Among them he found the features of more than one famous personage who had been connected with the adventures of our old chair. Grandfather bade him draw the table nearer to the fire-side; and they looked over the portraits together, while Clara and Charley likewise lent their attention. As for little Alice, she sat in Grandfather's lap, and seemed to see the very men alive, whose faces were there represented.
Turning over the volume, Laurence came to the portrait of a stern, grim-looking man, in plain attire1, of much more modern fashion than that of the old Puritans. But the face might well have befitted one of those iron-hearted men. Beneath the portrait was the name of Samuel Adams.
"He was a man of great note in all the doings that brought about the Revolution," said Grandfather. "His character was such, that it seemed as if one of the ancient Puritans had been sent back to earth, to animate2 the people's hearts with the same abhorrence3 of tyranny, that had distinguished4 the earliest settlers. He was as religious as they, as stern and inflexible5, and as deeply imbued6 with democratic principles. He, better than any one else, may be taken as a representative of the people of New England, and of the spirit with which they engaged in the revolutionary struggle. He was a poor man, and earned his bread by an humble7 occupation; but with his tongue and pen, he made the king of England tremble on his throne. Remember him, my children, as one of the strong men of our country."
"Here is one whose looks show a very different character," observed Laurence, turning to the portrait of John Hancock. "I should think, by his splendid dress and courtly aspect, that he was one of the king's friends."
"There never was a greater contrast than between Samuel Adams and John Hancock," said Grandfather. "Yet they were of the same side in politics, and had an equal agency in the Revolution. Hancock was born to the inheritance of the largest fortune in New England. His tastes and habits were aristocratic. He loved gorgeous attire, a splendid mansion8, magnificent furniture, stately festivals, and all that was glittering and pompous9 in external things. His manners were so polished, that there stood not a nobleman at the footstool of King George's throne, who was a more skilful10 courtier than John Hancock might have been. Nevertheless, he, in his embroidered11 clothes, and Samuel Adams in his threadbare coat, wrought12 together in the cause of liberty. Adams acted from pure and rigid13 principle. Hancock, though he loved his country, yet thought quite as much of his own popularity as he did of the people's rights. It is remarkable14, that these two men, so very different as I describe them, were the only two exempted15 from pardon by the king's proclamation."
On the next leaf of the book, was the portrait of General Joseph Warren. Charley recognized the name, and said that here was a greater man than either Hancock or Adams.
"Warren was an eloquent16 and able patriot," replied Grandfather. "He deserves a lasting17 memory for his zealous18 efforts in behalf of liberty. No man's voice was more powerful in Faneuil Hall than Joseph Warren's. If his death had not happened so early in the contest, he would probably have gained a high name as a soldier."
The next portrait was a venerable man, who held his thumb under his chin, and, through his spectacles, appeared to be attentively19 reading a manuscript.
"Here we see the most illustrious Boston boy that ever lived," said Grandfather. "This is Benjamin Franklin! But I will not try to compress, into a few sentences, the character of the sage20, who, as a Frenchman expressed it, snatched the lightning from the sky, and the sceptre from a tyrant21. Mr. Sparks must help you to the knowledge of Franklin."
The book likewise contained portraits of James Otis and Josiah Quincy. Both of them, Grandfather observed, were men of wonderful talents and true patriotism22. Their voices were like the stirring tones of a trumpet23, arousing the country to defend its freedom. Heaven seemed to have provided a greater number of eloquent men than had appeared at any other period, in order that the people might be fully24 instructed as to their wrongs, and the method of resistance.
"It is marvellous," said Grandfather, "to see how many powerful writers, orators25, and soldiers started up, just at the time when they were wanted. There was a man for every kind of work. It is equally wonderful, that men of such different characters were all made to unite in the one object of establishing the freedom and independence of America. There was an overruling Providence26 above them."
"Here was another great man," remarked Laurence, pointing to the portrait of John Adams.
"Yes; an earnest, warm-tempered, honest, and most able man," said Grandfather. "At the period of which we are now speaking, he was a lawyer in Boston. He was destined27, in after years, to be ruler over the whole American people, whom he contributed so much to form into a nation."
Grandfather here remarked, that many a New Englander, who had passed his boyhood and youth in obscurity, afterward28 attained29 to a fortune, which he never could have foreseen, even in his most ambitious dreams. John Adams, the second president of the United States, and the equal of crowned kings, was once a schoolmaster and country lawyer. Hancock, the first signer of the Declaration of Independence, served his apprenticeship30 with a merchant. Samuel Adams, afterward governor of Massachusetts, was a small tradesman and a tax-gatherer. General Warren was a physician, General Lincoln a farmer, and General Knox a bookbinder. General Nathaniel Greene, the best soldier, except Washington, in the revolutionary army, was a Quaker and a blacksmith. All these became illustrious men, and can never be forgotten in American history.
"And any boy, who is born in America, may look forward to the same things," said our ambitious friend Charley.
After these observations, Grandfather drew the book of portraits towards him, and showed the children several British peers and members of Parliament, who had exerted themselves either for or against the rights of America. There were the Earl of Bute, Mr. Grenville, and Lord North. These were looked upon as deadly enemies to our country.
Among the friends of America was Mr. Pitt, afterward Earl of Chatham, who spent so much of his wondrous31 eloquence32 in endeavoring to warn England of the consequences of her injustice33. He fell down on the floor of the House of Lords, after uttering almost his dying words in defence of our privileges as freemen. There was Edmund Burke, one of the wisest men and greatest orators that ever the world produced. There was Colonel Barré, who had been among our fathers, and knew that they had courage enough to die for their rights. There was Charles James Fox, who never rested until he had silenced our enemies in the House of Commons.
"It is very remarkable to observe how many of the ablest orators in the British Parliament were favorable to America," said Grandfather. "We ought to remember these great Englishmen with gratitude34; for their speeches encouraged our fathers, almost as much as those of our own orators, in Faneuil Hall, and under Liberty Tree. Opinions, which might have been received with doubt, if expressed only by a native American, were set down as true, beyond dispute, when they came from the lips of Chatham, Burke, Barré, or Fox."
"But, Grandfather," asked Laurence, "were there no able and eloquent men in this country who took the part of King George?"
"There were many men of talent, who said what they could in defence of the king's tyrannical proceedings," replied Grandfather. "But they had the worst side of the argument, and therefore seldom said any thing worth remembering. Moreover their hearts were faint and feeble; for they felt that the people scorned and detested35 them. They had no friends, no defence, except in the bayonets of the British troops. A blight36 fell upon all their faculties37, because they were contending against the rights of their own native land."
"What were the names of some of them?" inquired Charley.
"Governor Hutchinson, Chief Justice Oliver, Judge Auchmuty, the Reverend Mather Byles, and several other clergymen, were among the most noted38 loyalists," answered Grandfather.
"I wish the people had tarred and feathered every man of them!" cried Charley.
"That wish is very wrong, Charley," said Grandfather. "You must not think that there was no integrity and honor, except among those who stood up for the freedom of America. For aught I know, there was quite as much of these qualities on one side as on the other. Do you see nothing admirable in a faithful adherence39 to an unpopular cause? Can you not respect that principle of loyalty40, which made the royalists give up country, friends, fortune, every thing, rather than be false to their king? It was a mistaken principle; but many of them cherished it honorably, and were martyrs41 to it."
"Oh, I was wrong!" said Charley, ingenuously42. "And I would risk my life, rather than one of those good old royalists should be tarred and feathered."
"The time is now come, when we may judge fairly of them," continued Grandfather. "Be the good and true men among them honored; for they were as much our countrymen as the patriots43 were. And, thank Heaven! our country need not be ashamed of her sons—of most of them, at least—whatever side they took in the revolutionary contest."
Among the portraits was one of King George the Third. Little Alice clapped her hands, and seemed pleased with the bluff44 good nature of his physiognomy. But Laurence thought it strange, that a man with such a face, indicating hardly a common share of intellect, should have had influence enough on human affairs, to convulse the world with war. Grandfather observed, that this poor king had always appeared to him one of the most unfortunate persons that ever lived. He was so honest and conscientious45, that, if he had been only a private man, his life would probably have been blameless and happy. But his was that worst of fortunes, to be placed in a station far beyond his abilities.
"And so," said Grandfather, "his life, while he retained what intellect Heaven had gifted him with, was one long mortification46. At last, he grew crazed with care and trouble. For nearly twenty years, the monarch47 of England was confined as a madman. In his old age, too, God took away his eyesight; so that his royal palace was nothing to him but a dark, lonesome prison-house."
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1
attire
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| v.穿衣，装扮[同]array；n.衣着；盛装 | |
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animate
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| v.赋于生命，鼓励；adj.有生命的，有生气的 | |
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abhorrence
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| n.憎恶；可憎恶的事 | |
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distinguished
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| adj.卓越的，杰出的，著名的 | |
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inflexible
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| adj.不可改变的，不受影响的，不屈服的 | |
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6
imbued
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| v.使（某人/某事）充满或激起（感情等）( imbue的过去式和过去分词 )；使充满；灌输；激发（强烈感情或品质等） | |
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7
humble
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| adj.谦卑的，恭顺的；地位低下的；v.降低，贬低 | |
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8
mansion
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| n.大厦，大楼；宅第 | |
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pompous
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| adj.傲慢的，自大的；夸大的；豪华的 | |
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skilful
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| (=skillful)adj.灵巧的，熟练的 | |
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embroidered
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| adj．绣花的 | |
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wrought
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| v.引起；以…原料制作；运转；adj.制造的 | |
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rigid
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| adj.严格的，死板的；刚硬的，僵硬的 | |
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14
remarkable
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| adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的 | |
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15
exempted
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| 使免除[豁免]( exempt的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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16
eloquent
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| adj.雄辩的，口才流利的；明白显示出的 | |
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17
lasting
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| adj.永久的，永恒的；vbl.持续，维持 | |
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18
zealous
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| adj.狂热的，热心的 | |
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19
attentively
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| adv.聚精会神地；周到地；谛；凝神 | |
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20
sage
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| n.圣人，哲人；adj.贤明的，明智的 | |
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tyrant
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| n.暴君，专制的君主，残暴的人 | |
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patriotism
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| n.爱国精神，爱国心，爱国主义 | |
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trumpet
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| n.喇叭，喇叭声；v.吹喇叭，吹嘘 | |
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24
fully
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| adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地 | |
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orators
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| n.演说者，演讲家( orator的名词复数 ) | |
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providence
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| n.深谋远虑，天道，天意；远见；节约；上帝 | |
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27
destined
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| adj.命中注定的；(for)以…为目的地的 | |
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afterward
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| adv.后来；以后 | |
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attained
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| （通常经过努力）实现( attain的过去式和过去分词 )； 达到； 获得； 达到（某年龄、水平、状况） | |
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30
apprenticeship
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| n.学徒身份；学徒期 | |
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31
wondrous
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| adj.令人惊奇的，奇妙的；adv.惊人地；异乎寻常地；令人惊叹地 | |
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32
eloquence
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| n.雄辩；口才，修辞 | |
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33
injustice
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| n.非正义，不公正，不公平，侵犯（别人的）权利 | |
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34
gratitude
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| adj.感激，感谢 | |
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35
detested
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| v.憎恶，嫌恶，痛恨( detest的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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36
blight
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| n.枯萎病；造成破坏的因素；vt.破坏，摧残 | |
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37
faculties
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| n.能力( faculty的名词复数 )；全体教职员；技巧；院 | |
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38
noted
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| adj.著名的，知名的 | |
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39
adherence
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| n.信奉，依附，坚持，固着 | |
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40
loyalty
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| n.忠诚，忠心 | |
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41
martyrs
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| n.martyr的复数形式；烈士( martyr的名词复数 )；殉道者；殉教者；乞怜者（向人诉苦以博取同情） | |
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42
ingenuously
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| adv.率直地，正直地 | |
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43
patriots
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| 爱国者，爱国主义者( patriot的名词复数 ) | |
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44
bluff
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| v.虚张声势，用假象骗人；n.虚张声势，欺骗 | |
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45
conscientious
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| adj.审慎正直的，认真的，本着良心的 | |
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46
mortification
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| n.耻辱，屈辱 | |
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47
monarch
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| n.帝王，君主，最高统治者 | |
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