The States and Union. [volume] (Ashland, Ohio) 1868-1872, 1868-06-24

intolerable 20 him, and as he, trusted
every one who asked credit, a single
year suficed to bring the brothers to
bankruptcy.
II appears, however, that the future
statesman did not wholly waste his time
during this year Of storekeeping. He
learned to play on the flute and VIOLIN
He acquired, too, relish for reading
But has chief employment aods still TIE
study of human character. Whenever
company of his neighbors met in the
store on Saturday. day formerly con-
secrated to '-loa6ng" in the South and
elsewhere, over all the country-he de-
lighted to set them talking, and then to
stand by, quietly noting the character
an manner of each individual. 1t is
said that, sometimes, he would relate
an apecdote, drawn from his reading or
from his imagination and while excit-
ing in the minds of his listeners pity,
terror, anger. or contempt, he would
watch the different modes in which
each man expressed these passions
This was an excellent preparations for
the career before him, but it did not
conduce to the prosperity of a country
store and thus, as I have said, it came
to an end in IT, elve months.
At eighteen, without possessing a
dollar, or an acre. he committed the as
tour ding imprudence of marrying a
girl as poor as himself But it vas easy
to live in Virginia hundred years
ago. The parents of the imprudent
pair gave them a small farm, and
lent them one or two slaves, and the
future orator proceeded to extract his
living from The soil He was farmer
for two years, and, at the end of that
time, being totally unsuccessful and
completely discouraged, he sold his
farm and again set up store: resum-
ing, also, his fiddle, his books, and has
study of human kind. So careless was
he Of his business, that many time. he
shut up his store and spent the whole
day in hunting.
Mr.. Writ, his biographer, tells rs,
however, that from year to year his
mind appeared to make a steady advance
,ohich ,oas shoaon By the superior char
acter ofthe books he read. He is said
to have studied geography, the history
and characters of Virginia, but, espe-
cially the history and literature of Greece
and Rome. a. tronslation Of the 10
man historian, Livy, soas the aoork
vhich had the most to do soitb the for
nation of has mind and the colorin9 Of
has crdtory.
His second attempt to keep store did
not result in immediate failure; his
ruin, this time, was more gradual and
more complete. After FIVE years, his
property was gone, and he had, for his
wife and children, neither home nor
means of support. He then went to
1--we with his wife's father, who kept a
tavern, and assisted him in entertaining
his guests. No man could perform such
an Office more agreeably. Mr.. Jefer-
SOD, who happened to meet him at this
period of his life, records that his spir-
its were in no degree affected by his
misfortunes.
"During the festivities of the Christ
mas season." writes Mr.. Jefferson, 81
met him in society, every day, and we
became well acquainted, although l was
much his junior, being then in my sew
enteenth year, and he married man.
His manners had something of coars e.
hess in them his passion was music,
dancing. and pleasantly. He excelled
in the last, and it attached every one
to him. Mr.. Henry had, little be-
fore. broken up bis store, or, rather, II
had broken him up but his misfor-
tunes were not 10 be traced either IN
his countenance or conduct
Being thus without resources, this
singular man suddenly resolved to en-
ter the profession OF the law. In this
preparatory study he is said to have
spent six weeks, and then went to Rich
mond to procure a license to practice
In those days, in Virginia, q license to
| practice law had to be signed by three
members Of the legal profession, and
this was no small difficulty in the cast
of the present application. More thar
one lawyer refused his signature, poini
blank. But others, perceived he wal
a man of talents, and won by his prom
Use of future study, signed his heens'
and launched him upon nsw career
] At this time, it is said, he was SO ig-
norant of his profession, that he coule
not draw the most common paper, ant
was unacqua:nted with the mode of be
! ginning a suit in a Justices court. Fo
two or three years after lis admission
he did not earn money to supply his
family with food, and they continued
in state of dependence.
In his twenty seventh year. the tai
ents of this extraordinary person wer.
revealed to his neighbors, suddenly, and
in all their splendor. In asuit betweeI
the clergy and their parisbioners touch
ing the amount of their compensation
there being no other lawyer ayailabl'
at the moment. Patrick Henry was re-
tanned, and retained, too, on the popu-
lar side, with which he warmly sympa
| thized. His own father was on th,
bench, near the presiding judge. The
Court House was crowded. More thar
twenty clergyman of the Church q
England, the most learned men IN ths
colony, were present A large numbel
of the people who had been familia
with Patrick Henry from his youth up
attended from curiosity to hear how
such an eccentric genius would compor
himself on an occasion so grave ane
important..
.He arose very awkwardly," say
| Mr.. Writ, nand faltcred verv much il
his exordium. The people hung thei
heads at SO unpromising a commence
| ,nont tba olarov wera ohServed tn ex-