Daniel Webster, of Massachusetts, of the United States Senate [pp. 759-760]

SOUTHERN LITERARY MESSENGER.
The marriage was celebrated with pomp and splendor; Hussein very wisely waving further experiments
as to Agib's abilities for trade, for the present. He
lived very happily with Zarah, and as he increased in
years, grew also in wealth and gravity of deportmient.
So accurate was his judgment, and so imposing his
air, that he was known throughout the city as "the
wvise merchant Agib." This solemn importance was
never known to desert him except on one occasion,
when a rich Persian Emir chanced to pass the bazaar,
and to stop to examine some rich stuff which his attendants applauded to the skies. At the sight of the
Persian, the gravity of Agib entirely forsook him, he
turned quite pale, a sudden nimbleness took possession
of his heels, and he fled precipitately to his own house,
leaving his goods to the Emir and his people. These,
with a few oriental maledictions on the departed owner,
rolled up for themselves the quantity of stuff which
their necessities required, and laying down a sum which
they considered its value, departed. With this exception, the merchant's peace was uninterrupted-he lived
and traded with respect and success, and when, after
the lapse of many years, he was transferred from the
bazaar to the cemetery, the reputation of their sire was
esteemed not the least valuable portion of his sons'
rich inheritance. Of the Fairy of the Desert nothing
more can be related, but it may fairly be inferred, that
her reign continues in the oasis; as she is an immortal,
and had the prudence not to dispute the sway of Solomon. For to this day the Genii and Fairies of the
East obey the destinies incurred by their conduct in the
WVise Man's reign.
DANIEL WEBSTER
Of Massachusetts, of the United States Senate.
There are few names more conspicuous in the political history of the day than that which heads this
article. Pursuant to the intimation which I have given
to the Editor of the Messenger, I will carefully abstain
(in the portraiture which I shall attempt to make of
this distinguished individual), from every observation
of a political or partisan character.
The person of Mr. Webster is short, large, heavy
and unwieldy; in movement he is slow and apparently inactive. He dresses plainly, in dark colors, with
neatness and taste, but without any attempt whatever
at display. His countenance is very remarkable, his
complexion saturnine, his eyes and hair of a deep
black. His lips are thin, his teeth of dazzling whiteness. His forehead is very peculiar, of most uncommon magnitude, his brows heavy and lowering. The
moment that your eyes rest upon him, you conclude
that he is a man of great mind, and conscious of intellectual superiority. His features are not well calculated to give powerful expression to passion. You
will often observe, when he is animated, a sneer upon
his face, which accompanies every remark which proceeds from himi of particular force or severity. Although most studiously urbane in his deportment, and
from education and disposition averse to giving pain,
yet, when justified in such a course by the conduct of
his opponents, he is capable of wielding withl readiness a sword of sarcasm and satire which cuts with the
keenness of the scimitar of the East. Mr. Webster
is distinguished for solidity, strength, and power of
reasoning. His usual manner is cold and didactic,
frequently, however, extremely earnest, and always
when earnest most powerfully eloquent. Although
trained to the severe mental discipline of the bar, he
is fond of ornament, and is always successful when he
attempts it. He possesses a fine imagination, and is
never averse, whilst traversing the thorny paths of
political disputation, to scatter the flowers of rhetorical
elegance around him. He often displays a familiar
acquaintance with the poets. He is a practised and
fluent speaker, anid ready in debate. His views of a
subject are always liberal and enlarged, and he enjoys the advantage of a fund of knowledge of the
most extensive character, which his well-trained mind
enables him to apply with peculiar advantage in debate. The North seldom furnishes a passionate declaimer. The temperature of man generally partakes
of the nature of the clime in which he is reared. The
coldness of his home reigns throughout the manner and
appearance of Mr. Webster. He never thunders withli
the wild vehemence of Mr. Clay, nor burns with the
continuous warmth of Preston or Calhoun. He wants
the passion and enthusiasm which is necessary to eloquence of the most overpowering and exciting character. Yet he is an orator of great excellence, and a
most efficient speaker. His manner suits his matter,
and he displays as much fervor as you would deem in
appropriate keeping with the soberness and deep study
which characterize all his remarks. You always listen to him with attention, and when he concludes you
invariably rise from hearing him with a firm conviction of his greatness as a man, and that your time has
been profitably employed whilst you heard him. His
habits must be those of great industry, and whilst at
Washington, his time, in public, is divided between
the senate chamber and the bar of the supreme court.
In the latter forum his powers have frequently been
tasked, and tested, by collision with minds of the highest order and most extended attainments. Therewhere his greatest laurels have been won-his competitors have been such men as Taney, Pinckney, Jones,
Emmet, Wirt and others. His orations upon occasional subjects, unconnected with politics or the law,
have added greatly to his reputation-and are preserved and held forth to the public as models of literary
excellence. His power in debate has been frequently
brought into requisition in the House of Representatives, and in the Senate of the United States. The
writer of this had an opportunity frequently to hear
him during what was called the panic session, and also
to witness the whole of that intellectual combat, which
took place between Mr. Webster and Mr. Hayne,
upon Mr. Foote's celebrated resolution. I well recollect the expression of unmitigated scorn which crossed
the lips of this Senator when Mr. Hayne intimated
that he had passed by Mr. Betnton, to attack him, and
that Mr. Benton was an over-match for him.
" Matches and over matches! Those terms are more applicable elsewhere than here, and fitter for other assemblages
than this. Sir! the gentleman seems to forget where, and
what, we are. This is a Senate; a Senate of equals-of men
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