ived at the fatal act itself: 'You have been
told, gentlemen, that the prisoner was bound by every
obligation to avoid the supposed necessity of firing, by
leaping behind a house near which he stood at that moment.
Had he been attacked with a club, or with stones, the
argument would have been unanswerable, and I should feel
myself compelled to give up the defence in despair. But
surely I need not tell you, gentlemen, how wide is the
difference between sticks or stones, and double-triggered,
loaded rifles cocked at your breast!' The effect of this
terrific image, exhibited in this great orator's peerless
manner, cannot be described. I dare not attempt to delineate
the paroxysm of emotion which it excited in every heart. The
result of the whole was, that the prisoner was acquitted;
with the perfect approbation, I believe, of the numerous
assembly who attended the trial. What was it that gave such
transcendent force to the eloquence of Henry? His reasoning
powers were good; but they have been equalled, and more than
equalled, by those of many other men. His imagination was
exceedingly quick, and commanded all the stores of nature,
as materials for illustrating his subject. His voice and
delivery were inexpressibly happy. But his most irresistible
charm was the vivid feeling of his cause, with which he
spoke. Such feeling infallibly communicates itself to the
breast of the hearer."[433]

FOOTNOTES:

[416] Winston, in Wirt, 260.

[417] Ware, Administrator of Jones, Plaintiff in Error, _v._ Hylton
_et al._, Curtis, _Decisions_, i. 164-229.

[418] Wirt, 316-318.

[419] _Ibid._ 312.

[420] Edward Fontaine, MS.

[421] Howe, _Hist. Coll. Va._ 221.

[422] Wirt, 312.

[423] Wirt, 320-321; 368-369.

[424] McRee, _Life of Iredell_, ii. 394.

[425] Memorandum of J. W. Bouldin, in _Hist. Mag._ for 1873, 274-275.

[426] Howe, _Hist. Coll. Va._ 222.

[427] Judge Spencer Roane, MS.

[428] McRee, _Life of Iredell_, ii. 395.

[429] Wirt, 75-76.

[430] J. W. Alexander, _Life of A. Alexander_, 191-192.

[431] J. W. Alexander, _Life of Archibald Alexander_, 183-187.

[432] MS.

[433] Howe. _Hist. Coll. Va._ 222-223.

CHAPTER XXI

IN RETIREMENT

In the year 1794, being then fifty-eight years old, and possessed at
last of a competent fortune, Patrick Henry withdrew from his
profession