The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-08-04

lesson to master eloquence. The younger
Pitt walked closely in his fathers footsteps.
His college life was lone long disease" from
ceaseless application. We are told that his
efforts knew no limits but the weakness of
his frame. Many years were given to the
classics, mathematics, and the logic OF Aris-
totle, to conquer the art Of eloquence. He
made himself one of the first orators of Eng
land-and a confirmed invalid. Mansfield
studied everything that had been written on
oratory. While at Oxford he translated all
of Cicero's o~rations into English, and then
retranslated. them into Latin. Burke de-
voted every waking moment to mental
labor. He studied to acquire the
power of thinking at all times and in
every place. He tried to solve the realization
of his ideal life. The incessant struggle of
thought made him weary at forty-fve, and he
resolved to be content with his achievements;
but the misery of idleness soon made him
decide to grow old in learning. Grattan was
an eager listener under Chatham, and with
him everything was forgotten in the one
great purpose of mastering oratory. Fox
owned to but one ruling ambition-that of
making himself a powerful debater-and he
rose by slow degrees until the world acknow-
lodged himself successful. Severe method
and labor were parts of Clay's existence.
Throughout his long and e%ventful life, even
to his latest days, his great speeches were
prepared with scrupulous care. Although for
a quarter of a century a recognized candidate
for the Presidency, with exacting public
duties, his speeches never were delivered with
out the most mature reflection and systematic
preparation. Few ever knew how every hour
of his life was given to labor. Webster was
born greater than are most men, but he at
tanned distinction slowly and laboriously.
When q student, he was for a long time un-
equal to defamation before his class, even
when he had his part well committed. At
twenty-five, we read that he was giving ASST
duous devotion to his profession, though it
afforded him but a frugal livelihood. At
thirty-two, he entered Congress unknown to
fame, but his life had been one of restless
mental industry, and he left the House with
a widespread reputation for craftsmanship.
Thenceforth his life continued one of con-
slant labor, and so it was to the end. His
reply to Hayne was not prepared, but its i'm
mortal sentences were tho creation of a life
of mighty thought. Calhoun's unremitted
study gave him the hoDors of his class, but
with his health so broken that he could not
crown them with the grafton; and his whole
life was one of c~easeless intellectual toll.
Each day he was as much the student as the
statesman.
But why multiply names? If I were to
weary you with the whole list of ancient and
modern orators and statesmen, the same his
tory must be given of all. Variously as
nature endowed them, they achieved great
ness by patient, persevering effort, that ended
only with their lives. Dream of greatness,
but understand that it is a rugged, thorny
path: but dream on, and deck the thorns with
bright and fragrant roses, and journey to the
end.
How brightly the ideal portrays the tri-
umphs of craftsmanship! How the students
heart quickens as he reads of the giants who
have swayed senates and nations, and who
have left enduring monuments of their great
ness in their political achievements. They
tower above their fellows on the pages of
history as if they had been created unlike
other men. But history is forgetful of their
infirmities, and their great deeds and their
virtues alone survive them. They all have
dreamed, and vainly dreamed, as have the
humblest of their followers. They hoped,
attained, and suffered more, and there the
distinction ends. 1 speak of Henry Clay
with reverence. He was the idol of my boy
hood, and his name is linked with the grateful
memories of the season when we invest
greatness with the perfection of human
attributes. He was beloved, even idol
lied, by his partisans. 1t would seem as
if he had been born to test the measure
of affection that could be lavished upon q
popular leader by a free people. Others have
been esteemed; have aroused a nations graft
tude; have commanded the sober approval OF
the country, or have been borne upward
upon sweeping tides; but who, fallen and
powerless, was followed to the close of his
e~ventful life with such sincere and profound
affection He was great in all the great
qualities of man, and yet he was but 9
child of larger stature. You will read of his
victories-of his life, that seemed to be but
one continued ovation-of his matchless clio,
quence in behalf of human liberty in every
cline, and of his heroic paciication of our
sectional arrangements. He was honored
with every official trust, save the one he mos
desired. His ideal achievement wa
to be chosen ruler of the people who
loved him.. 1t was the sweet dream of hall
his allotted days. 1t seemed ever ius
within his reach, and yet was over lost. Twic,
in his ripper life his principles triumphet
in national contests; but others were made hi
leaders and wore tha wreatha HE 49, -