Page:Sketches of the life and character of Patrick Henry.djvu/40

 16 SKETCHES OF THE

to master its learning, the situation of his affairs forbade an extensive coui-se of reading. In addition to these obstacles, the business of the profession, in that quar- ter, was ah'eady in hands from which it was not easily to be taken; for (to mention no others) judge Lyons, the late president of the court of appeals, was then at the bar of Hanover and the adjacent counties, with an un- rivalled reputation for legal learning; and Mr. John Lewis, a man, also, of very respectable legal attain- ments, occupied the whole field of forensic eloquence. Mr. Heniy, himself, seems to have hoped for nothing more from the profession than a scanty subsistence for himself and his family, and his preparation was suited to these humble expectations; for to the study of a pro- fession, which is said to require the lucubrations of twenty years, Mr. Henry devoted not more than six weeks.* On this preparation, however, he obtained a license to practise the law. How he passed with two of the examiners, I have no intelligence; but he himself used to relate his interview with the third. This was no other than Mr. John Randolph, who was afterwards the king^s attorney general for the colony; a gentleman of the most courtly elegance of person and manners, a polished wit, and a profound lawyer. At first, he was so much shocked by Mr. Henry^s very ungainly figure and address, that he refused to examine him: under- standing, however, that he had already obtained two sig- natures, he entered, with manifest reluctance, on the business. A very short time was sufficient to satisfy him of the erroneous conclusion which he had drawn from the exterior of the candidate. With evident marks

Col. Meredith and Capt. Dabney, six or eight months. Judge Tyler, one month ; and he adds, " This 1 had from his own lips. In this time, he read Coke upon Littleton, and the Virginia laws.'*
 * So say Mr. Jefferson and judge Winston. Mr. Pope says nine months.

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