and three daughters, all of whom, together with their mother, were living at his death. He had been fortunate during the latter part of his life; and, chiefly by the means of judicious purchases of lands, left his family, large as it was, not only independent, but rich. In his habits of living he was remarkably temperate and frugal. He seldom drank any thing but water; and his table was furnished in the most simple manner. His morals were strict. As a husband, a father, a master, he had no superior. He was kind and hospitable to the stranger, and most friendly and accommodating to his neighbors. He was nearly six feet high; spare, and what may be called raw-boned, with a slight stoop of the shoulders; his complexion was dark, sun-burned, and sallow, without any appearance of blood in his cheeks; his countenance grave, thoughtful and penetrating, and strongly marked with the lineaments of deep reflection: the earnestness of his manner, united with an habitual contraction or knitting of his brows, and those lines of thought with which his face was profusely furrowed, gave to his countenance, at some times, the appearance of severity. Henry was gifted with a strong and musical voice, and a most expressive countenance, and he acquired particular skill in the use of them. His style of speaking, to judge from the representations of his hearers, was altogether more successful than that of any of his cotemporaries. He could be vehement, insinuating, humorous and sarcastic by turns, and always with the utmost effect. He was a natural orator, of the highest order, combining imagination, acuteness, dexterity and ingenuity, with the most forcible action and extraordinary powers of face and utterance. As a statesman, his principal merits were sagacity and boldness. His name is brilliantly and lastingly connected with the history of his country's emancipation.
JOHN HANCOCK.
John Hancock, was born at Quincy, near Boston, and was the son and
grandson of an eminent clergyman, but, having early lost his father, was
indebted for his liberal education to his uncle, a merchant of great wealth
and respectability, who sent him to Harvard university, where he was graduated
in 1754. He was then placed in the counting-house of his benefactor,
and not long afterwards visited England, where he was present at
the coronation of George III, as little prescient as the monarch himself of
the part which he was destined to act in relation to the English government.
On the sudden demise of his uncle, in 1764, he succeeded to his large
fortune and extensive business; both of which he managed with great judgment
and munificence. As a member of the provincial legislature, he exerted
himself with zeal and resolution against the royal governor and the
British ministry, and became so obnoxious to them, in consequence, that in
the proclamation issued by general Gage, after the battle of Lexington,
and a few days before that of Bunker hill, offering pardon to the rebels, he
and Samuel Adams were especially excepted, their offenses being 'of too
flagitious a nature to admit of any other consideration than that of condign
punishment.' This circumstance gave additional celebrity to these two
patriots, between whom, however, an unfortunate dissention took place
which produced a temporary schism in the party which they headed, and
a long personal estrangement between themselves. In fact, they differed
so widely in their modes of living and general dispositions, that their con-
