Prev | Current Page 884 | Next

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"

They
appeared to come from a deep and intense tenderness of heart. These
were momentary--the lightning's flash illuminating the gloom and
darkness of its parent cloud. I have thought this was the man's
nature, born with a heart capable of intense feeling, which had been
educated to believe this weakness. Coming very young away from his
home and early associations, to live and mingle with strangers of a
different race--leaving the rural scenes and home associations which
were forming and developing nature's glorious gifts, to come to a
profligate and heartless city--the whole current of his susceptible
nature was changed, and the feeling and good perverted and
overshadowed, yet not entirely rooted out. Hence the contradictions in
his character. Sometimes nature was too strong for art, and would
break out in beauty, as the flower, rich in fragrance and delicate
loveliness, when touched by the genial sun, will burst from the black
and uninviting bud.
Upon one occasion, when there was a United States senator to be
elected, and when the Democratic party held a majority in the
Legislature, rendering it impossible for the Whigs to elect any member
of their own party, yet, with the assistance of three from the
Democratic party, could choose from this party any man they would
select and unite upon--they determined to propose Grymes, and had
secured the requisite assistance from the Democracy.


Pages:
872 873 874 875 876 877 878 879 880 881 882 883 884 885 886 887 888 889 890 891 892 893 894 895 896