Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1859-08-31
Patrick Henry.

IL has been common to suppose that Patrick
Henry. 1.-THE natural orator" as he 10 properly
called was very sllghtly, f at al indebted for his
wonderful eloquence 10 those sources of mental
culture which are held in highest esteem at
once the models Of taste and the instruments Of
learning. 1t seems, however, that this opinion Is
unfounded, and that tho American Demosthenes
is no exception 10 the great law which afRrma
that "the gods givc nothing to men without tlabOr."
From an interesting and instructive Oration ds-
livercd by Mr.. Hugh Blair Grigshy. before the
students Of William and Mary College, Oh the
4th Of July last. we cite the following statement
in reference to the literary style and early classi.
cal proficiency of Patrick Henry:
"One instance Of the application Of philulogy TO
to tho history Of Virginia Is within my own expe.
students Of William and Mary From critical
examination Of tho Fragments " the speeches and
writings ofPatrick Henry which have como down
to U.S. and by careful COLLATION. Of them with
those OF his prominent contemporaries, was
convinced that our Patriot Prophet Ind received
n regular aud throughout training In the Latin
classics, and that he had received that training
in enrly life. There was to bs aeon In his style
curiosd teiicitas' and 'caiiiid junctura. n pu-
ry and u tact which could not have been the re-
suit Of chance, or they would have boon equally
apparent in the works of his rivals and il was
evident, 80 finely wcro these characteristics inter
woven in the general texture Of his style. thut he
must have studied tha ancient authors in early
life as such results rarely appear conspicuous
ly in the productions Of those who become ac-
quainted with the classics at a more advanced
age. This was tho argument of internal evidence
--an argument which was satisfactory to me, but
(which, without an infinitely minute exposition of
details that none but II phlologist could compre-
hcnd. would not BIO conclusive to others. II would
thus be regarded rather MS IN opinion than de-
monsration and must therefore, sustain my
cnnclusion for tho benefit Of Others from tho facts
Of ilenry's early life. His father was n teachcr,
and native of Scotland, and he was educated in
that country when Latin was taught with sub
stnntinl skill but many years before the sun Of
Greek literature Ind risen in the Scottish horizon.
Now the Scotch teach Latin ut the tendefest nge.
! MN myself Of Scottish des ent on the maternal
side. and was taught by Scottish teachers. and
can hardly remember time whcnl could not
read Latin, or Mt least when was not familiar
with the grammer. But the father Of Henry WINS
not only teacher and Scotchman, but be was
an admirable Latin Scholar for we are told in
the diaryof Samuel Davies himselfa fine scholar.
that the father Of Henry more familiar with
his Horace thnn with his Bible. Hence the con
clusion irresistible that. If the father of Hen
ry tnught his pupils the classics. he would, like
the rest OF his countrymen, teach them early and,
as he was proved 10 have been thoroughly skilled
in them, that he would teach them we'll; and fur.
thcr. that if he taught the children Of other pc0-
pie Latin. he would Mt the Same time teach his
own. This was tho argument from probability,
which did not need to enhance my own convic-
ton, but which might be necessary to gain the
assent Of others. Here, then, wns fact ascer-
tained in the lie OF Patrick Henry whi;h was
not only not known, but whic! ran counter to
the opinions and statements of oil his contempo
rarics and biographors. But wns my conclusion
true alter all? 1t was strictly true in both res
poets. that our great orator had learned tho Latin
clnsscs and thut he had learned them in early
life for in the recently published dairy Of John
Adams, under tho date Of September, IVA. we
have it from tho lips of Henry himself that before
fifteen he had read Virgil and Livy--a degree Of
proficiency which, cvcn in this day, except under
favorable auspices. is rarely attained at so oarly
m age for. between the grammar and Lisy, as
was observed by my venerable friend, Bishop
Meade, our old teachers, even those with whom
studied, introduced nearly the entire series VI clas
steal authors. - Washingtcn Litelligcnccr