of things to the mother country. Since the vast majority of his writings, however, had these practical objects, it is fair to judge and place him by them. The distinguished English critic, Matthew Arnold, said to New England audiences as late as 1884, that Franklin and Emerson are "the most distinctively and honourably American of your writers; they are the most original and the most valuable."

THE ORATORS

It has been noted that oratory was one of the chief literary forms of the Revolution. The fact is not surprising. "Times that try men's souls" are likely to find expression by word of mouth. Moreover, the colonists were deeply interested in the literature produced in Parliament, and naturally gave more time and thought to the speeches of Burke and Fox than to the writings of Goldsmith and Johnson. The stately and measured style of the orators of this period clearly shows that they followed English models. Massachusetts and Virginia held the leadership in this field. The conspicuous names in Massachusetts are James Otis, Samuel and John Adams, Dr. Joseph Warren, John Hancock, and Josiah Quincy. Of these Otis was the first in time, the most striking figure, and may be taken as typical of the New Englanders.

James Otis (1725-1783). Otis's part in the development of the spirit of American independence covers a short time, but is of great importance. Though we can hardly say, with John Adams, that "American independence was born" when Otis delivered his most famous speech, we must admit that both his example and his words carried great weight with the people, not only of Massachusetts, but of all the colonies. Otis was a Harvard graduate, who studied law and began to practice in Plymouth. At the age of

twenty-five he moved to Boston, and immediately took a high place in his profession. He became Advocate-General of the Crown, but resigned in 1761 because he would not defend the writs of assistance-a duty belonging to the office. He was thereupon chosen to assist in the attack on

other individual against whom he might have a grievance or even a grudge. The fragment of Otis's speech left to us contains one clause that has passed into a proverb: "A man's house is his castle." The legal argument is convincing, the character of the man is attractive, the English is that of a cultured Massachusetts gentleman. If we fail to be daz

zled by the "flame of fire" (Adams's phrase describing Otis before the Court), we must recall that all oratory loses when committed to ink and paper, and that in this instance we have the additional difficulty of judging a five-hour speech by a ten-minute fragment.

Of Southern orators the most distinguished were John Rutledge and Chief Justice Drayton, of South Carolina, and Edmund Randolph, Richard Henry Lee, and Patrick Henry, of Virginia. Of these Patrick Henry was easily the greatest, considered strictly as an orator.

Patrick Henry (1736-1799). - Henry received a meager education, and failed at farming and "store keeping." At

ST. JOHN'S CHURCH, RICHMOND. Where Henry delivered his famous speech before the Virginia Convention. The church was built in 1740, and some tombstones in the yard date back to 1751.

the age of twenty-four he studied law for a short time, and was admitted to the bar on the understanding with the examiners that he would shortly "learn some essential points." He soon attained success and popularity as a lawyer, and in 1765 was elected to the House of Burgesses. During his first year in that body he became conspicuous by a speech

The Henry pew (just forward of the window on the left) is marked by a brass plate placed by the Old Dominion Chapter of the Daughters of the Revolution in 1910.

against the Stamp Act, which concludes with the familiar "Cæsar had his Brutus " passage. Ten years later, in the Virginia convention, held in old St. John's Church, Richmond, he delivered what was probably his greatest speech, reaching its climax in the sentiment not by any means general at the time: "I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty, or give me death!"

This speech has been called Henry's individual declara tion of war. It resulted in the unanimous adoption of reso lutions he offered, and in his appointment as chairman of the committee to provide means of defense for the colony. Other honors conferred upon him were several terms in the legislature and five as governor. He declined a sixth term as governor, election to the United States Senate, a place in Washington's Cabinet, the chief-justiceship of the Supreme Court, and appointment by John Adams as minister to France. The last five years of his life were spent in retirement.

Thomas Paine (1737-1809). With the orators should be classified the political pamphleteers, of whom the most influential during the Revolution was Thomas Paine, an Englishman and a Quaker, who, after a checkered career at home, landed in Philadelphia on the eve of the war, November 30, 1774. He brought letters of introduction from Franklin, and rapidly made friends.

In less than thirteen months after his arrival he published anonymously Common Sense, a vigorous presentation of the American cause, which is credited by some with large influence on the Declaration of Independence six months. afterwards. "A government of our own is our natural right," wrote Paine. "I challenge the warmest advocate for reconciliation to show a single advantage that this continent can reap by being connected with Great Britain." "Since nothing but blows will do, for God's sake let us come to a final separation." Though comparatively few colonial leaders had been prepared a year earlier to follow Henry to "liberty or death," Paine's pamphlet roused the rank and file of the people from Massachusetts to Georgia. Within three months a number of editions, amounting to over 100,000 copies, had been printed and circulated in America. "A wonderful production"- "a masterly, irresistible per