MEMOIR. 



ll 



1 have always regarded such an indul- 

 gence, as highly conducive to the soften- 

 ing of the original hardness of my cha- 

 racter. 



August 22d, 1817. 



As I fancy that several parts of my cha- 

 racter, from various reasons, have been 

 a good deal misunderstood, even by my 

 most intimate friends ; I shall relate here, 

 with little regard to method or connection, 

 some circumstances which may tend to 

 illustrate it. 



I began to show, even in my earliest 

 childhood, an invincible firmness of mind. 

 When my father, who was a passionate 

 man, beat me for a fault, which 1 was con- 

 scious 1 had committed, I used to entreat 

 mercy most piteously ; but if I believed, 

 that I was in the right, the utmost punish- 

 ment he could inflict would scarcely ever 



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