Page:Sketches of the life and character of Patrick Henry.djvu/261

 The force of this figure, and the energy with which it was brought out, are said to have produced an effect, that made the house start simultaneously. It continued to be admired, long after the occasion which gave it birth had passed away, and was frequently quoted by Mr. Wythe to his students, while professor of law at William and Mary College, as a happy specimen of those valuable figures, which unite the beauty of deco- ration with the effect of argument.

The gentleman to whom I am indebted for the pre- ceding incident,* has favoured me also with the follow- ing one, which I shall give in his own words: — " Mr. Henry espoused the measure which took off the re- straints on British commerce, before any ti'eaty was entered into; in which I opposed him on this ground, that that measure would expel from this country the trade of every other nation, on account of our habits, language, and the manner of conducting busi- ness on credit between us and them: also on this ground, in addition to the above, that if we changed the then current of commerce, we should drive away all competition, and never perhaps should regain it, (which has literally happened.) In reply to these observations, he was beyond all expression eloquent and sublime. After painting the distresses of the people, struggling through a perilous war, cut off from com- merce so long that they were naked and unclothed, he concluded with a figure, or rather with a series of figures, which I shall never forget, because, beautiful as they were in themselves, their effect was heightened beyond all description, by the manner in which he acted


 * Judge Tyler.

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