THE SOLDIER OF FORTUNE 69 



All these uncouth looks and ways were at first inter- 

 preted by the people as eccentricities of genius. To 

 some persons, doubtless, they seemed to add a touch 

 of romantic interest to a man whom every one looked 

 upon as a public benefactor. There is no doubt that 

 at this time he did render some real services with 

 tongue and pen, while his self -seeking motives were 

 hidden by the earnestness of his arguments in behalf 

 of political liberty and the unquestionable sincerity of 

 his invectives against the British government. The 

 best of his writings at this time was the " Strictures on 

 a Friendly Address to all Reasonable Americans, in 

 Reply to Dr. Myles Cooper," in which the arguments 

 of the Tory president of King's College were severely 

 handled. This pamphlet, published in 1774, was many 

 times reprinted, and exerted considerable influence. 

 While the first Continental Congress was in session at 

 Philadelphia, Lee was present in that city and was 

 ready with his advice and opinions. He set himself 

 up for an expert in military matters, and there was not 

 a campaign in ancient or modern history which he 

 could not expound and criticise with the air of a man 

 who had exhausted the subject. The American leaders, 

 ill acquainted with military science, and flattered by 

 the prospect of securing the aid of a great European 

 soldier, were naturally ready to take him at his own 

 valuation ; but he felt that one grave obstacle stood in 

 the way of his appointment to the chief command. In 

 a letter to Edmund Burke, dated the i6th of December, 

 1774, he observed that he did not think the Americans 

 "would or ought to confide in a man, let his qualifi- 

 cations be ever so great, who has no property among 

 them." To remove this objection he purchased, for 



