon.iOH WeekLs EdIr..