After Judge Story's death, Mr.Webster not only declined to allow the publication by the judge's son and biographer of Story's letters to himself, but he refused to permit even the publication of extracts from his own letters, intended merely to show the nature of the services rendered to him by Story.

A cordial assent would have enhanced the reputation of both.

The refusal is a blot on the intellectual greatness of the one and a source of bitterness to the descendants and admirers of the other.

It is to be regretted that the extraordinary ability which Mr.
Webster always showed in grasping and assimilating masses of theories and facts, and in drawing from them what was best, should ever have been sullied by a want of gratitude which, properly and freely rendered, would have made the lustre of his own fame shine still more brightly.
A close study of Mr.Webster's legal career, in the light of contemporary reputation and of the best examples of his work, leads to certain quite obvious conclusions.

He had not a strongly original or creative legal mind.
This was chiefly due to nature, but in some measure to a dislike to the slow processes of investigation and inquiry which were always distasteful to him, although he was entirely capable of intense and protracted exertion.