Page:Sketches of the life and character of Patrick Henry.djvu/393

 over it, when he learns that although it turned entirely on questions of law, yet the audience mixed as it was, seemed so far from being wearied, that they followed him throughout, with increased enjoyment. The room continued full to the last; and such was the " the Hsten- ing silence" with which he was heard, that not a syllable that he uttered, is believed to have been lost. When he finally sat down, the concourse rose, with a general mur- mur of admiration; the scene resembled the breaking up and dispersion of a great theatrical assembly, which had been enjoying for the first time, the exhibition of some new and splendid drama: the speaker of the house of delegates, was at length able to command a quorum for business; and every quar- ter of the city, and at length, eveiy part of the state, was filled with the echoes of Mr. Heniy's eloquent speech.

His practise, during these last years, of which we are now speaking, was confined pretty generally to cases of consequences. He did not like the profession, and was not willing to embark in any case, for the ordinaiy fees. I have an interesting sketch of him, in his professional character, during those years, from the same elegant pen, which in a former page exhibits the parallel between him and Mr. Lee, in 1784: it is as follows:

" At the bar, Mr. Henry was eminently successful. When I saw him there, he must, from the course of his life, which had been chiefly political, have become somewhat rusty in the learning of his profession: yet I considered him as a good lawyer: he seemed to be well acquainted with the rules and canons of property. He would not indeed, undergo the drudgery necessary for

�� �