Alexandria gazette & advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1822-1824, 1824-11-30
MISCELLANY.
OK TIE RISE oFlNTELLECE

ON IHE RISE OF " r. IsECIs
In rejecting np0n he rise OF nigh
" intellects from obscurity to emf
nence. the mind is sometimes led 10
consider with interest, the first s'rog-
giles with SOME great idea, when their
means of obtaining knowledge were
circumscribed by poverty. and De.
fore they had become sufficiently
strengthened by learning to enable
chem to grapple with it successfully.
The history of such minds is inter.
ssting and Instructive. What can
be more so than the contemplation
Of the gigantic intellect in a state
of nature. struggling, yea. agonlz-
ing, with as gigantic an idea. to OBJ
serve the minds accession of strength
as the struggle proceeds, until final
Iy We see it contemplating this con-
uuered idea. with all the pleasure and
all the pride of victory; to see il go
forth in all the might of its resistless
superiority, on it's march OF subJa-
gallon; as il acquires new know
ledge. making new conquests, like
another Goliath Of Gath. going out
fearlessly to battle against every ad-
yersary; but not like him. conquered
with an argument. comparatively as
insignificant as pebble thrown by
strippling's arm. from a shepherds
sling. Il isa pleasing rmpIoyment
a. fancy the history of the men of
mud of It or times, TO imagine their
endeay ors for knowledge: their striy-
ing at fearful odds with poverty. low
birth, and all their concomiiants.
which are go often total obstacles to
genius. in the pathway OF honor: to
zee them in the minds eye. slowly,
but resolutely toiling to surpass these
obstacles, until they at length arrive
at name and fame.
But though rUe NAV imagine such
things. they are not creations of the
imagination alone; they are on the
contrary. oppressive realities: OPP
pressive. because many mind form
ed to take a high and distin-
xuished rank among those that shine
slike stars in the frmament for bright
ness,' has been forced by them. TO
give up the contest and to cit down
I'm utter hopelessnpss, of ever rising
above the common level. Such is
The haueful effect of poverty upon un.
patronized merit. Well may the po.
et say.
sAh! who can tell how hard it is to climb
The steep where fame's proud temple shines
afar:
All, who can tell how manv soul sublime,
Hath felt the influence of malignant star
And waved with fortune an eternal war:
Checked by the scott of pride by enyy's frown.
And poverty's unconquerab!e bar,
In life's low vale remote hath pin'd alone,
Then dropt into the grave, unpitied and VA
known
With Mecaenas to raise them,
Horace and Virgil became wonders
of the world; bat without him, the
strains of the sweet bard OF Mantua,
had never been heard. and the lash
of the satirist never coiled itself a.
round the vicious characters of the
age. Can it be presumed. that Ge-
MUS is plant of so much harder
nature that any other. that 1t can
bloom, and bloom. and diffnse its
fragrance. in the wild wilderness oil
she world, with the cold wind OF
scorn, and the pelting storm OF po-
verify pouring out their fury upon It's
headl Neyer-Genins requires the
fostering hand of generous patronage
to protect it; and although instances
may be mentioned of great men. who
became such, by their own isolated
exertions. yet in general it will be
found. that instead of rising superior
to such oppression, Genius sinks an.
DIR il. actually sinks under the weight
of a burden tee heavy for man to
bsars