Elizabeth-Town gazette. [volume] (Elizabeth-Town, N.J.) 1818-1821, 1819-03-16
SHORT SKETCHES.

! " eminent characters, uho hare risen
from poverty and obscurity to be con-
spicaous promoters Of science and benz
factors Of the hannah race.
&c Honor and shame from no condition rise,
Act well your part, there all the honor Iies.''
ROBERT DODSLEY-An eminent
bookseller, and ingenious writer, on bis
first setting out in life, acted in the capaci-
ty of a footman to lady, from which sta
ton however, his abilities soon raised
him: for one Of his early productions,
being shown to Pope. the manner of lis
execution, SO strongly recommended its
author to the notice Of the poet, that he
continued warm friend and patron to
| DodsIsy until his death.
WILLIAM CLAXTON-The frs
who introduced the art of printing, Will
metal types into England, served his ap
premiership to mercer, whose master
having died, leaving him legacy of 81
marks, (no inconsiderable sum in those
days. he went abroad to settle, where
having acquired the mystery of the new
invention of printing, he afterwards lie
turned to England, and printed what is
called BY all the typographical antiquari.
ans, TO have been the first specimen Of the
art in England, dated 1474.
JAMES FERGUSON--This ingen.
ious mechanical philosopher and astrono-
mer, was an extraordinary phenomenon oil
the self taught kind. His parents being
in low circumstances, he was placed Out
as a servant to a farmer, who employed
him IN keeping sheep, in which situation
he acquired surprising knowledge of the
stars; and his abilities being discovered
by some neighboring gentlemen, one OF
them took him home to his house, where
he learned decimal arithmetic, and the ru-
diments of algebra and geometry, from
the butler. In process of time, Mr.. Fer
guson attained SO much celebrity for his
scientific knowledge, mechanical inven,
tion and discoveries, that he was admitted
to read lectures before the king of Eng
land, from whom he obtained pension
and was elected Fellow of the Royal
Society, without paying the admission fees
OF annual subscription.
DR. HAWKSWORTH--An ingen-
ious writer and author of the Adveuturer,
was bred Watch Maker but he after
wards applied to literature with SO much
success, that the merits of one Of his
works procured for him the degree of l..
L. ID. from the Archbishop Of Canterbu-
ry: Aud for his compilation Of an &C.
count of Discoveries in the South Seas,
he is said TO have received six thousand
pounds sterling-He afterwards became
an East.India Director.
SIR RICHARD ARKW RIGHT
The ingenious inventor of the Cotton Mill,
was at one tine of bis life, literally pen,
ny Barber at Manchester and yet by
uncommon genius, and persevering Indus
try, he invented and perfected system OF
machinery for spinning cotton that had
been attempted in vain by many Of the
first mechanics of the 18th and 18Th cen
turtles: and which, by giving employment
to many Thousand families increased the
population, and was productive Of great
commercial advantages to his country.
BENJAMIN FRANKLlN-Our owr
illustrious couutryman, was originally
bred to the business of Printer; but
scarcely emerged from Infancy, Franklin
Ibecame Philosopher--and by the con