South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1871-11-03
The Late Theodoric B. Pryor


iiant young Dan Is not merely loss 10 his
family and those who knew bin. but to he
nation. He possessed extraordinary quail
tiles OF mind and character he was born
in Cbarla'tesville, Virginia, Jolly 5, 1851.
His father was Roger A. Pryor, the cele-
hraied Southern leader, well known as a
membfr Of the United S,a.es Congress be.
fore the war, Of the Confederate Congress,
and General in the Confederate army.
The result of the war was a PERSONAL disas.
ter to General Pryor, as il had been TO
nearly every one who took conspicuous
part in the rebellion. When Lee sulren-
dered General Pry came 20 New York city,
abandoned public life, aud gave himself to
the practice of the law
The advantages which belong to most Of
oGr young men were debarred to young
Pryor because of the war, aud postponed
his formal entrance upon the studies neces-
sary for his admission to college.
From this time his career at college was
phenomenon, and may be regarded as al
most historical. lie passed at once TO the
head OF bis class. As one Of bis class mates
who ranked next to him in donors said, 81
had petiiors- Pryor had none. No
one though, of disputing his leadership"
lie I'D the class in every study, although
one of its youngest members. His favor.
lite studies were mathematics aud metaphys-
Ice. He loved to dwell in the highest ran.
ges of mathematical problems, and concerned
his mind with questions that the ripest Of
our scholars had not veniured tn reach. All
metaphysical subjects had deep interest
for him, especially what we may call the
metaphysics of theology. lie had strong
religious tendencies, and the impression
was, when at Princeton, that he would en-
ter the ministry.
When be came to graduate, il was hard
to find parallel for his standing. For
hundred years no student had stood so high,
and the one who came nearest 10 him-a
student whose college life is also historic
was Aaron Burr, who graduated lust
hundred years ago. The highest average
mark in the college is 100. Young Pry-
or's average was 900
His intention when he left college was to
enter the ministry. Finally, he concluded
to become a lawyer. At the time of his
death he was pursuing his studies at the
Iawschool, where his pre- emincnce was as
marked as it bad been at Princeton and
Cam bridge.
AsHe have said, bis mind was metnphys-
lea, ard mathematical. All the great and
mysterious problems Of life-fatc, destiny,
mind, matter, the will--bad been familiar
to him. He grappled with them oil. His
reading took the higheEt range. He was
greedy, profound, persisten,, avarcious stu
dent. OF gentle, winning ways, bis temper
was onl rufflad when bis hours for study
lo1 -,
the highest classics. He read Darwin, and
abandoned him as unsound. H. saw mer-
it in Leckey, but thought he ampl fed need
lessly and sacrificed too much to rhetoric.
His f1vorite among modern writer's was
John Stewart Mill. His criticism upon
Blackstone when he began studying law
was, that his command of English was per-
feet and his style charm, but that his
logic was frequently unsound. This Grill
cism has often been made by the souudest
and gravest lawyers.
Shortly before his death signs of mental
WEAKNESS were seen, and many symptoms
Of an overtaxed mind-disregardod then
by friend and associate, but all too keenly
and sadly remembered now On Sunday
morning, the 10Th Of October, he arose
rather late He sat over the FIRE in i shiv-
er, as though he had chill He comrlain-
ed Of a headache, and his face was marked
with dark lines. He appeared quiet, list
less, now and then sinking into a reverie
unusual to him. A. dinner he rallied, and
discussed with his father the merits of
scene in "The Rivals" as compared with
a chapter in "Pickwick," quoting both
from memory. lie remained at home most
of the day, in the evening going with his
mother to DR.. Van Dykes church. %
his return he went into the library, ADD o.
pening Shakespeare, read Julius Caesar"
always a favorite play. When he closed
the volume, the paper knife showed that he
bad reached the third act About half
past 9 be said 10 his mother, "I feel very
warm; shall take a little walk and cool
III. lie was never seen alive sfterward by
any one who knew him
So has passed away one Of the gentlest,
kiodest, noblost young men that have come
to us in these latter generations. Such
death, as we have said, is not merely loss
to bis family and srrrow to his friends,
but loss to the Republic, to whom young
men gifted with the genius and character
Of Pryor are precious. But the highest
consolation in it all is that which we have
go often received from the words Of poor
Dorgau, whose genius was a. high and bis
life ss brief end mOurnful as that Of X eats
and Shelley
Until my task is done, cannot die,
And then / would not live"