the readers
of "Quentin Durward" are familiar;

The page slew the boar,
The peer had the gloire.

Mr. Webster always had a strong and kindly regard for my brother.
When Mr. Hoar visited Washington in 1836, Webster received
him with great kindness, showed him about the Capitol, and
took him to the Supreme Court, where he argued a case. Mr.
Webster began by alluding very impressively to the great changes
which had taken place in that Tribunal since he first appeared
as counsel before them. He said: "No one of the judges who
were here then, remains. It has been my duty to pass upon
the question of the confirmation of every member of the Bench;
and I may say that I treated your honors with entire impartiality,
for I voted against every one of you." After the argument
was over Mr. Webster gave Mr. Hoar a very interesting sketch
of the character of each of the judges, and told him the reasons
which caused him to vote against confirmation in each case.

The next time I saw Daniel Webster was on July 4, 1844. He
made a call at my father's house in Concord. I was near one
of the front windows, and heard a shout from a little crowd
that had gathered in the street, and looked out just as Mr.
Webster was coming up the front steps. He turned, put his
hand into his bosom under his waistcoat and made a stately
salutation, and then turned and knocked on the door and was
admitted. He was physically the most splendid specimen of
noble manhood my eyes ever beheld. It is said, I suppose
truly, that he was but a trifle over five feet nine inches
high, and weighed one hundred and fifty-four pounds. But
then, as on all other occasions that I saw him, I should have
been prepared to affirm that he was over six feet high and
weighed, at least, two hundred. The same glamour is said
to have attended Louis XIV., whose majesty of bearing was
such that it never was discovered that he was a man of short
stature until he was measured for his coffin.

Mr. Webster was then in the very vigor of his magnificent
manhood. He stood perfectly erect. His head was finely
poised upon his shoulders. His beautiful black eyes shone
out through the caverns of his deep brows like lustrous jewels.
His teeth were white and regular, and his smile when he was
in gracious mood, especially when talking to women, had an
irresistible charm. I remember very little that he said.
One thing was, when the backwardness or forwardness of the
season was s