The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1891-11-22
! I.

While the subject of this biography was still
an infant his parents removed to another
house. subsequently known as The Retreat,
in the same county. but six miles further than
Richmond. Here Patrick Henry spent his
youth. and as this has often been represented
as having been thrown away in idleness we
are glad to see the account Of 1t given BY his
brother.in-law Col Samuel Meredith. in q
manuscript biography still extant Col Mere
dith tells US that Patrick Henry was sent to q
common English school until about the age Of
10 years. where he learned to road and write
and acquired some little knowledge Of arith-
motto. He never won't to any other school.
public or private, but remained with his father.
who was his only tutor. Through him he
acauireda knowledge Of the Latin language
and a smattering OF the Greek. lie became
we'll acquainted with mathematics. OF which
he was very fond. At the age OF Is he was we'll
versed in both ancient and modern history. He
was not remarkable for either an uncouth or a
eentecl appearance in his youth. He seemed.
indeed. regardless OF the appearance Of his
outside dress. but was unusually attentive in
the matter Of clean linen and stockings. He
was quiet and inclined to be thoughtful. but
fond Of society,"" He was also fond Of reading.
and another Of his early companions.
Nathaniel Pope. records that He was
uellt,Hteh VIII tuS A<il0 ob'htoho VI LID
tram shandy.' which have known him to
read several hours together. lying upon his
back on the bed. He had most retentive
memory. making whatever he read his own. I
never heard him quote verbatim any passages
from history or poetry. but he would give you
tho facts or sentiment in his own expressive
language" He seems to have been by intui-
ton an adept in the socratic method Of dialec-
ties. for we learn on the authority just cited
that "he had q most extraordinary talent for
collecting the sentiments OF his company
uron any subject without discovering his own.
and lie would effect this by interrogations.
which to the company often appeared to be
irrelevant to the subject" He was. in short. a
horn s-oxaminer. 1t was also the testi-
mony Of his early comrades that. while no was
remarkably fond Of fun. his fun was innocent
and never evincad the least trace OF malevo-
lence. His father often said that he was ono
Of the most dutiful sons that over lived. and
his sister. Mrs Meredith. states that he was
never known in his lifo to utter tho name OF
God except on n necessary or proper OCCASION.
AS regards tho extent OF his youthful acquire
ments. We hare the statement made BY him
selfin after life that at Is no Ind read Virgil and
Iivy In tho original; and from some sentences
in French written by him In u law book In 1850
it appears that no must have been taught
bOulcVitus VI tiiitt idhSuuHc' ~ ." otSo w 10
remembered that at tho iinpressible age OF
twelve Patrick Henry came under the inAu-
enco OF the Rev. Samuel Davies. to whom we
have already referred. and who was one OF the
most eloquent Calvinistic preachers OF the
eighteenth century. Patrick Henry himself
describes him as the greatest orator he ever
heard. and to his admiration for Davies we
should probably ascribe tho favor which
Henry after showed to tho Dissenters. and
particularly to PresbytorIans. although he
never withdrew from tho Established Church.
II was during the nine years preceding his
admission to the bar that Patrick Henry made
two unsuccessful ventures in commercial life
and It was during this period that Jefferson
got tho first and scarcely favorable impress
sions of him. which. being transmitted to Will
liam Writ, has had much to do with shaping
the popular conception OF Patrick Henry. JEFF
icrson was an old man and q political oppo-
nent ct Henry whom he gave the following &C.
count Of their first meeting: MY acquaint-
ance with Mr. Horny commenced In the winter
uf1750-17V0. On my why to tho college /
passed tho Christmas holidays at Col. Dam
bridges in hanover, to whom Mr.. Henry was
q near neighbor. During the festivlty OF the
season met him In society every day. and We
became we'll acquainted. although was much
his iunior. being then in my seventeenth year
and he n married man. His manners had
something OF coarseness In them: his passion
was music, dancing, and pleasantly He ex-
celled In the, last: and It attached every one
to him.. Youaa some account OF his mind
and information ct this period. but you