Du Buque visitor. [volume] (Dubuque, Lead Mines, Wisconsin Territory) 1836-1837, 1836-12-14
DU BUQUE VISITOR.

with his master mind surveycl with
sase ths whole fe!d Of Jurisprudence;
ana seeing clearly the point at which
4 ainaey' and the shorte>troutc hithcr,
could led his campers W tn as n1u 81
facility in five OF ten minutes, to the
conclusion whittier he desired to con-
duet them, asone of our modern orators,
could in three hours speech. The.
writer IN the Magazine, admits that
Franklin was remarkable" for s.good
sense and sssood sense SAYS Blair. is
is the foundation Of all eloquence. No
man can be truly eloquent without it
for fools can persuade none bmt fools.
7 Perhaps, when he asserts Franklin
was no genius, the writer had in view
snch as is meant, when we saw of
of man :" he is an eccentric genius;"
or, he has every kind of sense, but
common sense" Should this be his
meaning, we agree with him that the
DIR. was no genius, for few men ever
possessed better balanced minds than
he had.
It is true, lh,t the g.niuses are not
usually the men who do the business of
the world. Possessing original powers,
they are early in life Aattered on that
account; this Aattery usually initiates
the mind, and the whole has tendency
to induce relaxation of industry, and
a reliance on these powers alone.
Whereas, the youth of ordinary mind,
becomes sensible if he rises, it must
be by industry. He therefore perseveres
in the acquisition Of useful knowledg e,
until he forms habits Of industry-these
habits when fixed become part Of him
self they impel him by natural i'm
pulse in The path to usefulness and to
EN- inence. BY constant application
he has ultimately the satisfaction to
see himself far ahead Of those geniuses,
who, at first derided his slow aud toll
some progress. And thus, while they
dissappoint the anticipations Of their
friends, he greatly exceeds the most
sanguine expectations.
But, unite genius and industry in
any one man, and he never fails to rise
above the common level, and to attract
general attention. Such we conceive
to ne the fact in relation to Franklin.
He in our humt.e opinion, possessed
a genius Of the very highest order, to
which he added an industry, the most
uatiring; and it was by the continual
operation" Of these too qualities uni
ted, that che came TO do more in the
world of science--more in the rcvo-
luton Of empires, than flve hundred"
others could have done, relying either
upon genius or industry, separately
exerted. 1t was by the aid of these
that Franklin elevated himself to the
notice OF the whole civilized world. BY
the exhibition Of genius and industry,
his character received brilliancy,"
not like the polish Of base metal,
which is capable of receiving FURNISH
that for moment outshines the gen.
uine ore-and then is cankered with a
breath, but like that Of the pure gold,
which remains uncorroded amidst the
accumulated rust Of ages!-undestroy-
ed by the desoiating ravages OF time.
But we presume the writer under
review, had no other object than the
recommendation of industry, and has
selected Fra lklin as striking exam
pie of the effects Of that virtue. We
appreciate his design, but dissapprovc
Of his means Of promoting it, because
we conceive he has attempted to do it
at the expense Of truth, and we are not
permitted to do evil that good may
come. IN
If Franklin was industrious, this
virtue was his own; il he were ge-
MUS, this quality was the gift Of his
Creator. But inasmuch as there is a
certain degree Of respect attached to
each Of these qualities, to deny to him
either would be in our Judgment to de-
tract from the chara tier Of this emmi-
nent Statesman aud Philosopher.
Methods Correspondent.
I