Anecdotes of public men; by John W. Forney.

212 ANECDOTES OF PUBLIC MEN.
Of middle height, compactly made, with a full, round chest; his
forehead high and broad, eyes black, mouth large, and filled
with the finest teeth, he is frequently seen on the streets, almost as elect and graceful as when he thrilled our court-rooms
and was followed by crowds of admirers. Mr. Brown was always rather an exquisite in his dress, and to this day his blue
coat and brass buttons, buff vest and light pantaloons, gloved
hands, neat boots, and rather rakish hat, prove the youthfulness
of his tastes and the gayety of his disposition. He is;perhaps,
too fond of dress; but he defends his peculiarity by saying' that he had never known a man to speak well in clumsy boots,
nor to have a clear mind with dirty hands and face; that he
had known many a fop that was not a fool, and many a sloven
that was not a Solomon." "A becoming decency of exterior,"
he says, "may not be necessary for ourselves, but is agreeable
to others; and while it may render a fool more contemptible,
it serves to embellish inherent worth. It is like the polish of
the diamond, taking something, perhaps, from its weight, but
adding much to its brilliancy and attraction."
Another peculiarity of David Paul Brown is his disregard of
money. He has often been heard to say that he never was so
rich and happy as in his early youth; for then, in the language
of Socrates, he wanted least, and therefore approached nearer
to the gods, who wanted nothing. He is not extravagant in the
mere pleasures of the world. - His attire is rich, but his habits
simple and abstemious. To these he attributes his entire freedom from pain and diseases of every sort. Money has no value
in his eyes. Its receipt gives him no pleasure-its expenditure
no annoyance. From his early manhood to the present, though
his professional income has exceeded a quarter of a million, the
same indifference, the same recklessness, in regard to wealth,
has marked his career. A characteristic anecdote is.told in
this connection. He studied law with the late William Rawle,
a lawyer of universal celebrity, whose writings and example are