The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1878-11-14

Edwin T. Whlppe, in Harper's Magazine.
Perhaps the weight and power of |
Webster's character were due as much |
to the hours he spent in the woods and |
fields and on the ocean, chatting with |
farmers or sailors as he was engaged in |
hunting or fishing, as to the hours he
spent in his study.
Now Choate, superior to Webster in
quickness of apprehension and imagina-
ton, was an indoors man. The larger
portion of his mature life was passed in
the sitting atmosphere of the courts, or in
what Milton calls " the still air of delight
full studies;' that is, in his library. He, of
course, was not so foolish as to neglect
exercise; but his exercise was commonly
confined to long walks through the streets
or around the Common of Boston. No
one ever enjoyed Nature more intensely;
but he never sojourned with her. His
friend Charles G. Loring, one of his
competitors for the leadership of the
Suffolk bar, once invited him to pass a
summer day at his beautiful residence
on the Beverly shore Mr.. Choate was
full of enthusiasm as ne walked among
the woodland paths or gazed at the vary
ng aspects of sky and oceans he doubt
less stored up in his mind images of
natural beauty which flashed out after
ward in many popular speech or legal
argument; but he exhausted the capa-
city of the place to feed his eye and i'm
agination in half dozen hours. "My
dear Loring," he said, in parting,
"there has not been a twentieth part of
a minute since l entered this terrestrial
| paradise that ] have not enjoyed to the
| top of my bent; but let me tell you tina
should you confne me here for a week,
apart from my work and books, | know
that should die from utter ennui. You
are fortunate in being able serenely to
delight in it day after day" If he had
been asked to pass a fortnight with
Webster at Marshfield or at his New
Hampshire farm, and had accompanied
him day after day in his shooting or fish
ing expeditions, not even Webster's con-
versation could have saved him from be-
ing devoured with an impatient desire
to escape from the monotony of such an
existence. All the eccentric originals
of the neighborhood, whom Webster de-
lighted in year after year, he would have
delighted in for day, and then dis
missed them from his mind as intolera.
| BILE bores the mountain or ocean scenery
might have enthralled him for a few
days more; but the shooting and fishing
in which Webster took such pleasure
would have seemed to him a scandalouc
waste of time, which might have beer
more proftably bestowed on -Eschylus
and Aristophanes, on Thucydides ano
Tacitus, on Hooker and Jeremy Taylor
ON Bacon and Burke, on Shakespeare anc
Milton.
In one particular Choate excellet
Webster-that of constant high -bret
courtesy to men and women of all ranks
IT is said that one of the mos
dangerous places in which to seek sheltel
, is under large tree. Of all the per
sons and animals killed by lightning
probably nine-tenths have been destroyed
under or near trees. Oak trees NOR
, frequently than any others draw light
1 ming from the clouds, partly, perhaps
because the close grain of the oa
increases its conducting power, an
partly because the sap Of the oak cor
r tains large quantity of iron in solution
: which, by impregnating the wood an
bark, has the same effect. But no tire
in this country enjoys the exemption G
| the Indian banyan, which, at least, q
the Hindoos believe, is never touched b
i lightning.
D., WE boua hoI o oroo+ ,,oonty Joe,