der, extremely diffident, rather awkward, and retiring ; 

 and yet he possessed all the constituents, which, when 

 developed, make a graceful, imposing, and finely- 

 formed man. His childhood was carefully trained by 

 a mother of the most remarkable beauty and strength 

 of character the impersonation of all that was lovely 

 and winning in mind and heart a lady of rare vigor 

 of intellect, and the most refined sensibilities. She 

 watched the budding of this, the youngest flower in 

 the garden of her home, with more than ordinary 

 vigilance ; and early impressed him with the dignity 

 of the true faith, and the value of a careful husband- 

 ing of his resources. I dwell upon this, because it is 

 only another evidence of the great truth, that a mother 

 has after all more to do with the moulding of the man 

 in the boy, than all beside. 



We were advanced to the senior class at college, 

 and there began our most intimate friendship he at 

 thirteen, I at fifteen. From the start, the contest for 

 the first honor was keen and well sustained. And 

 while that class, between the members of which there 

 never was so much as a jar of ill feeling, divided the 

 first honor on the united judgment of the board and 

 the faculty; we all of us felt, that for thoroughness of 

 scholarship, he was beyond comparison the Achilles of 

 the struggle. At the early age of fourteen, he took 

 his degree ; and for steady industry, systematic habits, 

 and striking genius, he was as remarkable as in after 

 years. 



We passed out of the college halls together, and 

 entered a law office. For four years, we read, and 

 walked, and talked together ; and then began his care- 

 ful examination of history, and the great principles of 

 the Law, as expounded by its masters. Nothing 

 escaped him, that a youth of his years could compre- 



