THE 053525 ASTOR, LENOX D TILDEN FOUNDATIC.3. 1913 L COPYRIGHT, 1889, BY LEACH, SHEWELL, & SANBORN. MEM AOKK C. J. PETERS & SON, 145 HIGH STREET, BOSTON. PREFACE. LITTLE great literary work, worthy of both critical study and contemplative thought, and at the same time closely associated with American History, has been treated with greater neglect than that of the American orators of the first half of the present century. For sound matter and good form, as an incentive to noble endeavor or as a model of noble art, the writings of Daniel Webster are especially remunerative. No wonder Thorwaldsen, the sculptor, seeing for the first time Hiram Powers's sketch of the head of the great American orator, exclaimed, "Ah! a design for Jupiter!" American orator, exclaimed, It is to be hoped, for the sake of future American citizens, that the uniform courses, now required for entrance to many of our colleges will continue to include the orations of our statesmen until it will be impossible to on until it wil find a youth, trained in our High Schools and Academies, unfamiliar with the best speeches of our best · speakers. WELLESLEY COLLEGE, May 22, 1889. L. M. H. |