Year: 1859

Very little is known of the most eloquent
orator of our revolutionary history, one who
derived all his power from original genius
and the study of nature and men, and had no ac-
quaintance with books The following sketch
of his character and habits Mr.. Webster re-
ceived from Mr. Jefferson, and is found in the
recently published volumes of Mr. Webster's 5
correspondence -


Patrick Henry was originally barkeeper,
He was married very young, and going into
business, was bankrupt before the year was
out. When was about the age of fifteen, l
left the school here, to go to College at Viii
liamsburg. I stopped few days at a friend s
in the county of Louisa. There first saw and
became acquainted with Patrick Henry
Having spent the Christmas holidays there, /
proceeded TO Williamsburg. Some questions
arose about my admission, as my preparatory
studies had not been pursued at the school con-
nected with that institution. This delayed my
admission about a fortnight, at which time Hen
ry appeared in Williamsburg, and applied for
a license to practice law, having commenced
the study of it subsequently to the time OF
meeting him in Louisa. There were four ex-
aniner-Wythe, Pendleton, Peyton Randolph
and John Randolph Nythe and Pendleton
at once rejected his application. The two
Randolphs, by his importantly, were prevailed
upon to sign the license and having obtained
their signature, lie applied again to Pendleton,
and after much entreaty and many promises of
future study, succeeded in obtaining his.


He then TUNED out for practicing lawyer.
The first case which brought him into notice
Il hao
as counsel before the committee of the House of
Burgesses. His second was the parsons case,
already well known. These and similar efforts
soon obtained for him so much reputation that
he was elected a member of the legislature
He was as we'll suited to the times as any man
ever was, and it is now easy to say what we
should have done without Patrick Henry. He
was far before all in maintaining the spirit OF
the Revolution. His influence was most eX-
tensive with the members the from upper coun-
ties, and his boldness and their votes overawed
and controlled the more cool or the more timid
aristocratic gentlemen Of the lower part Of the
State. His eloquence was peculiar, if indeed
it could be called eloquence, for it was impress
sive and sublime beyond what can be imagined.
Although it was difficult, when he had spoken,
to tell what he said yet while he was speaking
it always seemed directly to the point. When
he had spoken in opposition to my opinion
had produced a great effect, and l. myself, been
delighted and moved, ] have asked myself, when
! he ceased. What has he said" / could never
answer the inquiry. His person was of full
size and his manner and voice free and man
! ". His utterance was neither very fast nor
very slow His pronunciation was vulgar and
vicious but it was forgotten while he was speak
ing.


He was man of very little knowledge OF
any sort he read nothing, and had no books.


Returning one November from Albcmare
| Court he borrowed of me Hume's Essays, in
! two volumes. saying he would have leisure in


the winter for reading. In the spring he re-


turned them, and declared he had not been able


to go further than twenty or thirty pages, in


the first volume. He wrote almost nothing
he could not write. The resolutions Of rs,


which have ascribed to him, have by many been


supposed to have been written by Mr.. johnson


who acted as his second on that occasion but


if they were written by Henry himself, they


were not such as to prove any power of com


position. Neither in politics nor his protes-
sion was he man of business he was mar


for debate only. His biographer says that he


read Plutarch every year. doubt whether he


ever read volume of it in his life. His TEN


per was excellent, and he generally observed


decoruI1i iii debate. On one or two occasions


I have seen him angry, and his anger was ter


ribe; those who witnessed it, were not dispos


ed to rouse it again. In his opinions he wa


Welding and practicable and not disposed to dii
fer from his friends.


In private conversation he was agreeabi


and facetious and, while in genteel society at


peared to understand all the decencies and pre-
prieties of it, but in his heart, he preferre
: low society, and sought it as often as possible
f He would hunt in the pine woods of Fluvians
! with ovcrseers, and people of that description
g living in a camp for a fortnight at a time will
Il out change of raiment. have often been a
0 tonished at his command of proper language
:, how he attained knowledge of it, neve
could find out, as he read 50 little and converse
d little with educated men.


h After all it must be allowed that he was OF
e leader in the measures Of the Revolution
is Virginia In that respect more was due to hi
d than any other person. If we had not had hi
1f we should probably have got on pretty We
/ as YOU did, by number of men ofnearly equ
% talents but he left us far behind. His bio
- rapher sent the sheets of his work to me as tht
l. were printed and asked me for my opinion


told him it would be a question hereatt
Of whether his work should be placed on a shF
Ii Of ofhistory or panegyric 1t is a poor book WI
ID ten in bad taste. and gives so imperfect
I'd idea of Patrick Henry, that it seems intend
l. to show off the writer more than the subject
re the work