ompelled, by parental
authority, to apply himself, he at once mastered his task, and was
ready, then, for fun or frolic. Remarkable for physical powers, he
fondly embarked in all athletic sports, and in all excelled. Bold and
fearless, he was the leader in all adventures of mischief, and always
met the consequences in the same spirit. It was remarked of him, when a
boy, by one who knew him well, that in all he did he played "high,
game," never "low, Jack."

In the wildness of his mischief there was always discoverable boldness
and mind. At school and at college, though rarely winning an honor, he
was always admitted by his fellows to possess superior abilities. These
abilities were manifest more in the originality of his ideas, and their
peculiar exemplification in his conduct, than in the sober, every-day
manner of thought and action. His mind was versatile, and seemed
capable of grasping and analyzing any subject. Quick to perceive and
prompt to execute, yielding obedience to no dogma, legal or political,
he followed the convictions of his mind, without regard to precedent or
example. His knowledge of human nature seemed intuitive, and his
capacity of adaptation was without limit. At the period when he
commenced the practice of law, the successful abilities in the
profession were forensic. Every case was tried by a jury, and the law
made juries judges of law and fact. The power to control and direct
these was the prime qualification of a lawyer, and nature had bestowed
this, in an eminent degree, upon Colquitt. There were few more eminent
as advocates, or more successful as practitioners, though his legal
attainments were never of a very high order. He was elevated to the
bench, where he remained but a short time, feeling that this was no
situation for the display of his peculiar powers, nor the proper or
successful course for the gratification of his ambition. He had, at a
previous time, united himself with the Methodist Church, and was
licensed to preach. It was his habit to open his court, each morning,
with prayer, and not unfrequently, during the week of his court, in
each county of his circuit, to preach two or three sermons. He was a
general of the militia, and would come down from the bench to review a
regiment or brigade. It was this discharge of his multifarious duties
which prompted an aged sister of his church, when the great men of the
State were being discussed by the venerable ladies of a certain
neigh