CHAPTER II.

Birth and parentage-Death of his father-Its probable influence upon his after history-Significance of the incident of "the mill-boy of the Slashes"-His schooling-A foolish opinion, that genius does not need education-What education means-Whether HENRY CLAY, in this sense, was educated-He enters Mr. Denny's store-Obtains a situation in the clerk's office, at Richmond-Attracts the attention of Chancellor WytheStudies law with Attorney-General Brooke-Is admitted to the barResult of the influence upon him of such men as Wythe and Brooke-He engages in a rhetorical society-Inquiry, whether greatness is the offspring of circumstances-CLAY moves to Kentucky.

VIRGINIA, if asked, like the Roman matron, to display her jewels, could point, with an equal maternal pride, to her manyillustrious sons. It is not her least occasion for boasting that she gave birth to HENRY CLAY.

The future statesman was born April 12th, 1777, in Hanover County, in a neighborhood called the Slashes. His parentage may be denominated humble. His father was a Baptist clergyman, deriving from his salary, doubtless, but a bare subsistence for a somewhat numerous family. Of the incidents of his earliest years, we have no record of any kind. It would not be difficult to draw an imaginary picture, which we might safely pronounce true in some of its features. We have no reason, and no occasion to suppose that his infancy was distinguished by any thing unusual. It is a fertile fancy, which goes back to the cradle, to find indications of the coming greatness.

Yet, we are not to disregard the providences, which direct our course of life, even from its outset. Events which seem the merest accidents, often hold in their keeping our whole subsequent history.

The death of HENRY CLAY's father, while the son was yet but four years of age, may have been to him such an event. The

burden of so young a family, thrown upon the mother, would cause her to rear her children with a view to their self-dependence, and prompt her to seek for them, as early as possible, situations in which they might make their own subsistence.

In fact, one of the earliest known incidents of HENRY CLAY'S life, the source of no small enthusiasm, and of a name which became the rallying cry of more than one political contest—the story of the mill-boy of the Slashes-indicates that we are to look thus far back, if we would penetrate to the hidden springs of his mighty self-reliance.

The frequent pilgrimages to "Mrs. Darricott's mill, upon Pamunkey River," by the awkward lad astride of the meal-bag, upon the pony, guided by its rope bridle, probably indicated to the neighbors nothing more than filial faithfulness; yet, all that time, though unconsciously even to himself, the seeds were sowing, the ripened harvest of which was gathering in when he took his seat, as presiding officer, in the legislative halls of his country; when further on, his tones commanded respect on that floor, where to be accorded, it is necessary, in a measure, to be commanded; and when, most of all, his words, now of entreaty, now of warning, and anon, as if of command, were heard pleading, first with the South, and again with the North, until both laid by their anger, appeased by the magic of his earnestness and his eloquence.

It may seem fanciful to some, to go thus far back for "the hidings of his power." But let it be considered, that we take the incident, not so much for what it is in itself as for the evidence which it gives, of an early, manly grapple with real labor, and real difficulties. We discern in it the beginning of a habit and what significance does not that word convey-a habit of self-dependence, ready to ripen into every fruit of excellence. To magnify too highly the effect of such early influences is hardly possible.

Viewed in this light, we venture the assertion, that there was a deeper reason for selecting the incident of the mill-boy of the Slashes, to construct from it a name for the nation's idol, than

was comprehended by the thousands who made it their rallying shout.

Of school instruction, HENRY CLAY, apparently, received scarcely any thing. Mention is made of three years' tuition in a log school-house, under the care of Peter Deacon, a convivial Englishman. His whole curriculum, as they say in universities, amounted only to reading, writing, and "arithmetic, as far as Practice." Our fathers had not then bestirred themselves in the matter of common schools. But, had the advantages of the period been ten-fold what they were, there is occasion to doubt whether, in the destitute condition of his mother, HENRY CLAY would have been able greatly to avail himself of them. He at least, we may believe, would not have been in the way of becoming what is termed, "an elegant classic." We never can be brought to depreciate the advantages of a thorough education, but all honor, we say, to the man who, despite of the want of it, can make his way to "the high places of the earth."

A foolish opinion is extensively prevalent, that greatness does not need, or that it disdains, the usual toilsome course to excellence. Indolent school-boys and dissipated college lads are prone to quote the example of HENRY CLAY, of Patrick Henry, and of Daniel Webster even, to justify their idleness, and to prove, by a curious process of logic, that they are thus giving indications of genius. The great men, whose names they are guilty of thus taking in vain, would be the last to give their voices in confirmation of such a conclusion. The silly error has grown out of a misapprehension of what is implied in the term education. It is generally thought to mean an infusing into the mind of a certain amount of information, classical, mathematical, technical, or historical.

But, to think thus, is to confound the end with the means. Every kind of information existent may have a tendency to educate, but of itself, can not constitute the work. That man is educated who, by whatever means, has made his powers available, and he is best educated, who can make his talents effective to their highest extent.

Now it is usually thought, and doubtless wisely, that a severe