ne might have found Washington Irving
reading law in Wall Street, and little dreaming of the fame which
awaited his advancing years. Such are among the changes which the
retrospect of a long life affords. Among the events which marked Judge
Edwards's advent to New York was the fearful duel between Burr and
Hamilton. Burr and Edwards were cousins, but the former was more than
twenty years the senior, and the blow which he received could not but be
felt by the young attorney. However, their friendship remained unbroken
through life, and Edwards watched over the unfortunate old man during
his declining years. Burr in his better days owned an estate nearly
equal to those just referred to, and one which, had he retained it,
would have rendered him immensely rich; but, although not a wasteful
man, yet his schemes were of a ruinous character, and his property in
due time fell into the hands of Astor. In fact, no one could be on
friendly terms with Burr without suffering pecuniarily, since his powers
of persuasion were beyond refusal. No man had ever been known in America
with such fascinating address, and such plausible schemes for carrying
out some great enterprise, which, however great, must perish for the
lack of endorsing a note, whose payment, of course, one would not expect
him to trouble himself with. In his latter days, when all his schemes
had exploded, and when his moral character was ruined, and men shunned
him as though he were an object of dread, Burr found a friend in his
cousin, Ogden Edwards. The one had ascended in popular favor as the
other had sunk, and now sat as Circuit Judge of New York. Burr was
shattered by paralysis, and being nearly helpless, was removed to a
house at Port Richmond, where he received every attention. His pension
as colonel in the Continental army gave him a limited support, and his
friends clung to him to the last. Much interest was felt to ascertain
his views in respect to religion, or at least as to whether any change
had taken place since the approach of age. On this point, however, he
would not converse, and it is supposed that the infidelity of his early
years remained unchanged. He died perfectly conscious, and appeared
desirous of communicating something to a son of Judge Edwards, who
attended him, but was unable to speak.

Burr was buried at Princeton with military honors. His father and
grandfather lie in the row of college presidents, and his grave was made
just opposite the