The Opelousas courier. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1852-1910, 1870-10-29
Character OF Lee.

Nature gave Lee fine organism.
rsr. N1 sense was perfect. His ear was
L.t of the practiced huntcr. His broad
srsd bipoptic vision was almost teles-
9; sU;e Muscular, wide-chested, stall
eUp CA. animated, loving action, feeling
Wa ."a roturc around him, drinking deep
ths mil the vital air nt every breath, firm
ssea s steady always, but with tigers
ps; PM at need. His strong nerves al
ars sp obeyed his strong will. He had no
ems of action. He yielded to no ex-
sitsn,ent. He did not know the nature
ss Gar. His system was driven by a
S.sedg and invariable power, and his
SoI;lS action was uniform, guided and
s.ntrolled by q steady, uniform will.
SS T., 80 was no waste of emotion, no squan-
!hNs.sSfsc,ing, no needless expenditure
deleu .s no consuming. and iucQnstant
81 @os.h,s;ssm. . SeIfpoised, firm and pom
Ssosas he never lost his balance: Nov
IL oS ,.a NAV ofton have Geen-but never
ssaken. Startled from. his nsIal deep
sleeD at midnight, he was instantly III
ali hossession of all bis bright pelcep-
t;ons and all his leOnin6~ courage. He
hsrhored no hatreds. He was not dis
turbed by vanity; he was not swelred
nv selRshness he was incapable of all
csuelty: he was averse to all harshness.
He loved children and brave men. Had
hs been born among savages and reared
without culture, his nature would have
made him their ruling spirit, their guide,
their chief and their king.
This natural character was modified.
Almost princely by descent, he was
taught while young that much was ex-
nected of a Virginia Lee. Noblesse obltge.
Ancestral renown aud character were to
be maintained. He was obliged to show
himself worthy heir to u name which
good and great progenitors had made IL
Iustrious. His native character was
further modified by industrious, abstemi-
ous ,sulss and self denying habits. He became
. foe to. luxury, to feasting, to strong
drink, and to base indulgences of all
kinds. He was an early riser, a hard
worker. hearty at play and partial to
horseback exercise, not averse to COM
pany, but q close student and an indus
trious reader. The drill Of the Academy
vas not Eksome, and he gave himself to
his studies with eager interest. His
calm and methodical mind fell naturally
into mathematical habits of system aud
accuracy. He received mental discip-
line without pain and without effort:
His fine memory. received and treasured
the truths Of science almost instinctively.
Habits of study formed iu youth adhered
to him through all his life. Mental work
was pleasure. His was conspicuous
evidence that what men do naturally
and from choice, they do easily and do
we'll.
His natural character was further mod
ifed and developed by experience. ln
theory, by study and by diligent reading
be had acquireda full, and comprehen-
sive conception Of the great art. His
great mind was saturated and filed with
the vast and complicated science, and
when he entered active service he was
the companion and equal Of veterans:
He became the intimate associate of old
generals. who pro6ted by his sound
Judgment, his genius and his daring in
gention. Being great In mind and char
acter, he was loved and trusted by great
men. He possessed all their secrets be-
cause wise and true. He was made their
associate becanse felt to be- their equal
He was as mueh ut home upon his first
battle-A field 90 II he had borne the great
soul Of q Hannibal or q Caesar. When the
great crisis came, great spirits gathered
areund him as their natural chief aEe
guide. They felt by instinct that t<
strengthen him was to strengthen thei'
cause. They bailt upon him AZ the en-
gineer builds his ramparts on the firm
broad rock.
Such nature, improved, modified ane
fortified by euch an education and suct
I'M experience, could not fail to result 1t
character grand in all its proportions
. kinglike and,mest lordly spirit com
bined with imperial talents. His fame
is colossal and imperishable. Whatever
revolutions may RISE, whatever war
may ravage The green earth, whatever
systenas, dyaasties or races may preval
or perish, Che name, the deeds and viz
tues Of our foved chieftain will be re
membered forever and eulogized througl
all, time of coming eenturies.-N. u
PjcNNMNe.;t.f, '~ ~ ~