Martinsburg gazette and public advertiser. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1826-1833, 1833-02-28
DISTINGUISHED SELF-TAUdHT
AMERICANS.
From Epereu's Franklin Lectures.

Il
AMERICANS.
From Ereret,s Franklin Lectures.
1--WE needed any encouragement to
make these efforts to improve our minds,
we might find il in every page ofour coun-
| try's history. No where do we meet with
examples more numerous and more bril-
liant, of men who have risen above pow.
erty and obscurity and every disadvan-
tage, to usefulness and an honorable
name. Our whole vast continent was adj
ded to the geography of the world, by the
persevering efforts of an humble Geno-
ese mariner, the great Columbus, who
by the steady pursuit of the enlightened
conception which he had formed of the fl
CURE of the earth, before any navigator
had acted upon the belief that the earth
was round, discovered the American con-
tinent. He was the son Of Gcnoese pi-
lot and seaman himself; and at one peri
cd of his melancholy career, was reduced
to beg his bread at the doors of the con-
vents in Spain.--But he carried within
himself and beneath an humble exterior,
spirit for which there was not room in
Spain, in Europe, or in the then known
world--and which led him on to hight
of usefulness and fame beyond that of all
| the monarchs that ever reigned.
The story of our Franklin cannot be
repeated too often; the poor Boston boy;
the son fan humble tradcsman, brought
up mechanic himself; "a stranger TO col
lege, till they showered their degrees up
on him; who rendered his country essen
tial service in establishing her indepen-
dence; enlarged the boundsphilosophy by
new department of science; and lived
| to be pronounced by Lord Chatham, in
the British house of Peers, as an honor to
Europe, and the age in which he lived.
Why should speak of Greene, who
left his blacksmith's furnace to command
an army in the revolutionary war; the
chosen friend of Washington, and nextto
him, perhaps, the military leader, who
stood highest in the confidence of his coun-
tryl
West, the famous painter, was the son
of Quaker in Philadelphia, he was too
poor at the beginning of his career, to pur-
chase canvass and colors; and he rose
eventually to be the first artist in Europe,
and the President of the Royal Academy
at London. Count Rumford was the son
of farmer, at Woburn. He never had
the advantage of a college education, but
used to walk down to Cambridge to hear
the lectures on natural philosophy. He
became one of the most eminent philoso-
piers in Europe; founded the Royal Insti-
tuition in London, and he had the merit of
bringing forward Sir Humphrey Davy,
as the lecturer ON chemistry in that es-
adjustment. Robert Fulton was por-
trait painter in Pennsylvania, without
friends or fortune. By his successful la
bours in perfecting steam navigation, he
has made himself one of the greatest ben
efactors of man. Whitney, the son of
Massachusetts farmer, was machinest.
His cotton gin, according to Judge john
son, of the Supreme Court of the United
States, has trebled the value of all the cot
ton land at the south and has an incalcu-
liable influence on the agricultural and
mechanical interests of the world.
Whiaemore, Of West Cambridge, the
person who invented the machinery
for the manufacture of cards, possessed
no other means Improvement than those
which are within the reach ofevery tenn
perate and Industrious individual. Sew
eral in this audience were probably ac-
quainted with the modest and sterling vir-
tues of Mr.. Paul Moody. To the efforts
of self-taught mind, the early manu-
featuring establishments at Waltham and
Lowell are in no small degree owing. |
believe may say with truth, that not one
of these individuals enjoyed at the onset,
superior opportunities for acquiring USE
ful knowledge, to those within the reach
of every one who hears me.
These are all departed, but we have
living among us illustrious instances of
men who, without early advantages, but
by the resolute improvement of the few
opportunities thrown in their way, have
rendered themselves, In like manner, use-
full to their fellow men; the objects of adj
miration to those who witness their at
tainments, and of gratitude to those who
! reap the fruit. of their labours.