s pleasing;
yet he did not ravish your senses, nor carry away your
judgment by storm.... Henry was almost always victorious. He
was as much superior to Lee in temper as in eloquence....
Mr. Henry was inferior to Lee in the gracefulness of his
action, and perhaps also in the chasteness of his language;
yet his language was seldom incorrect, and his address
always striking. He had a fine blue eye; and an earnest
manner which made it impossible not to attend to him. His
speaking was unequal, and always rose with the subject and
the exigency. In this respect, he entirely differed from Mr.
Lee, who always was equal. At some times, Mr. Henry would
seem to hobble, especially in the beginning of his speeches;
and, at others, his tones would be almost disagreeable; yet
it was by means of his tones, and the happy modulation of
his voice, that his speaking perhaps had its greatest
effect. He had a happy articulation, and a clear, distinct,
strong voice; and every syllable was distinctly uttered. He
was very unassuming as to himself, amounting almost to
humility, and very respectful towards his competitor; the
consequence was that no feeling of disgust or animosity was
arrayed against him. His exordiums in particular were often
hobbling and always unassuming. He knew mankind too well to
promise much.... He was great at a reply, and greater in
proportion to the pressure which was bearing upon him. The
resources of his mind and of his eloquence were equal to any
drafts which could be made upon them. He took but short
notes of what fell from his adversaries, and disliked the
drudgery of composition; yet it is a mistake to say that he
could not write well."[340]

FOOTNOTES:

[311] Rives, _Life of Madison_, i. 189, note.

[312] _Jour. Va. House Del._ 54.

[313] _Jour. Va. House Del._ 27.

[314] MS.

[315] MS.

[316] _Jour. Va. House Del._ 14.

[317] _Jour. Va. House Del._ 14, 15, 18, 25, 28, 31, 39.

[318] _Jour. Va. House Del._ 7, 8, 10, 14, 24, 45, 50, 51.

[319] _Jour. Va. House Del._ 71.

[320] _Ibid._ 79.

[321] Burk, _Hist. Va._ iv. 491.

[322] _Jour. Va. House Del._ 1.

[323] Burk, _Hist. Va._ iv. 496-497.

[324] _Jour. Va. House Del._ 10.

[325] L. G. Tyler, _Letters and Times of the Tylers_, i. 81-83, where
it is said to be taken from Abel's _Life of John Tyl