Sketches of the Life and Character of Patrick Henry

The reader has a right to know what degree of credit is due to the following narrative ; and it is the object of this preface to give him that satisfaction. It was in the summer of 1805 that the design of writing this biography was first conceived. It was produced by an incident of feeling, which, however it affected the author at the time, might now be thought light and trival by the reader and he shall not, therefore, be detained by the recital of it. The author knew nothing of Mr. Henry, personally. He had never seen him ; and was of course compelled to rely wholly on the information of others. As soon, therefore, as the design was formed of writing his life, aware of the necessity of losing no time in collecting, from the few remaining coevals of Mr. Henry, that personal knowledge of the subject which might ere long be expected to die with them, the author despatched letters to every quarter of the state in which it occurred to him as probable that interesting matter might be found ; and he was gratified by the prompt attention which was paid to his inquiries. -- Preface.