We cannot claim that his attainments1 at graduation were equal to those of the most proficient2 graduates of our colleges to-day. The curriculum at Dartmouth, and indeed at all colleges, was more limited and elementary than at present. Daniel was a good Greek and Latin scholar for his advantages, but those were not great. He did, however, pay special attention to philosophical3 studies, and to the law of nations. He took an interest in current politics, as may be gathered from letters written in his college days, and was unconsciously preparing himself for the office of a statesman.
He paid special attention also to oratory4. No longer shrinking from speaking before his classmates, he voluntarily composed the pieces he declaimed, and took an active part besides in the debating society. I am sure my young reader will like to know how Daniel wrote at this time, and will like to compare the oratory of the college student with that of the future statesman. I shall, therefore, quote from a Fourth of July oration6, which he delivered by invitation to the citizens and students at the age of eighteen. As in a boy’s features we trace a general likeness7 to his mature manhood, so I think we may trace a likeness in passages of this early effort to the speeches he made in the fullness of his fame.
This is the opening of the address:
“Countrymen, Brethren and Fathers: We are now assembled to celebrate an anniversary, ever to be held in dear remembrance by the sons of freedom. Nothing less than the birth of a nation, nothing less than the emancipation8 of three millions of people from the degrading chains of foreign bondage10 is the event we commemorate11.
“Twenty-four years have this day elapsed since these United States first raised the standard of liberty, and echoed the shouts of independence. Those of you who were then reaping the iron harvest of the martial12 field, whose bosoms13 then palpitated for the honor of America, will at this time experience a renewal14 of all that fervent15 patriotism16, of all those indescribable emotions which then agitated17 your breasts. As for us, who were either then unborn, or not far enough advanced beyond the threshold of existence to engage in the grand conflict for liberty, we now most cordially unite with you to greet the return of this joyous19 anniversary, to welcome the return of the day that gave us freedom, and to hail the rising glories of our country.”
Further on he paints the hardships and distresses20 through which the colonists21 had passed:
“We behold22 a feeble band of colonists engaged in the arduous23 undertaking24 of a new settlement in the wilds of North America. Their civil liberty being mutilated, and the enjoyment25 of their religious sentiments denied them in the land that gave them birth, they braved the dangers of the then almost unnavigated ocean, and sought on the other side of the globe an asylum26 from the iron grasp of tyranny and the more intolerable scourge27 of ecclesiastical persecution28.
“But gloomy indeed was the prospect29 when arrived on this side of the Atlantic.
“Scattered in detachments along a coast immensely extensive, at a distance of more than three thousand miles from their friends on the eastern continent, they were exposed to all those evils, and encountered or experienced all those difficulties, to which human nature seemed liable. Destitute30 of convenient habitations, the inclemencies of the seasons harassed31 them, the midnight beasts of prey32 howled terribly around them, and the more portentous33 yell of savage34 fury incessantly35 assailed36 them. But the same undiminished confidence in Almighty37 God, which prompted the first settlers of the country to forsake38 the unfriendly climes of Europe, still supported them under all their calamities39, and inspired them with fortitude40 almost divine. Having a glorious issue to their labors41 now in prospect, they cheerfully endured the rigors42 of the climate, pursued the savage beast to his remotest haunt, and stood undismayed in the dismal43 hour of Indian battle.”
Passing on to the Revolutionary struggle the young orator5 refers to “our brethren attacked and slaughtered44 at Lexington, our property plundered46 and destroyed at Concord,” to “the spiral flames of burning Charlestown,” and proceeds as follows:
“Indelibly impressed on our memories still lives the dismal scene of Bunker’s awful mount, the grand theater of New England bravery, where slaughter45 stalked grimly triumphant47, where relentless48 Britain saw her soldiers, the unhappy instruments of despotism, fallen in heaps beneath the nervous arm of injured freemen!
“There the great Warren fought, and there, alas49! he fell. Valuing his life only as it enabled him to serve his country, he freely resigned himself a willing martyr50 in the cause of liberty, and now lies encircled in the arms of glory.
“’Peace to the patriot’s shade—let no rude blast
Disturb the willow51 that nods o’er his tomb;
Let orphan52 tears bedew his sacred urn18,
And fame’s proud trump53 proclaim the hero’s name
Far as the circuit of the spheres extends!’
“But, haughty54 Albion, thy reign9 shall soon be over. Thou shalt triumph no longer; thy empire already reels and totters55; thy laurel even now begins to wither56 and thy fame to decay. Thou hast at length aroused the indignation of an insulted people; thy oppressions they deem no longer tolerable.
“The Fourth Day of July, 1776, has now arrived, and America, manfully springing from the torturing fangs57 of the British lion, now rises majestic58 in the pride of her sovereignty, and bids her eagle elevate his wings! The solemn Declaration of Independence is now pronounced, amidst crowds of admiring citizens, by the supreme59 council of the nation, and received with the unbounded plaudits of a grateful people! That was the hour when heroism60 was proved—when the souls of men were tried!
“It was then, ye venerable patriots,” there were some Revolutionary soldiers present—“it was then you lifted the indignant arm, and unitedly swore to be free! Despising such toys as subjugated61 empires, you then knew no middle fortune between liberty and death. Firmly relying on the protection of Heaven, unwarped in the resolution you had taken, you then undaunted met, engaged, defeated the gigantic power of Britain, and rode triumphant over the aggressions of your enemies!
“Trenton, Princeton, Bennington and Saratoga were the successive theaters of your victories, and the utmost bounds of creation are the limits of your fame! The sacred fire of freedom, then enkindled in your breasts, shall be perpetuated62 through the long descent of future ages, and burn with undiminished fervor63 in the bosoms of millions yet unborn!”
Further on we find the following passage:
“The great drama is now completed; our independence is now acknowledged, and the hopes of our enemies are blasted forever. Columbia is now sealed in the forum64 of nations, and the empires of the world are amazed at the effulgence65 of her glory.
“Thus, friends and citizens, did the kind hand of an overruling Providence66 conduct us, through toils67, fatigues68 and dangers, to independence and peace. If piety69 be the rational exercise of the human soul, if religion be not a chimera70, and if the vestiges71 of heavenly assistance are clearly traced in those events which mark the annals of our nation, it becomes us on this day, in consideration of the great things which have been done for us, to render the tribute of unfeigned thanks to that God who superintends the universe, and holds aloft the scale that weighs the destinies of nations.”
The oration was a long one, and touched a variety of topics, but the extracts already given will convey a good idea of its excellencies and defects. My college readers will understand me when I say that the style is sophomoric72 and ambitious, but these faults may be pardoned in a youth of eighteen. The tone is elevated, it is marked by gravity and earnestness, the sentiments are just, there is evidence of thought, and, on the whole, we may regard the oration as a hopeful promise of the future. The magniloquence gave place in time to a weighty simplicity73, in which every word told, and not one could be spared. It was rather remarkable74 that so young a man should have been selected to deliver such an address in Hanover, and indicates that Daniel had by this time acquired reputation as a public speaker.
This was not the only occasion on which he was selected to speak in public. When a classmate, a general favorite, died, young Webster was unanimously selected to deliver an address of commemoration. He is said to have spoken with a fervor and eloquence75 which deeply stirred the hearts of the large audience that had assembled to hear him. “During the delivery the fall of a pin could have been heard at any moment; a dense76 audience were carried entirely77 away, and kept spellbound by the magic of his voice and manner; and when he sat down, he left a thousand people weeping real tears over a heartfelt sorrow. It is reported that there was not a dry eye in all the vast congregation which the event and the fame of the orator had brought together.”
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1 attainments | |
成就,造诣; 获得( attainment的名词复数 ); 达到; 造诣; 成就 | |
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2 proficient | |
adj.熟练的,精通的;n.能手,专家 | |
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3 philosophical | |
adj.哲学家的,哲学上的,达观的 | |
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4 oratory | |
n.演讲术;词藻华丽的言辞 | |
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5 orator | |
n.演说者,演讲者,雄辩家 | |
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6 oration | |
n.演说,致辞,叙述法 | |
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7 likeness | |
n.相像,相似(之处) | |
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8 emancipation | |
n.(从束缚、支配下)解放 | |
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9 reign | |
n.统治时期,统治,支配,盛行;v.占优势 | |
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10 bondage | |
n.奴役,束缚 | |
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11 commemorate | |
vt.纪念,庆祝 | |
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12 martial | |
adj.战争的,军事的,尚武的,威武的 | |
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13 bosoms | |
胸部( bosom的名词复数 ); 胸怀; 女衣胸部(或胸襟); 和爱护自己的人在一起的情形 | |
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14 renewal | |
adj.(契约)延期,续订,更新,复活,重来 | |
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15 fervent | |
adj.热的,热烈的,热情的 | |
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16 patriotism | |
n.爱国精神,爱国心,爱国主义 | |
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17 agitated | |
adj.被鼓动的,不安的 | |
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18 urn | |
n.(有座脚的)瓮;坟墓;骨灰瓮 | |
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19 joyous | |
adj.充满快乐的;令人高兴的 | |
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20 distresses | |
n.悲痛( distress的名词复数 );痛苦;贫困;危险 | |
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21 colonists | |
n.殖民地开拓者,移民,殖民地居民( colonist的名词复数 ) | |
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22 behold | |
v.看,注视,看到 | |
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23 arduous | |
adj.艰苦的,费力的,陡峭的 | |
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24 undertaking | |
n.保证,许诺,事业 | |
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25 enjoyment | |
n.乐趣;享有;享用 | |
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26 asylum | |
n.避难所,庇护所,避难 | |
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27 scourge | |
n.灾难,祸害;v.蹂躏 | |
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28 persecution | |
n. 迫害,烦扰 | |
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29 prospect | |
n.前景,前途;景色,视野 | |
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30 destitute | |
adj.缺乏的;穷困的 | |
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31 harassed | |
adj. 疲倦的,厌烦的 动词harass的过去式和过去分词 | |
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32 prey | |
n.被掠食者,牺牲者,掠食;v.捕食,掠夺,折磨 | |
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33 portentous | |
adj.不祥的,可怕的,装腔作势的 | |
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34 savage | |
adj.野蛮的;凶恶的,残暴的;n.未开化的人 | |
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35 incessantly | |
ad.不停地 | |
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36 assailed | |
v.攻击( assail的过去式和过去分词 );困扰;质问;毅然应对 | |
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37 almighty | |
adj.全能的,万能的;很大的,很强的 | |
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38 forsake | |
vt.遗弃,抛弃;舍弃,放弃 | |
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39 calamities | |
n.灾祸,灾难( calamity的名词复数 );不幸之事 | |
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40 fortitude | |
n.坚忍不拔;刚毅 | |
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41 labors | |
v.努力争取(for)( labor的第三人称单数 );苦干;详细分析;(指引擎)缓慢而困难地运转 | |
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42 rigors | |
严格( rigor的名词复数 ); 严酷; 严密; (由惊吓或中毒等导致的身体)僵直 | |
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43 dismal | |
adj.阴沉的,凄凉的,令人忧郁的,差劲的 | |
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44 slaughtered | |
v.屠杀,杀戮,屠宰( slaughter的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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45 slaughter | |
n.屠杀,屠宰;vt.屠杀,宰杀 | |
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46 plundered | |
掠夺,抢劫( plunder的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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47 triumphant | |
adj.胜利的,成功的;狂欢的,喜悦的 | |
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48 relentless | |
adj.残酷的,不留情的,无怜悯心的 | |
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49 alas | |
int.唉(表示悲伤、忧愁、恐惧等) | |
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50 martyr | |
n.烈士,殉难者;vt.杀害,折磨,牺牲 | |
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51 willow | |
n.柳树 | |
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52 orphan | |
n.孤儿;adj.无父母的 | |
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53 trump | |
n.王牌,法宝;v.打出王牌,吹喇叭 | |
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54 haughty | |
adj.傲慢的,高傲的 | |
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55 totters | |
v.走得或动得不稳( totter的第三人称单数 );踉跄;蹒跚;摇摇欲坠 | |
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56 wither | |
vt.使凋谢,使衰退,(用眼神气势等)使畏缩;vi.枯萎,衰退,消亡 | |
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57 fangs | |
n.(尤指狗和狼的)长而尖的牙( fang的名词复数 );(蛇的)毒牙;罐座 | |
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58 majestic | |
adj.雄伟的,壮丽的,庄严的,威严的,崇高的 | |
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59 supreme | |
adj.极度的,最重要的;至高的,最高的 | |
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60 heroism | |
n.大无畏精神,英勇 | |
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61 subjugated | |
v.征服,降伏( subjugate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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62 perpetuated | |
vt.使永存(perpetuate的过去式与过去分词形式) | |
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63 fervor | |
n.热诚;热心;炽热 | |
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64 forum | |
n.论坛,讨论会 | |
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65 effulgence | |
n.光辉 | |
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66 providence | |
n.深谋远虑,天道,天意;远见;节约;上帝 | |
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67 toils | |
网 | |
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68 fatigues | |
n.疲劳( fatigue的名词复数 );杂役;厌倦;(士兵穿的)工作服 | |
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69 piety | |
n.虔诚,虔敬 | |
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70 chimera | |
n.神话怪物;梦幻 | |
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71 vestiges | |
残余部分( vestige的名词复数 ); 遗迹; 痕迹; 毫不 | |
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72 sophomoric | |
adj.一知半解的;大学或四年制中学的二年级的 | |
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73 simplicity | |
n.简单,简易;朴素;直率,单纯 | |
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74 remarkable | |
adj.显著的,异常的,非凡的,值得注意的 | |
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75 eloquence | |
n.雄辩;口才,修辞 | |
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76 dense | |
a.密集的,稠密的,浓密的;密度大的 | |
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77 entirely | |
ad.全部地,完整地;完全地,彻底地 | |
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