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A traitor is despised of all the world. I have stated in my preface, that it is the design of the Biographical Series of which this volume is a part, to "furnish from the pages of the world's history a few examples of true manhood, lofty purpose, and persevering effort, such as may be safely held up either for the admiration or emulation of the youth of the present day; and I am sure it is needless to add that the life of Benedict Arnold offers no such example. On the contrary, his memory will be detested as long as time shall help to keep it alive. Yet it is not impossible that the highest forms of manhood may be studied, sometimes, by the contemplation of their strongest contrasts; especially, in cases where it was just as easy for men to be heroes as villains, and all attending influences should have nerved them to deeds of patriotism and nobility. And I have thought it may be so in the present case. Arnold had opportunities such as few men are offered; but he threw both them and himself away. The treason of Arnold is known wherever the English tongue is spoken. The details of the story, however, have been in a great degree forgotten, or merged in that universal sentiment of detestation of the man, which seems to have swallowed all else up; and even those honorable services which he did render his country on certain occasions, are willingly, but quite wrongfully, left out of the account. It is the purpose of this narrative to do justice to his merits, while sparing in no manner his unparalleled crimes; for in no other way than by comparing one side of his character with the other, can one hope to make up a judgment that will be either just or lasting. The ancestors of Benedict Arnold settled originally in Rhode Island. One of them, after whom he was named, was the president of the colony immediately succeeding Roger Williams. His father emigrated from Newport to Norwich, in Connecticut, together with another brother, Oliver, not long after the year 1730. They both followed the trade of coopers, which Benedict very soon after left for a commercial life. It is said that he sailed to England, in the prosecution of his new business, and likewise carried on a very thriving trade with the West Indies, for which the town of Norwich was in those days much noted. As soon as he had secured a sufficient amount to furnish him with a reliable business capital, he left his voyaging and foreign trading, and betook himself to the occupation of a merchant. For a long time he enjoyed uninterrupted success. His profits came in steadily, and his prospects and position in the world ought to have been good enough to satisfy any man of reasonable desires; yet it appears that he was regarded with feelings of suspicion by his fellow citizens, and failed to secure anything like that respect for himself that gives life one of its highest values. In time, therefore, he became insensible to the good opinion of others; neglected his business; took to drinking and dissipation; and, in the natural order of things, grew to be poor, idle, and a burden in the public mind. During the years of his prosperity, however, he had married a widow lady of Norwich, Mrs. Hannah King by name; and the fruit of this union was six children, three boys and three girls. The oldest was a boy named Benedict; but as he died in his infancy, the same name was given to the next son, who is the subject of this narrative. It appears that Benedict had for many generations been a favorite name with the Arnolds, and it was to be finally illustrated, in the case of the child who last took it, by a record of infamy from the very thought of which the upright mind shrinks with an instinct of dismay. Benedict Arnold, was born, on the 3d day of January, 1740; which made him forty years old at the time of the consummation of that stupendous villany with which his name will ever be associated. All of the other children, except himself and his sister Hannah, died in infancy. Very little is positively known as to the sort of education Arnold was permitted to get from the schools of his native town, although it is highly probable, from the fact of his father's being in such affluent circumstances during his early youth, that he certainly had the advantages of all that could be reached. Besides this, his mother was a lady of exemplary piety and of a highly consistent Christian character; and sought on every occasion to instil into his nature those lessons of virtue and purity which should have finally made the boy a noble man. The following is a fragment of a letter written by Arnold's mother to her son, in these days while he was away from home in Canterbury, twelve miles from Norwich :
"NORWICH APRIL 12 1754.