ezekiel was worthy of the sacrifices his parents made for him. if he was not the equal of daniel in ability, he was still remarkable, and in time reached high rank as a lawyer in his native state. he was a man grown, and nearly a man in years, when his new plan of life was formed. he was close upon twenty years of age, a young man of striking appearance, “an improved edition of his father in form and features,” but thus far he had had only such educational advantages as were afforded by the common schools of his native town. but a small academy had been established in salisbury, and of this he enrolled himself as a pupil. he remained here for two years, beginning the latin grammar, for it was necessary, notwithstanding his age, to begin at the lowest round of the ladder.
from the academy he went to reside with dr. wood, and under him completed his preparatory studies. the good minister was justly proud of having trained two such pupils as daniel and ezekiel webster.
between the two brothers the natural relations of older and younger seemed to be reversed. ezekiel looked up to daniel, though the latter was two years his junior, and asked his advice, but daniel never assumed the superiority which his elder brother was so ready to concede. here is an extract from one of his letters: “you tell me that you have difficulties to encounter which i know nothing of. what do you mean, ezekiel? do you mean to flatter? that don’t become you; or, do you think you are inferior to me in natural advantages? if so, be assured you greatly mistake. therefore, for the future say in your letters to me, ‘i am superior to you in natural endowments; i will know more in one year than you do now, and more in six than you ever will.’ i should not resent this language. i should be very well pleased in hearing it; but be assured, as mighty as you are your great puissance shall never insure you a victory without a contest.”
it will be seen how warm and free from jealousy were the relations between these two brothers. the spectacle is particularly pleasing because in so many families we find the case so different. alienation, jealousy and strife are too often found. when brothers band together, cherishing a community of plans and interests, as in the case of the well-known publishers, the harper brothers, their chance of a large and enduring success is much greater than it would be if all pulled in different directions.
ezekiel entered college just as daniel, his younger brother, was leaving it. as he was destined to be associated with daniel afterwards, my young readers may like to know how he succeeded in college. i quote, from the private correspondence of daniel webster, a letter written by rev. george t. chapman touching this point:
“all my recollections of ezekiel webster are of a gratifying character. in the senior year we occupied rooms opposite to each other, in a building directly north of the college. i am therefore able to state, from intimate personal acquaintance, that he was altogether exemplary in his habits and faithful in his studies. he had no enemies, and all were happy to be numbered in the list of his friends.
“owing to his absence in teaching school, no part was assigned him at commencement. but i have no doubt he stood high in the estimation of the college faculty; and although i should hesitate to pronounce him the first scholar in his class, it would be doing injustice to his memory to say that he was excelled by either of those who received the highest college honors on the day of our graduation. it has been recently stated that he was particularly distinguished for his knowledge of greek; but i cannot now recall the circumstance to mind, nor, in fact, make any discrimination as to relative proficiency in the several branches of study. he was deficient in none. he was good in all. such at least is my recollection of the reputation he enjoyed. after leaving college, from all that i have heard, he obtained a greater degree of eminence in the eye of the public than any of his classmates; and when i revert to college days, after the lapse of almost half a century, all my recollections of what he then was cause me to feel no surprise at the subsequent elevation which he attained.”
i think i am justified in saying that ezekiel was worthy of his relationship to daniel, though he was overshadowed by the more brilliant talents and success of his younger brother. it is to be considered, however, that he was cut off in the midst of his career, before he had attained the age of fifty, and we cannot tell what might have been had he lived twenty years longer.
but we must not forget that it is the life and the gradual development of daniel’s powers that we are studying. my young readers will probably be surprised to learn that in college he was known as a poet, and appears to have written verse on many occasions with considerable facility. that he would ever have achieved eminence in this class of composition no one will claim, but as the productions of such a youth his verses merit notice. that my readers may judge for themselves, i will quote entire a letter in rhyme written by daniel a little before he attained the age of seventeen. it was addressed to his friend, george herbert:
“dartmouth college, dec. 20, 1798.
“dear george, i go. i leave the friend i love.
long since ’twas written in the books above.
but what, good god! i leave thee, do i say?
the thought distracts my soul, and fills me with dismay.
but heaven decreed it, let me not repine;
i go; but, george, my heart is knit with thine.
in vain old time shall all his forces prove
to tear my heart from the dear friend i love;
should you be distant far as afric’s sand,
by fancy pictured, you’d be near at hand.
this shall console my thoughts till time shall end:
though george be absent, george is still my friend.
but other friends i leave; it wounds my heart
to leave a gilman, conkey and a clark;
but hope through the sad thought my soul shall bear:
bereft of hope i’d sink in dark despair.
when ph?bus a few courses shall have run,
and e’er old aries shall receive the sun,
i shall return, nor more shall fear the day
that from my friends shall take poor me away.
oh then roll on, ye lagging wheels of time,
roll on the hours; till then, dear george, i’m thine.
“d. w.”
verse-writing was but an episode, an occasional diversion, with daniel, and when he entered upon his professional life he found little time to devote to it. i will therefore cite but one other specimen of his college productions in this line. it was written shortly after his eighteenth birthday, and was appended to a letter written to his intimate friend, mr. bingham.
it runs thus:
“sylvarumque potens diana. a fable.
“bright ph?bus long all rival suns outshone,
and rode triumphant on his splendid throne.
when first he waked the blushes of the dawn,
and spread his beauties o’er the flowery lawn,
the yielding stars quick hastened from the sky,
nor moon dare longer with his glories vie;
he reigned supreme, and decked in roseate light
beamed his full splendors on the astonished sight.
at length on earth behold a damsel rise,
whose growing beauties charmed the wondering skies!
as forth she walked to breathe the balmy air,
and view the beauties of the gay parterre,
her radiant glories drowned the blaze of day,
and through all nature shot a brighter ray.
old ph?bus saw—and blushed—now forced to own
that with superior worth the damsel shone.
graced with his name he bade her ever shine,
and in his rival owned a form divine!”
one trait of the young college student i must refer to, because young men at that stage in their mental training are too apt to be marked by a self-sufficient and not altogether agreeable opinion of their own powers. notwithstanding his great abilities daniel was always modest, and disposed to under rather than overestimate himself. shortly after his graduation he took occasion to express himself thus, in speaking to some friends:
“the opinion of my scholarship was a mistaken one. it was overestimated. i will explain what i mean. many other students read more than i did, and knew more than i did. but so much as i read i made my own. when a half hour, or an hour at most, had elapsed, i closed my book and thought over what i had read. if there was anything peculiarly interesting or striking in the passage i endeavored to recall it and lay it up in my memory, and commonly could effect my object. then if, in debate or conversation afterwards, any subject came up on which i had read something, i could talk very easily so far as i had read, and then i was very careful to stop. thus greater credit was given me for extensive and accurate knowledge than i really possessed.”
it may be remarked generally that men of great abilities are more likely to be modest than third-rate men, who are very much afraid that they will not be rated as high as they should be. there are indeed exceptions, and those of a conspicuous character. the poet wordsworth had a comfortable consciousness of his superiority to his contemporaries, and on one occasion, when he was asked if he had read the poems of such a one (a prominent poet), he answered, “i never read any poetry except my own.”
it is a safe rule to let the world pronounce you great before you call attention to your own greatness.
