The Life of James Knox Polk Author:John Stilwell Jenkins General Books publication date: 2009 Original publication date: 1850 Original Publisher: J. M. Alden Notes: This is a black and white OCR reprint of the original. It has no illustrations and there may be typos or missing text. When you buy the General Books edition of this book you get free trial access to Million-Books.com where you can sel... more »ect from more than a million books for free. Excerpt: CHAPTER III. Commences the Study of the Law in the Office of Felix Grundy -- Secures the Friendship of Andrew Jackson -- Admitted to the Bar -- Success in the Practice of his Profession -- His Political Associations -- Style and Manner as a Public Speaker -- Chief Clerk and Member of the Tennessee Legislature -- Duelling Law -- Internal Improvements -- His Marriage -- Mrs. Polk. When Mr. Polk left the University, his health was considerably impaired by his constant and unremitting application to his studies. But the hopes and aspirations of youth, like the waters of the magical fountain which Ponce de Leon so longed to discover, are famed for their restorative powers; and the mind, as the body, in the spring-time of life, contains within itself a host of recuperative energies. A fe months of relaxation and respite from study, were sufficient fully to restore him ; and the choice of a profession was then to be considered and decided. This was not at all difficult. His thoughts had long been directed toward the law, and each succeeding year had served to confirm and strengthen the desire which he had half formed ere the time came for sober and serious reflection. His final determination was made in accordance with his previous inclinations; and at the beginning of the year 1819, he entered the office of Felix Grundy, at Nashville. Mr. Grundy was then in the zenith of his fame -- at the head of the Tennessee bar -- enjoying the professional honors and rewards which continued to flow liberally upon him -- and with the laurels he had won on the floor of the House of Re...« less