PATRICK    HENRY.  311

arose,  whom  they  were  all  eager  to  see  as  well  as  to  hear,
or  when  some  masterstroke  of  eloquence  shot  thrilling  along
their  nerves,  and  extorted  an  involuntary  and  inarticulate
murmur.  Day  after  day  was  this  banquet  of  the  mind  and
of  tiie  heart  spread  before  them,  with  a  delicacy  and  variety
wh  ch  could  never  cloy.  There  every  taste  might  find  its
peculiar  gratifications — the  man  of  wit — the  man  of  feeling
— the  critic — the  philosopher — the  historian — the  metaphy-
sician— the  lover  of  logic — the  admirer  of  rhetoric — every
man  who  had  an  eye  for  the  beauty  of  action,  or  an  ear  for
the  harmony  of  sound,  or  a  soul  for  the  charms  of  poetic
fancy — in  short,  every  one  who  could  see,  or  hear,  or  feel,  or
imderstand,  might  find  in  the  wanton  profusion  and  prodi
gality  of  that  attic  feast,  some  delicacy  adapted  to  his  peculiar
taste.  Every  mode  of  attack  and  of  defence,  of  which  the
human  mind  is  capable,  in  decorous  debate — every  species
of  weapon  and  armour,  offensive  and  defensive,  that  could  be
used  with  advantage,  from  the  Roman  javelin  to  the  Par
thian  arrow,  from  the  cloud  of  vEneas  to  the  shield  of
Achilles — all  that  could  be  accomplished  by  human  strength,
and  almost  more  than  human  activity,  was  seen  exhibited  on
that  celebrated  floor.  "  Nor  did  the  debate  become  oppres-
sive by  its  unvarying  formality.  The  stateliness  and  stern-
ness of  extended  argument  were  frequently  relieved  by  quick
and  animated  dialogue.  Sometimes  the  conversation  would
become  familiar  and  friendly.  The  combatants  themselves
would  seem  pleased  with  this  relief;  forget  that  they  were
enemies,  and  by  a  sort  of  informal  truce  put  off  their  armour,
and  sit  down  amicably  together  to  repose,  as  it  were,  in  the
shade  of  the  same  tree.  By  this  agreeable  intermixture  of
colloquial  sprightliness  and  brilliancy  with  profoimd,  and
learned,    and   vigorous   argument — of  social    courtesy  with


312  wirt's  life  of

heroic  gallantry,  tlie  audience,  far  from  being  fatigued  with
the  discussion,  looked  with  regret  to  the  hour  of  adjournment.
