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Show CHAP. V. "BRIGHAM." 239 The Prophet's dress was neat and plain as a Quaker's, all gray homespun except the cravat and waistcoat. His coat was of antique cut, and, like the pantaloons, baggy, and the buttons were black. A neck-tie of dark silk, with a large bow, was loosely passed round a starchless collar, which turned down of its own accord. The waistcoat was of black satin-once an article of almost national dress-single-breasted, and buttoned nearly to the. neck, and a plain gold chain was passed into the pocket. The boots were Wellingtons, apparently of American make. Altogether the Prophet's appearance was that of a gentleman farmer in New England-in fact, such as he is: his father was an agriculturist and revolutionary soldier, who settled "down East." He is a well-preserved man ;,a fact which some attribute to his.habit of sleeping, as the Citizen Proudhon so strongly advises, in solitude. His manner is at once affable and impressive, simple and courteous: his want of pretension contrasts favorably with certain pseudo-prophets that I have seen, each and every of whom holds himself to be a "Logos" without other claim save a semi-maniacal self-esteem. He shows no signs of dogmatism, bigotry, or fanaticism, and never once entered-with me at least -upon the subject of religion. He impresses a stranger with a certain sense of power; his followers are, of course, wholly fascinated by his superior strength of brain. It is commonly said. there is only one chief in Great Salt Lake City, and that is " Brigham." His temper is even and placid; his manner is cold-in fact, like his face, somewhat bloodless; but he is neither morose nor methodistic, and, where occasion requires, he can use all the weapons of ridicule to direful effect, and "speak a bit of his mind" in a style which no one forgets. He often reproves his erring followers in purposely violent language, making the terrors of a scolding the punishment in lieu of hanging for a stolen horse or cow. His powers of observation are intuitively strong, and his friends declare him to be gifted with an excellent memory and a perfect judgment of character. If he dislikes a stranger at. the first interview, he never sees him again. Of his temperance and sobriety there is but one opinion. His life is ascetic: his favorite food is baked potatoes with a little buttermilk, and his drink water : he disapproves, as do all strict Mormons, of spirituous liquors, and never touches any thing stronger than a glass of thin Lager-bier; moreover, he abstains from tobacco. Mr. Hyde has accused him of habitual intemperance: he is, as his appearance shows, rather disposed to abstinence than to the reverse. Of his education I can not speak: " men, not books-deeds, not words," has ever been his motto; he probably has, as Mr. Randolph said of Mr. Johnston, " a mind uncorrupted by books." In the (only discourse which I heard him deliver, he pronounced impetus, impetus. Yet he converses with ease and correctness, has neither snuffle nor pompousness, and speaks as an authority upon certain |