he death
of his elder brother and his mother, becoming master of a competent
fortune, he fell into habits of idleness and dissipation. Like Swift,
however, he was not one who, having wasted part of his life in
indolence, was willing to throw away the remainder in despair; and in
the society of Governor Fauquier and Professor Small he imbibed their
love of learning; and at the age of thirty applied himself unremittedly
to study. He became, eventually, distinguished by his attainments in
classical literature; and he pursued other studies with a like success.
But he often deplored the loss of so many early golden years. His
learning, judgment, and industry soon raised him to eminence at the bar.
A member of the house of burgesses as early as 1758, he continued in it
until the Revolution. At its dawn Mr. Wythe, in common with Thomas
Jefferson and Richard Bland, assumed the ground that the crown was the
only connecting link between the colonies and the mother country. In
1764 Mr. Wythe was a member of a committee of the house of burgesses
appointed to prepare a petition to the king, a memorial to the lords,
and a remonstrance to the commons, on the subject of the stamp act. He
prepared the remonstrance in conformity with his radical principles; but
it was greatly modified by the assembly. In May, 1765, he, in common
with Nicholas, Pendleton, Randolph, and Bland, opposed Henry's
resolutions as premature. Mr. Wythe likewise voted (March, 1775,)
against Henry's resolutions for putting the colony in a posture of
defence; but he was in favor of the scheme of Colonel Nicholas for
raising a large regular force. Early in 1775 Mr. Wythe joined a corps of
volunteers as a private soldier; in August he was elected a member of
congress. He was returned by the City of Williamsburg to the convention
of that year; but being in attendance on congress his place was filled
by Joseph Prentis. Mr. Wythe signed the Declaration of Independence,
which he had strenuously supported in debate.[657:A] Mr. Wythe married
first a Miss Lewis, and secondly a Miss Taliaferro.[658:A] He died
childless. He is described as being distinguished for integrity,
patriotism, and disinterestedness; temperance and regular habits gave
him good health; engaging and modest manners endeared him to every one;
his bow was one of most expressive courtesy. His elocution was easy, his
language chaste, his arrangement lucid; his frequent classic quotations,
smacking a little of p