who
attended the court in a large body, either to look down
opposition, or to enjoy the final triumph of this hard
fought contest, which they now considered as perfectly
secure.... Soon after the opening of the court the cause was
called.... The array before Mr. Henry's eyes was now most
fearful. On the bench sat more than twenty clergymen, the
most learned men in the colony.... The courthouse was
crowded with an overwhelming multitude, and surrounded with
an immense and anxious throng, who, not finding room to
enter, were endeavoring to listen without in the deepest
attention. But there was something still more awfully
disconcerting than all this; for in the chair of the
presiding magistrate sat no other person than his own
father. Mr. Lyons opened the cause very briefly.... And now
came on the first trial of Patrick Henry's strength. No one
had ever heard him speak,[53] and curiosity was on tiptoe.
He rose very awkwardly, and faltered much in his exordium.
The people hung their heads at so unpromising a
commencement; the clergy were observed to exchange sly looks
with each other; and his father is described as having
almost sunk with confusion, from his seat. But these
feelings were of short duration, and soon gave place to
others of a very different character. For now were those
wonderful faculties which he possessed, for the first time
developed; and now was first witnessed that mysterious and
almost supernatural transformation of appearance, which the
fire of his own eloquence never failed to work in him. For
as his mind rolled along, and began to glow from its own
action, all the exuviae of the clown seemed to shed
themselves spontaneously. His attitude, by degrees, became
erect and lofty. The spirit of his genius awakened all his
features. His countenance shone with a nobleness and
grandeur which it had never before exhibited. There was a
lightning in his eyes which seemed to rive the spectator.
His action became graceful, bold, and commanding; and in the
tones of his voice, but more especially in his emphasis,
there was a peculiar charm, a magic, of which any one who
ever heard him will speak as soon as he is named, but of
which no one can give any adequate description. They can
only say that it struck upon the