natural genius could have done but little for him, had it not been for
his untiring industry.

One of his first great victories in law was that which is known as the
Dartmouth College case. The lawmakers of New Hampshire had attempted to
pass a law to alter the charter of the college. By doing this they
would endanger the usefulness and prosperity of that great school, in
order to favor the selfish projects of its enemies.

Daniel Webster undertook to defend the college. The speech which he made
before the Supreme Court of the United States was a masterly effort.

"Sir," he said, "you may destroy this little institution--it is weak, it
is in your hands. I know it is one of the lesser lights in the literary
horizon of our country. You may put it out.

"But if you do so, you must carry through your work! You must
extinguish, one after another, all those greater lights of science
which, for more than a century, have thrown their light over our land!"

He won the case; and this, more than anything else, helped to gain for
him the reputation of being the ablest lawyer in the United States.

* * * * *

XII.--WEBSTER'S GREAT ORATIONS.


In 1820, when he was thirty-eight years old, Daniel Webster was chosen
to deliver an oration at a great meeting of New Englanders at Plymouth,