features and thrill in
the tones of his voice. The tendons of his neck stood out
white and rigid like whip-cords. His voice rose louder and
louder, until the walls of the building, and all within
them, seemed to shake and rock in its tremendous vibrations.
Finally, his pale face and glaring eye became terrible to
look upon. Men leaned forward in their seats, with their
heads strained forward, their faces pale, and their eyes
glaring like the speaker's. His last exclamation, 'Give me
liberty, or give me death!' was like the shout of the leader
which turns back the rout of battle. The old man from whom
this tradition was derived added that, 'when the orator sat
down, he himself felt sick with excitement. Every eye yet
gazed entranced on Henry. It seemed as if a word from him
would have led to any wild explosion of violence. Men looked
beside themselves.'"[157]

The second traditional description of the speech is here given from a
manuscript[158] of Edward Fontaine, who obtained it in 1834 from John
Roane, who himself heard the speech. Roane told Fontaine that the
orator's "voice, countenance, and gestures gave an irresistible force
to his words, which no description could make intelligible to one who
had never seen him, nor heard him speak;" but, in order to convey some
notion of the orator's manner, Roane described the delivery of the
closing sentences of the speech:--

"You remember, sir, the conclusion of the speech, so often
declaimed in various ways by school-boys,--'Is life so dear,
or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains
and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course
others may take, but as for me, give me liberty, or give me
death!' He gave each of these words a meaning which is not
conveyed by the reading or delivery of them in the ordinary
way. When he said, 'Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as
to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery?' he
stood in the attitude of a condemned galley slave, loaded
with fetters, awaiting his doom. His form was bowed; his
wrists were crossed; his manacles were almost visible as he
stood like an embodiment of helplessness and agony. After a
solemn pause, he raised his eyes and chained hands towards
heaven, and prayed, in words and tones which thrilled every
heart, 'Forbid it, Alm