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Sparks, William Henry, 1800-1882

"The Memories of Fifty Years Containing Brief Biographical Notices of Distinguished Americans, and Anecdotes of Remarkable Men; Interspersed with Scenes and Incidents Occurring during a Long Life of Observation Chiefly Spent i"

These speeches, with the traditions of his fame, will
serve to perpetuate his memory as perhaps the most gifted man, as an
orator, that adorned his generation.
In stature he was below the ordinary standard, and his lameness seemed
to dwarf even this. His head was large, round, and high; his forehead
expansive, high, and rising almost perpendicularly above his eyes,
which were gray, deep set, and brilliant; his nose was straight and
beautifully chiselled, thin, and the nostrils large, and swelling and
expanding when excited. In speaking, his eyes blazed with a most
peculiar expression. His chin was broad, square, and strong. His mouth
was the most striking feature of his face--large and flexible, with a
constant twitching about the corners. The entire contour of the face
indicated humor, combined with firmness. This latter trait was also
indicated in the large, strong under jaw--no trait was more prominent
in his character than this. Yet he was slow to anger, and always
conciliatory in language and manners. He was charitable in the extreme
toward others for any laches in principle; always ready to find an
excuse for the short-comings of others.


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