The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1824-06-15

From the :" Curositics of Literature
The progress Of md .ic, IN Var Siudics.
OF The pleasures drrlvablc from The cnl.
uvatlon nf arts, sciences and literature,
time will mol abate the growing progress,
for old men still cherish an affection and
f"cla youthful enthusiasm IN those pursuits
" hcn all u1licis have ceased to lHtrrcsl.--
Dr. Reed, 10 his ast day, retained II npst
active tulio IL III his various studies, and
particularly IN the revolutions OF modern
chemistry. In advanced lr' We may n.
sumo nnr Turner sluhir5 with n nrW PEA
sure, aud IN old 49, w may tniny them
with The same relish with which more
youthful stndcnis confluence. Professor
Dugal1 Stewart t,lls ms, that Adam Smith
observed IN HIM, "nf all the amdseI1rnts
of old age, the mus, grateful aud soothing
il q renewal Of acquaintance with the flfo
rite authors of youtli-t- remark, which III
his own ease seemed To b. more pntlira
larly eAcnpli1rd while he was re- prttsng
with the enthusiasm Of student, lii. lrag,e
pucia of ancient Greece. heard him r.
peal the observation more than ontc, wbllt
S"phnclcs aud Euripidcs lay open on his
table
Socratcs learned to play nm musical |,
stfnmrnls IN his old age ; Cato, ut eighty,
Thought proper Ia learn Greek, and Piu
nrrh, almost rs late in life, learned
Latin.
Tnophrastus began his admirable work
90 The Clarartrr5 of Men, Al the estrrnn
age of ninety. lie only terminated hi5
literary abor+ Ivy his death
Thu grcat Arrauld retained the ,iSor NJ
his genius and the command OF his pen.
To- his last dny, and ut the age Of eighty
two WAS till thr great Arnaud.
Sir Henry Spclmah neglected the 1cien-
ccs in bis youth, but cultivated them nj
fifty years Of -, and prod'ieed good
lrulf. His early years were 'Iiieny spout
IN farming, nhirh greatly diverted him
from his studies but u remarkable dlslp
poi6imrnt Respecting a contested raiate,
iii. gustcd him with these rustic occiipa.
lions resolved to aurn himself TO fc-
?uiaI studies, and r.ary sociely, be- sold
his f,ruiH, and b. anne the most lrarned
auilqnlry and Vyrr.
Colbert, ilG famous French minister, nj
almost sixty, Nturned 10 his Laiiu and
Law studio.
Teller, .he chancellor dr France, learned
lhs'c, .crry for m amusement, TO dispute
'''N'' ~ ElhIlb 'llil'''''
I1r. Johnson applied himself 10 tbr
.Juich language but u Eew years before hi-
death TIN Marquis de Saint AuIa 70
a, the age of sptehiy, btsan 10 court the
muses., and they crewurd hm Tlih thrir
! freshest flowers Thr Verses Of 7 IS French
Anaefton, arc fall Of fire, dellcacy aud
swet tdrss
Chaucct'. Canterbury .r,cs were thr
cunihosiion ofhis latest gears they We're
begun IN his fifty .tohth year. aud ended
/ in his sixty frs.
! Ludo'ico Aipnaldrsco, nj the extrdor.
+ binary age of IL, wrote the meihnirs of
his times. A singular sxertioh, noticed
hy Vo.tare, who himself Is onc of the
most remarkable instances of the progress
of age Ia neI Studies.
The most dtl ghti,l 0f auto biographies
for artists, il that Of BenvoilIto CtlIin, Il
work of great originality, which was not
begun III I" the clock OF his age had struck
fifty eight"
/ koornleft began nj forty TO harm The
Latin aud Greek lnguages, Of which he
became master several students, who
afterwards distinguished themselves, have
commenced ~ late in life their literary
pursuits. Ogilhy, the translator OF Homer
and NiIsil, knew little of Latin or Greek