Page:The Homes of the New World- Vol. II.djvu/379

Rh some effect in producing that irritability of temperament which I seem to observe.

It has been a pleasure to me whilst here to attend various lectures, and foremost among them I must mention Dr. Buchanan's animated and really intellectual extempore address in the Medical College, on the activity of the brain and its relationship to human free-will. Another also on Lord Bacon of Verulam by the young Unitarian minister, Mr. Livermore, which was interesting from its impartiality and its profound psychological glance. A third was by a planter and quondam slaveholder, Mr. Cassius M. Clay, of Kentucky, who emancipated the slaves upon his plantation, and now, having come forward as the opponent of slavery, a hostile feeling has been excited against him in the Slave States. Hence it happened that during a public lecture given by him on the slavery question a year ago at a city of Kentucky (Louisville I believe), he was attacked by a ferocious man and his adherents, who beat and cut him dreadfully, whilst he, unprepared for such an onslaught, had no weapon wherewith to defend himself. Already severely wounded by many bowie-knives, he would probably have perished, had not his little son of thirteen bravely thrust his way through the crowd to his father, and given him a bowie-knife for his defence. Clay could now stand on the defensive, and he did that with so much effect that he gave his opponent his death-wound. He himself lay sick of the wounds which he had received for nearly twelve months, and this was now the first time after his recovery that he had given a public lecture, but not now in Kentucky, in Ohio.

The large hall in which he was to speak was full to overflowing. I had already become acquainted with him at the bridal party, and he had since then paid me a visit, and I was pleased with his manly, determined demeanour, and the deep glance in his dark blue eye, as well as by