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President Barbicane’s Communication
Infrontofthetablebenchesarrangedinzigzagform,likethecircumvallationsofaretrenchment,formedasuccessionofbastionsandcurtainssetapartfortheuseofthemembersoftheclub;andonthisespecialeveningonemightsay,"Alltheworldwasontheramparts."Thepresidentwassufficientlywellknown,however,foralltobeassuredthathewouldnotputhiscolleaguestodiscomfortwithoutsomeverystrongmotive.
ImpeyBarbicanewasamanoffortyyearsofage,calm,cold,austere;ofasingularlyseriousandself-containeddemeanor,punctualasachronometer,ofimperturbabletemperandimmovablecharacter;bynomeanschivalrous,yetadventurouswithal,andalwaysbringingpracticalideastobearupontheveryrashestenterprises;anessentiallyNewEnglander,aNortherncolonist,adescendantoftheoldanti-StuartRoundheads,andtheimplacableenemyofthegentlemenoftheSouth,thoseancientcavaliersofthemothercountry.Inaword,hewasaYankeetothebackbone.
Barbicanehadmadealargefortuneasatimbermerchant.Beingnominateddirectorofartilleryduringthewar,heprovedhimselffertileininvention.Boldinhisconceptions,hecontributedpowerfullytotheprogressofthatarmandgaveanimmenseimpetustoexperimentalresearches.
Hewaspersonageofthemiddleheight,having,byarareexceptionintheGunClub,allhislimbscomplete.
