136 MATTHEW FONTAINE MAURY 



playful humor and gentle consideration made him very 

 winning. 



"In his early youth he was careless in his dress, and 

 expressed contempt for those who judged of a man by his 

 outward appearance. 'But', he said, 'I soon perceived 

 the folly of this carelessness' ; and in later years he be- 

 came scrupulously neat in his attire. His enjoyment of 

 the pleasures of the table was refined ; he liked good 

 wine; he carved well, and entertained generously; and 

 he was never more genial, humorous, or interesting than 

 when surrounded by friends about a well-served board ".^ 



The account of his home life continues as follows: 

 "Whether writing or thinking, no noise of the children, 

 no invasion of visitors, was ever an interruption. In 

 the midst of his most interesting pursuits, on which he 

 was concentrating his powers, he would lay down his 

 pen and join in the laugh at a good joke, and encourage 

 the mirth to go on. He had an ever-active sense of 

 humor; but scandal and gossip he would not allow in 

 his presence, and he w^ould never pass over any violation 

 of high principle. He made loving companions and 

 friends of his children — in his walks, in his talks, in his 

 work, in his recreation, he was always one of them. He 

 invited their confidence, and freely gave them his; in 

 that household there were no secrets — any step that was 

 about to be taken, any journey made, or any work pro- 

 jected, was fully and freely talked over and discussed in 

 family conclave. And yet his word was law; that no 

 one ever dreamt of disputing : so he was always the last 

 to speak in these family councils, and gave the 'casting 

 vote', as he used to say; the youngest voting or giving 

 their opinion first on the matter under discussion. 



2 The Life of Maury by Diana Fontaine Maury Corbin, pp. 147, 148. 



