Page:Sketches of the life and character of Patrick Henry.djvu/318

 294 SKETCHES OF THE

tion to the course of the debate, increased its interest and solemnity, by their silence and attention. No bustle, no motion, no sound was heard among them, save only a slight movement when some new speaker arose, whom they were all eager to see as well as to hear, or when some master stroke of eloquence shot thrilling along their nerves, and extorted an involuntary and inarticulate murmur. Day after day, was this ban- quet of the mind and of the heart spread before them, with a delicacy and variety which could never cloy. There every taste might find its peculiar gratifica- tions — the man of wit — the man of feeling — the critic — the philosopher — the historian — ^the metaphysician — the lover of logic — the admirer of rhetoric — every man who had an eye for the beauty of action, or an ear for the harmony of sound, or a soul for the charms of poetic fancy — in short every one who could see, or hear, or feel, or understand, might find in the wanton profu- sion and prodigality of that attic feast, some delicacy adapted to his pecuhar taste. Every mode of attack and of defence, of which the human mind is capable, in decorous debate — every species of weapon and armour, offensive and defensive, that could be used with advantage, from the Roman javelin to the Parthian arrow, from the cloud of iEneas, to the shield of Achilles — all that could be accomplished by human strength, and almost more than human activity, was seen exhibited on that celebrated floor. Nor did the debate become oppressive by its unvarying formality. The stateliness and steniness of extended argument, were frequently relieved by quick and animated dia- logue. Sometimes the conversation would become familiar and friendly. The combatants themselves, would seem pleased with this relief; forget that they

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