Page:Sketches of the life and character of Patrick Henry.djvu/275

 " Mr. Henry was inferior to Mr. Lee in the grace- fulness of his action^ and perhaps also the chasteness of his language; yet his language was seldom incorrect, and his address always striking. He had a fine blue eye, and an earnest manner which made it impossible not to attend to him. His speaking was unequal, and always rose with the subject and the exigency. In this respect he differed entirely from Mr. Lee, who was always equal, and therefore less interesting. At some times Mr. Henry would seem to hobble, (especially at the beginning of his speeches,) and at others, his tones would be almost disagreeable: yet it was by means of his tones, and the happy modulation of his voice, that his speaking had perhaps its greatest effect. He had a happy articulation-— a clear, bold, strong voice — and every syllable was distinctly uttered. He was always ^ very unassuming, and very respectful towards his adversaries; the consequence was, that no feeling of disgust or animosity was arrayed against him. He was great at a reply, and greater in proportion to the pres- sure which was bearing upon him; and it seemed to me, from the frequent opportunities of observation afforded me during the period of which I have spoken, that the resources of his mind and of his eloquence were equal to any drafts which could possibly be made upon them.^^

This inequality in the speeches of Mr. Henry was

iur erdm sententi<e, iion ponderantnv : nee aliud in publico consilio potest fieri, in quo niliil est tarn insequale, quam sequalitas ipsa ; nam cum sit impar pru- dentia, par omnium jus est'* Plin. Epist. Lib. H. Epist. XII.

" Yet these reflections, it seems, made no impression upon the majority. Votes go by number^ not weight ; nor can it be otherwise in assemblies of this kind, where nothing is more unequal than that equality which prevails in them ; for though every member has the same weight of suffragCj every member has not the same strength of judgment."

Melaioth's Translation of Pliny. London, 1748.

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