The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-07-10
TEMPERAMENT AND CIRCUM-
STANCES MOULD MEN.

animal as well as great man. and ne hal
strong passions and appetites. which he
INDUCED at times 10 the deiriment of his
health and reputation" Mr.. Lodge con-
ciuies that Webster's moral character was
not equal 10 his intellectual force.
Mr.. Lodges criticism IS no; perhaps IN
just from the standard of ABSTRACT justice,
and yet man Of the physique and public
career OF Webster must be measured BY
his peers. men of action, worldly WORK
and ambition. To illustrate: The great
Unitarian divine, Dr.. Claiming. was q
man of 81 gulariy pure morals and sweet,
gentle life. but il would hardly be fair -
judge Webster harshiy because his morals
were no. "a pure nor his life as white as
ninety pounds, had no stomach to speak
OF, vas so frail in body AMI SO ethereal in
his whole nature, that Dr.. Bartol COM
pared him 20 balloon always iugging 81
its rope in a ceaseless effort TO sail OF 10
the sky. He was a moral genius, con-
templative man with = voice like harp, 50
devout that ne had few social sympathies
or enjovments; he could get very near
nobody and nobody could get very near
him. despite his gentle nature and benig-
nant spirit; lie did not deal with the world
of business or politics; he dealt with the
moral ideaiism of the study and the pulpit.
OF course such man had few tempta-
tons; he came into no contact with the
conflict and struggle of animate human
nature; his purity OF life in his world of
ideas was not & conquest; il was IS in
stinctjve as the spirit Of modes;y and
chastity is 10 "a perfect woman aobly
planned
Webster was five feet ten inches in
height. and in health weighed about 20
pounds; a deep-chested man. perfectly
proportional throughout. stronc-lunged,
with the blood and alimentiveness
the abounding vitality that goes
with man of sta.wart frame. the
eve OF Jove snd the front OF
Mars. Not moral genius; not an ideal
ist shyly shrinking from contact with his
fellows. he was born TO lead and rule ami
mate human nature AMI wis.d the living
forces Of society by his genius 70. govern
ment As q lawyer. orator sad statesman
he came into constant collision with the
hates, the rivalries Of other aspiring men !;
he commanded power, and he vas con-
tongues 10 use il des politically sHd selashly
be had not only 10 resist the sppsal
Of his own beSiesing passions, bu; those
Of thousands who called him leader and
wanted some taste OF his bounty. Men
and women fawned upon him with their
Establishments 3, every hour; his life was
one long s;rnEg.e with his oxn wo-s. pas
sions and the beSuilins and beleas ue-ing
passions OF others; he was man q a.
fairs, not 4 religious mystic. 70: = poet.
not devou. reci9se Or dreamer, and his
struggle and his conquest; his success
and his failure was the stern CONFLICT OF
life With lie. Of man With the world, the
flesh and the devil l. vas not 8 mere
se6sntary su5ln ssion 10 the cOmtemp D.
flve lie OF moral. literary or scientific
recluse. who hears the shouts OF ss- and
views the battle thick AMI bloody from ms
study window.
Charming goes % his grave ana the
word perhaps says, Behold. = good man
has entered into the rest that belongs 10
the spirits Of Just men male perfect, ba;
when the pau Of The mighty Webster !.
borne along shriil voices are heard recall
ing nothing better than the brandy and
the beefstsak tha; was part q the iIe. 70
Weasier's furnace. whose hot blast moved
the vast engine o. his brain and gave e
his deep-set, dark. mannheim; eyes the
gov 81 burning anih-acite. Gentlei
critics whiuper shout the ''infrmisies o
genjus;" and We; y DO can 5e.!. 5ut the Grsa
Searcher Of g.! hearts. whether Webster
measured By his life % conflict, by II!
enormous temptations Sai opportunities
d.d not MAKE a. good sat a. Claiming
WAC kept his virtue uuspo,Ied from tht
world by avoiding al contact or coa3ic
With the Grid saaI lives AMI bveSthes snJ
( Gehts an3 wells II the Wa-rlng rivalries 0
business &nd po-t3cs- VIA; NeoSIe
wanted Claiming d53 n. want; wh2
Wecsie-'s stomach re.lshe3 kSea.y woulc
have thrown Claiming into spasms O
+ pam. snd i : easy ID see how Weosie
Nigh: fail below Claiming n purity o
private and pa1uc morals and yet do quit,
( IS Vel IN politics - Claiming woul.
have done il tas pulpit hal he carrie,
I ,4.taer TIE vital physique, the strons
passions and vast vIrll!sy Of mind 81,
/ body that na:c7e gave 70 Webster sni .
! BeecAec.
/ Tae moral .: all this IS that moral jUjE
/ ueu;s passed upoa men must always L
/ charity sad justice "a comparative. SOM
/ men are born wiga armor On, IS HoraS
/ Greeley confessed tie was; while otae
| Enea are born - a Temperament that IS
| temptation: TO circumstances s1a = cares
that are ful q the IorTurtlps io2ueaces
As Barns sad. Men a.Nays know WIS
We have yielded II. but only G1d know
wha, We have resisted" Sa9e.y no TuA
wall r1e,end taai the scientific ana pA!lc
soqhical pursuits q Humboldt are $
Eal % temptation - organize an
lna;ct wroas As those ~ C7or
We, s. Napoleon ~ Bismarck Lo7
/ eve 6.unt,y replied 81 rs English En-:
! .ales. when yAey charged ham WIKI iaAla
some q the plumber Of the H.a1oo &,ns
dons lie hal conquered Tor Englsn,
Il ga ae,p myself sometimes, sni whe
! rhink o. NV enormous Opportunity s.
astoui>Aed toJay AZ my moderation"
Alexander Hamilton was g0ea
statesman whose moral character was $
I a1 90 moral bsemisAes - that