3700. HENRY (Patrick), Early manhood.—
You ask some account of Mr. Henry's
mind, information and manners in 1759-60,
when I first became acquainted with him. We
met at Nathan Dandridges, in Hanover, about
the Christmas of that winter, and passed perhaps
a fortnight together at the revelries of the
neighborhood and season. His manners had
something of the coarseness of the society he
had frequented; his passion was fiddling, dancing
and pleasantry. He excelled in the last
and it attached every one to him. The occasion
perhaps, as much as his idle disposition,
prevented his engaging in any conversation
which might give the measure either of his
mind or information. Opportunity was not
wanting, because Mr. John Campbell was there,
who had married Mrs. Spotswood, the sister
of Colonel Dandridge. He was a man of
science, and often introduced conversations on
scientific subjects. Mr. Henry had a little before
broke up his store, or rather it had broken
him up and within three months after he came
to Williamsburg for his license, and told me, I
think, he had read law not more than six
weeks.—
To William Wirt. Washington ed. vi, 487.
Ford ed., ix, 475.
(M.
1815)
