james otis the pre-revolutionist-第2章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


。　　In　this　respect　he　is　in　analogy　with　Patrick　Henry　who　appears　only　fitfully　in　history；　but　with　meteoric　brilliancy；　or　with　Abraham　Lincoln　the　narrative　of　whose　life　for　the　first　forty…five　years　can　be　adequately　written　in　ten　pages。

The　American　Otises　of　the　seventeenth　century　were　of　English　descent。　　The　emigration　of　the　family　from　the　mother　country　occurred　at　an　early　day　when　the　settlements　in　New　England　were　still　infrequent　and　weak。　　The　Otis　family　was　among　the　first　to　settle　at　the　town　of　Hingham。　　Nor　was　it　long　until　the　name　appeared　in　the　public　records；　indicating　official　rank　and　leadership。　　From　Hingham；　John　Otis；　who　was　born　in　1657；　ancestor　of　the　subject　of　this　sketch；　removed　to　Barnstable；　near　the　center　of　the　peninsula　of　Massachusetts；　and　became　one　of　the　first　men　of　that　settlement。　　He　was　sent　to　the　Legislature　and　thence　to　the　Council　of　the　Colony　in　which　he　had　a　seat　for　twenty…one　years。　　During　this　period　he　was　promoted　to　the　place　of　Chief　Justice　of　the　Common　Pleas；　and　while　holding　this　important　place　he　was　also　judge　of　the　Probate　Court。　　The　family　rose　and　flourished　in　reputation。

In　1702；　James　Otis；　son　of　Judge　John　Otis；　was　born。　　He　followed　in　his　father's　footsteps　becoming　a　lawyer　and　colonial　publicist；　afterwards　a　colonel　of　the　militia；　a　judge　of　the　Common　Pleas；　a　judge　of　the　Probate　Court；　and　a　member　of　the　Council　of　Massachusetts。　　Just　after　reaching　his　majority　Colonel　Otis　took　in　marriage　Mary　Alleyne；　and　of　this　union　were　born　thirteen　children。　　The　eldest　was　a　son；　and　to　him　was　given　his　father's　name。　　It　was　to　this　child　that　destiny　had　assigned　the　heroic　work　of　confronting　the　aggressions　of　Great　Britain　on　the　American　colonists；　and　of　inspiring　the　latter　to　forcible　resistance。

James　Otis；　Junior；　was　born　at　a　place　called　Great　Marshes；　now　known　as　West　Barnstable；　on　the　5th　of　February；　1725。　　He　inherited　from　his　father　and　grandfather　not　only　a　large　measure　of　talents　but　also　a　passion　for　public　life　which　impelled　him　strongly　to　the　study　and　solution　of　those　questions　which　related　to　the　welfare　of　the　American　colonies；　and　to　the　means　by　which　their　political　independence　might　be　ultimately　secured。

The　character　and　intellect　of　Colonel　Otis　of　Barnstable　were　transmitted　to　other　members　of　his　family　also。　　The　daughter　Mercy；　oldest　sister　of　James　Otis；　was　married　to　James　Warren　who　made　his　home　at　Plymouth。　　This　lady　had　her　brother's　passion　for　politicsan　enthusiasm　which　could　hardly　be　restrained。　　She　wrote　and　conversed　in　a　fiery　manner　on　the　revolutionary　topics　of　the　day。　　Almost　coincidently　with　the　Battle　of　Bunker　Hill　she　composed　and　published　（without　her　name；　however；）　a　biting　satire　on　the　colonial　policy　of　Great　Britain；　calling　her　brochure　〃The　Group。〃　　Fifteen　years　afterwards　she　published　a　volume　of　poems；　mostly　patriotic　pieces；　and　finally　in　1805　a　brief　〃History　of　the　American　Revolution；〃　which　was　considered　a　reputable　work　after　its　kind。

Samuel　Alleyne　Otis；　youngest　brother　of　James；　outlived　nearly　all　the　other　members　of　the　family；　and　was　recognized　as　a　prominent　political　leader。　　He；　also；　had　the　strong　patriotic　and　revolutionary　bent　of　the　family；　was　popular　and　influential；　and　was　honored　with　a　long　term　of　service　as　Secretary　of　the　Senate　of　the　United　States。　　In　this　capacity　he　participated；　April　30；　1789；　in　the　inauguration　of　Washington；　holding　the　Bible　on　which　the　Father　of　his　Country　took　the　oath　of　office。　　The　other　brothers　and　sisters　were　of　less　conspicuous　ability；　and　were　not　so　well　known　to　their　own　and　other　times。

In　New　England　in　the　first　half　of　the　eighteenth　century　the　sentiment　of　education　was　universal。　　Among　the　leading　people；　the　sentiment　was　intense。　　Colonel　Otis；　of　Barnstable；　was　alert　with　respect　to　the　discipline　and　development　of　his　children。　　He　gave　to　them　all；　to　the　sons　especially；　the　best　advantages　which　the　commonwealth　afforded。　　James　Otis　was　assigned　to　the　care　of　Reverend　Jonathan　Russell；　the　minister　at　Barnstable；　who　prepared　the　youth　for　college。　　By　the　middle　of　his　fifteenth　year　he　was　thought　to　be　ready　for　matriculation。　　He　was　accordingly　entered　as　a　freshman　at　Harvard；　in　June；　1739。

Of　the　incidents　of　his　preceding　boyhood；　we　know　but　little。　　A　tradition　exists　that　he　was　more　precocious　than　diligent；　that　his　will　was　strong；　that　his　activities　were　marked　with　a　reckless　audacity；　which；　however；　did　not　distinguish　him　much　from　the　other　promising　New　England　boys　of　his　age。　　Something　of　these　characteristics　are　noticeable　in　his　college　career。　　At　Harvard　he　showed　an　abundance　of　youthful　spirits；　a　strong　social　disposition；　and　a　well…marked　discrimination　between　his　friends　and　his　enemies。　　At　times　he　applied　himself　assiduously；　and　at　other　times　mused　and　read　rather　than　studied。　　On　the　whole　he　did　not　greatly　distinguish　himself　as　a　student。　　His　passion　for　literature　was　marked；　and　he　became　conspicuous　for　his　forensic　abilities。　　Towards　the　end　of　his　course；　his　character　as　a　student　was　intensified；　and　he　was　not　often　seen　away　from　his　books。　　Out　of　term　time；　he　would　return　to　his　father's　home　taking　his　books　with　him。　　At　such　times　he　was　rarely　seen　by　his　former　companions　of　Barnstable；　because　of　his　habit　of　secluding　himself　for　study。

It　is　narrated　that　at　this　period　of　his　life；　young　Otis　gave　strong　evidence　of　the　excitable　temperament　with　which　he　was　endowed。　　In　the　intervals　of　his　study　his　nervous　system；　under　the　stimulus　of　games　or　controversial　dispute；　would　become　so　tense　with　excitement　as　to　provoke　remark。　　Nor　may　we　in　the　retrospect　fail　to　discover　in　this　quality　of　mind　and　temper　the　premonitions　of　that　malady　which　finally　prevailed　over　the　lucid　understanding；　and　rational　activities　of　James　Otis。

The　youth　did　not　much　effect　social　accomplishments。　　He　had　a　passion　for　music　and　learned　to　play　the　violin。　　With　this　instrument　he　was　wont　to　entertain　himself　in　the　intervals　of　study。　　Sometimes　he　would　play　for　company。　　It　was　one　of　his　habits　to　break　off　suddenly　and　rather　capriciously　in　the　midst　of　what　he　was　doing。　　Thus　did　he　with　his　music。　　It　is　narrated　that　on　a　certain　occasion　while　playing　by　invitation　for　some　friends；　he　suddenly　put　aside　the　instrument；　saying　in　a　sort　of　declamatory　manner　as　was　his　wont　

〃So　fiddled　Orpheus　and　so　danced　the　brutes。〃

He　then　ran　into　the　garden；　and　could　not　be　induced　to　play　the　violin　again。

Young　Otis　passed　through　the　regular　classes　at　Harvard　and　was　graduated　in　1743。　　On　that　occasion　he　took　part　in　a　disputation　which　was　one　of　the　exercises　of　his　class。　　Otherwise　his　record　at　the　college　is　not　accented　with　any　special　work　which　he　did。　　At　the　time　of　his　graduation　he　was　in　his　nineteenth　year。　　It　had　been　his　father's　purpose　and　his　own　that　his　profession　should　be　the　law。　　It　does　not　appear；　however；　that　his　college　studies　were　especially　directed　to　this　end。　　At　any　rate；　he　did　not　devote　himself　at　once　to　the　law；　but　assiduously　for　two　years　（1743…45）　to　a　general　course　of　study　chosen　and　directed　by　himself　with　a　view　to　the　further　discipline　of　his　mind　and　the　widening　of　his　information。　　It　was　an　educational　theory　with　Otis　that　such　an　interval　of　personal　and　spontaneous　application　should　intervene　between　a　young　man's　graduation　and　the　beginning　of　his　professional　career。　　Having　pursued　this　course　with　himself　he　insisted　that　his　younger　brother；　Samuel　Alleyne　Otis；　should　take　the　same　course。　　In　one　of　his　letters　to　his　fathera　communication　fortunately　rescued　from　the　holocaust　of　his　correspondencehe　discusses　the　question　and　urges　the　propriety　of　the　young　man's　devoting　a　year　or　two　to　general　study　before　taking　up　his　law　books。　　An　extract　from　the　letter　will　prove　of　interest。　　The　writer　says：　　〃It　is　with　sincerest　pleasure　I　find　my　brother　Samuel　has　well　employed　his　time　during　his　residence　at　home。　　I　am　sure　you　don't　think　the　time　long　he　is　s