writing editorials, and reporting meetings. This was simply to educate
himself as a journalist. At that time very few reporters were employed
on the daily papers. What he says of this work had better be told in
his own words:

"It was three months of hard study and work. I saw that what the
public wanted was news in condensed form; that the day for stately
editorials was passing away; that short statements and arguments,
which went like an arrow straight to the mark, were what the public
would be likely to read. I formed my style of writing with that in
view. I avoided long sentences. I thought that I went too far in the
other direction and clipped my sentences too short, and did not give
sufficient ornamentation, but I determined to use words of Saxon
rather than of Latin or Norman origin, to use 'begin,' instead of
'commence,' as stronger and more forcible.

"I selected the speeches of Webster, Lord Erskine, Burke, and other
English writers, for careful analysis, but soon discarded Brougham and
Burke. I derived great benefit from Erskine and Webster, for incisive
and strong statement,--also Shakespeare and Milton. At that time I
read again and again the rhapsodies of Christopher North, Professor
Wilson, and the 'Noctes Ambrosianae,' and found great delight, also,
in reading Bryant's poems.

"It was the period of white heat in the anti-slavery struggle, when
the public heard the keenest debates, the sharpest invective. At an
anti-slavery meeting the red-hot lava was always on the flow. The
anti-slavery men were like anthracite in the furnace,--red hot,--white
hot,--clear through. I have little doubt that the sharpness and
ruggedness of my writing is due, in some degree, to the curt, sharp
statements of that period. When men were feeling so intensely, and
speaking with a force and earnestness unknown in these later years, a
reporter would insensibly take on something of the spirit of the hour,
otherwise his reports would be limp and lifeless. I was induced to
study stenography, but the system then in use was complex and
inadequate,--hard to learn. I was informed by several stenographers
that if I wanted a condensed report it would be far better to give the
spirit, rather than attempt the letter."

During the summer of 1854, Mrs. Coffin being in poor health, they
visited Saratoga together, passed several weeks at the Springs, and
visited the battle-field where his grandfather, Eliphalet Kilborn,
had fought. Carlet