Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1832-09-27

humble occupation of sexton, while his mOihe
was at the same time servant in the establish
ment Of neighborlng noblsman.
The father Of John Opie, the great portrait
painter, was working carpenter in Corn" ali.
Opie was raised from the bottom of saw.pit
where he was employed in cutting wood, to the
Professorsbip Of Paintings in the Royal Acade-
nv.
| The parents OF Castalio, the elegant Latin
Translator Of the Bible. were poor peasants, who
lived among the mountainsof Dauphiny.
| DIR. John Prideaux, bishop IF Worcester, OBJ
tained his education BIS walking on foot To Oxford,
and getting empIu, ment, in the first instance, as
assistant in the kitcheu of Exeter College.
The father Of lingo Jones. the grea, architect,
was cloih-worker; and he himself also, was de-
signed originally for mechanical employment.
| Sir Edmund Saunders, chief jusice Of the
Kings Bench, in the reign OF Charles H.. was
originally an erraDd boy at The Inns of Court
Linnaus. the Iustrious founder of the science
of botany, was for some time apprenticed to a
shoemaker.
The famous Ben Johnson worked for some time
as bricGlayer or mason, 'and let not them blush,
says the historian Fuller. that have, but those
that have not, law!ul calling. He helped in the
building of the new structure of I.incoin's Inn,
! when having trowel in his hand, he had book
in his pocket
DE-. Isaac Maddox. whom the reign of George
H.. became bishop, first of St. Asaph, and after.
wards of Worcester, and who wrote All able de-
fence Of the doctrine and discipline of the
Church Of England, lost both his parents at an
early age. aud was placed. in the first instance,
BY his friends. with pastry cook.
| Dr. Isaac Miner. Dean of Carlisle, who filled
the chair which Isaac Newton had occupied at
! Cambridge. that Of Lucasian Professor of Mathe-
mates, was originally weaver; as was also his
brother joseph, the well known author of the
Church History.
Of the same trade, in his younger days, was
DR.. Ja.eph Whilc. professor Of Arabic at Oxford
Thomas Simpson. a very able English Mathe-
matcisn. professor Of Mathematics at Wollwich
Academv. aud fell,. of the 2oyaI Society, was
tie So, OF weaver. After having acquired a
very sIish; acquaintance with reading. he was
placed in the shop with his father. Instead Of
giving any encouragement to his sons fondness
for reading. the father, after many rcprinands,
forbade him even to open book. and insisted
upon his confning himself to his room for the
whole day. lie was finally banlshed from his
fathers house, and compelled to seek his fortunes
abroad He c0Gtrived 10 maintain himself for a
while, IN a neighhoring town, with poor widow,
by working at hi, trade, devoring his spare mo.
ments TO his taVorite employment of reading,
whenever he could borrow book In his 25th
or Goth year, he went 10 London. without let.
ter OF recommendation, and with scarcely any
thing in his pocket, except manuscript treatise
of his oun on Fhlrions, more valuable than any
preceding treatise an the subject in the language.
The great Sir William Jones Was most asto-
nishlns example Of application to study. in spite
Of all difficulties. His maxim was, never to neg
Iect any Opportunity of improvement which pre-
sented itself. Ii was a fixed principle with him
never to neglect prosecuting toa successful de-
termination what he had once deliberately IN
dertaken.
+, William Hutton, author Of the History Of
Birmingham, Fellow Of the Antiquarian Society,
&c. wa, the SON OF working woolcOmber at Der
by My poor mother SAYS Hutton, more
than once. With one infant on her knee. and a
few mure hanging about her. have all tasted a
ahule das; and when food arrived. she has sui.
lered them, with tear, to take her share. From
his seventh to his fourteenth year he worked in
a silk ml-and was then bound apprentice
to a stocking weaver in Nottingham
James Ferguson, the celebrated writer on
astronomy. is one OF the most remarkable instan-
ces Of sef-education, which the iiterarv world
has seen. Ills father was in the humble condi.
ton of dav-laborer.
At the age Of seven or eight, young Ferguson
actually discovered two Of the most important ele-
mentarv truths iu mechancs-the lever. and the
wheel aud axle. II. afterwards hit upon Others.
without teacher or book, and with no tool but a
simple turning lathe. and little knife. While
he was feeding his flock. in the employment Of a
neishboring farmer. he used to busy himself in
making models Of mills, spinning wheels. sc.
during the day, and in studying the stars at
night.
Before his death, he was elected Fellow Of
the Royal Society; the usual fees being RENTED,
as had been done in the cases OF Newton and
Thomas Simpson. George Ill. who, when a
boy, was occasionally among the auditors Of his
public lectures, soon after his accession TO the
throne. gave him pension Of fifty ponds per