it is all important point in a boy’s life when he enters college. he leaves home, in most cases, and, to a greater extent than ever before, he is trusted to order his own life and rely upon his own judgment. it is a trying ordeal, and many fail to pass through it creditably. a student who has plenty of money is in greater danger of wasting his time from the enlarged opportunities of enjoyment which money can buy. from this danger, at least, daniel was free. his father found it hard enough to pay his ordinary expenses, and it is hardly likely that the boy ever had much spare money to spend on pleasure.
besides, though only fifteen, daniel already possessed a gravity and earnestness not often to be found in much older students. these, however, were blended with a humor and love of fun which contributed to make him an agreeable companion for his fellow-students.
daniel’s development was not rapid. the oak tree grows steadily, but in rapidity of growth it is eclipsed by many trees of less importance. the great powers which our hero exhibited in after life did not at once make themselves manifest. he did not at once take his place proudly at the head of his class. this is shown by the fact that at the sophomore exhibition neither of the two principal appointments was assigned to him. notwithstanding this, it may safely be asserted that his time was well spent. in this connection i am sure my young readers will be interested in reading the testimony of professor shortliff.
“mr. webster, while in college,” writes the professor, “was remarkable for his steady habits, his intense application to study, and his punctual attendance upon all the prescribed exercises. i know not that he was absent from a recitation, or from morning and evening prayers in the chapel, or from public worship on the sabbath; and i doubt if ever a smile was seen upon his face during any religious exercise. he was always in his place, and with a decorum suited to it. he had no collision with any one, nor appeared to enter into the concerns of others, but emphatically minded his own business. but, as steady as the sun, he pursued with intense application the great object for which he came to college.”
this is certainly high praise, and i am afraid such words could hardly be said with truth of the majority of the college students of to-day. conscientious devotion to duty is often set down by college students as indicating a lack of proper spirit, and the punctilious scholar is often stigmatized as a toady, who is trying to curry favor with the faculty. daniel, however, understood very well how important to his future success was his improvement of the advantages which his father’s self-sacrifice had purchased for him. judge webster was obliged to mortgage his house and farm to meet the expenses incurred by daniel’s education, and he would indeed have been most reprehensible if he had not constantly borne this in mind.
to go into details, daniel’s favorite studies were the latin and greek classics. he was but slenderly versed in these languages when he entered college, and the college course was not as advanced as it is at dartmouth to-day. the first year, and part of the second, was devoted to authors and studies which now receive attention before entrance. for instance, the freshman class went on with the seventh book of the ?neid and with the remainder of the greek testament, arithmetic was continued, and algebra was begun. while he was not below the average in mathematics, daniel certainly did not excel in that department. it is related of charles sumner that he made strenuous efforts to become a good mathematical scholar in spite of, perhaps because of, his conscious distaste for that important branch, but without marked success. general reading and composition always attracted him, and he was probably one of the best read students at the time in college. he devoted his leisure hours to extensive readings in poetry, history and criticism. his powerful and retentive memory made this voluntary course of especial value, and years later there were times when he was able to make happy and striking quotations from authors he had not read since his college life.
it is quite certain that daniel at this time had no path marked out for his future life, yet he probably could not have made a more profitable preparation for that which actually lay before him than that which he was unconsciously making. the history of england and of his own country especially interested him, not alone the history of outward events, but the constitutional history. from the age of eight he had been familiar with the constitution of the united states, read for the first time as printed on the cheap cotton handkerchief, of which mention has already been made. he never ceased to study it, and he well deserved the title sometimes given him of expounder and defender of the constitution.
at that time, as at present, it was the custom for the students to form societies, in which debates and other literary exercises were the principal features of the periodical meetings. towards the middle of his college course daniel joined “the united fraternity,” then the leading society in college. he had long since overcome the diffidence which at exeter prevented him from participating in the exercise of declamation. in the society he became distinguished both as a writer and debater, and ere long ranked in the general estimation as the best writer and speaker in college. so far as he exhibited precocity in anything he showed it in these two branches. his method of preparation, for he always prepared himself when he proposed to speak, is described by a classmate as follows: “he was accustomed to arrange his thoughts in his mind in his room or his private walks, and to put them upon paper just before the exercise would be called for. when he was required to speak at two o’clock, he would frequently begin to write after dinner, and when the bell rang he would fold his paper, put it in his pocket and go in, and speak with great ease. in his movements he was rather slow and deliberate, except when his feelings were aroused; then his whole soul would kindle into a flame.”
as this was the formative period when young webster’s intellectual character was taking shape; as, moreover, he was still a boy in years, no older than many who will read this book, i add another tribute to his industry in college and the ability which he displayed. it is from a letter written by hon. henry hubbard to prof. sanborn.
“i entered the freshman class in 1799,” writes mr. hubbard, “at the early age of fourteen. i was two years in college with mr. webster. when i first went to hanover i found his reputation already established as the most remarkable young man in the college. he was, i believe, so decidedly beyond any one else that no other student of his class was ever spoken of as second to him. i was led, very soon, to appreciate most highly his scholarship and attainments. as a student his acquisitions seemed to me to be very extensive. every subject appeared to contribute something to his intellectual stores. he acquired knowledge with remarkable facility. he seemed to grasp the meaning and substance of a book almost by intuition. others toiled long and patiently for that which he acquired at a glance.
“as a scholar, i should say that he was then distinguished for the uncommon extent of his knowledge, and for the ease with which he acquired it. but i should say that i was more impressed by his eloquence and power as a speaker, before the society of which we were both members, than by his other qualifications, however superior to others. there was a completeness and fullness in his views, and a force and expressiveness in his manner of presenting them, which no other student possessed. we used to listen to him with the deepest interest and respect, and no one thought of equaling the vigor and glow of his eloquence. the oration which he delivered before the united fraternity on the day of his graduation is, i think, now among the records of that society. whoever will read it at this late day, and bring to mind the appearance of the author, his manner and power, during its delivery, cannot fail to admit that i have said no more of his eloquence than i was warranted in saying. the students, and those who knew him best and judged him most impartially, felt that no one connected with the college deserved to be compared with him at the time he received his first degree. his habits and moral character were entirely unimpeachable. i never heard them questioned during our college acquaintance.”
after this testimony i am certainly justified in holding up daniel webster, during his college life, as a fit model for all young men who at this day are placed in similar circumstances and pursuing a similar course.
