of Americans, from every part of our own country, and from other lands.

Of the brothers and sisters of the great statesman, little is now known. They were persons, generally, of strong minds, sound sense, and sterling worth. As a family, like their ances tors, they were notable for their religious sentiment, for the moderation of their views and feelings, and for their attachment to private life. Ezekiel, the brother next older than Daniel, became a lawyer of almost equal eminence, and was thought by many to have possessed a mind of equal strength. The mutual affection of these two brothers was remarkable. The younger was the first to obtain an education; but he could not rest, and did not rest, till he had helped the elder through his course of study. Ezekiel died at the age of forty-nine, in the act of making a plea before a court at Concord; and from that day till the hour of his own death, Daniel Webster was never known to mention his brother's name, or hear it mentioned, without shedding tears, or showing in his tremulous lips the depth of his emotions.

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CHAPTER III.

THE YOUTH OF WEBSTER.

DANIEL WEBSTER, both in infancy, and in his early boyhood, was feeble in health and of a slender constitution. Being, also, the youngest son of his mother, he could hardly be other than the mother's pet; but that mother, a woman of most extraordinary mind and character, knew how to foster and not spoil the child.

As her darling boy could not bear his part with the other children, either in their home frolics, or in their attendance upon the distant school, she kept him very much in her own presence, where she taught him the alphabet at an age so early, that he could never recollect the time when he could not read. She instructed him, also, by conversation. She would ask him questions, on matters of some consequence, not so much to hear what he would say, as that he might learn to think. She would walk with him, at early morning, and show him the growing grass, the swelling bud, and the bursting and full-blown flowers; she would take him again at nightfall, as the stars began to shine, and point them out to him as they successively ap peared; she would lead him to the fields, and along the banks of the river, and up the rugged hills of the neighborhood, to give him a growing idea of the greatness of the external world. During all these rambles, she would teach him things as they are, rather than confine him to the mere pictures of things, rude and imperfect, as they appear in books. It is a remark of Burke, that, "in an inquiry, it is almost everything to be once

in the right way; " and it applies to the education of children with great force. The mother of Daniel Webster, though she had never heard of the English statesman, seemed to know the value of his maxim; and she began the mental development of her son, as if she had been a philosopher, rather than a farmer's wife. To such mothers America has been indebted, and will be indebted, for her greatest and her best.

The first reading-book of Daniel Webster, which was given him by his mother, was the bible. He had scarcely learned the names of the letters of the alphabet, before he surprised her by reading aloud to her several verses; and from that hour, she prophesied his future eminence, and doubled her exertions in giving him instructions and opening his mind. Sitting upon the hearthstone, or following her in her movements about the house, he would spend hours in reading those beautiful lessons for children so numerous in the sacred volume. He was particularly delighted, at that time, with the books of Samuel and of Kings. All parts of the Old Testament then pleased him better than any of the New. The stories of Joseph, of Goliah, of Samson, of David and Jonathan, of Solomon; the wars of Canaan, of the later Jews, of the great empires of the early times; and all those episodes of universal history, so entertaining in themselves, and so beautifully told, captivated his young mind. In a very short time, he became a most excellent reader, his voice having then something of the depth, strength and flexibility of after years; and it is related, that, when his father had opened his dwelling as a place of refreshment to travelers, custom was drawn to the house by the privilege afforded the guests of hearing the child read.

When older, Daniel became unwilling to exhibit himself in this manner; but, when not at school, he used to take the book, which he happened to be reading at the time, and go into the forest, or down the river, or into some lonely glen, and read for many hours together. There was a sawmill not far from

THE POCKET-HANDKERCHIEF.

31

the house, which belonged to his father, in which he was put tc work while yet a mere boy; but such a boy world soon learn to do any task, where mere skill is requisite, which could be intrusted to a man. There, after he had set the log and started the saw, he would sit and pore over his book, never forgetting however, to attend to every demand of his labor at the proper time. In these ways, before he was twelve years old, he had read extensively in history, in travels, and in the English clas sics; and such was the grasp of his mind, and the tenacity of his memory, that he understood and remembered nearly every thing he perused.

store.

About this time, the boy chanced to be sent to a neighboring He there found a curiosity, or what was a curiosity to him. It was a pocket-handkerchief, covered all over with something printed in good, fair type. All the money he had in the world was a quarter of a dollar; and that was exactly the price of this rare specimen of a book. Of course, the bookish boy bought the curious thing and took it home. That evening, and till very late, he sat by the large fire-place, in the presence of his father and mother, perusing, re-perusing, studying, committing to memory, the remarkable production thus obtained. What philosopher will reveal the impressions, the influences, the results of that memorable night? What artist will picture the event? It was Daniel Webster reading, for the first time, a copy of the constitution of his country!

At this period of his life, the future statesman could not bear an insult, or any thing like a personal opposition, any better than when, in after years, he made a senate and a party tremble at his frown. The story of his cock-fight is sufficient proof. One of his father's neighbors had a cock noted for his prowess. Among the feathery tribes he was the acknowledged monarch, and used to roam, with impunity, beyond the legitimate limits of his kingdom. More than once, at the head of his troop, he appeared on the territory belonging to a favorite fowl owned

by Daniel. Hostile encounters frequently occurred between the barn-yard rivals, in which Daniel's pet was nearly always worsted. The boy, who was but the ungrown man, took the defeats of his champion as his own; but he could not help him. self, or turn the victory in his favor with a beaten combatant. He was greatly chagrined and even worried. At length, when on a visit to a distant relative, he heard of a cock famed all through those parts for his fighting propensities, and for his success in battle. Daniel at once purchased the pugnacious fowl, giving for it half a dollar, which was all his treasure. With his game-cock under his arm, though he had expected to spend several days on this visit, he promptly started for home. He had gone but a short distance, when he passed a yard well stocked with poultry, among which he saw a large cock strutting defiance to any thing that might venture to dispute his sway. Daniel thought it a good opportunity to test the value of his purchase. By a battle or two he could judge, with his own eyes, whether he was destined to meet with a victory at home. •So, down went the cock from his arms, and the fight began. But it was soon over; and the reputation of the new champion was triumphantly maintained. Several similar engagements took place on the journey, for, as in graver contests, one victory feeds the martial spirit, and each triumph is the seed of future battles. Not far from the set of sun, after numerous exploits of this nature, in which the result had been constantly on the same side, the boy approached the yard where the only important engagement was to be fought, and the question of supremacy was to be fairly tried. His cool judgment dictated the propriety of giving his champion a night's rest; but he could not sleep with so weighty a matter on his mind. He could not endure suspense. So, down went the war-worn cock again, and the sparring at once began. For a while," as the statesman has told the story to his friend, "the contest was an even one; but in ten minutes, he had the satisfaction of seeing his hero victo