Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1838-12-12
NE "a D G. B & p Eo
BRANDON, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 8, 1898.

BRANDON, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 8, 1893. !
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Let every youthful reader Of the Telegraph read
Dc following article look upward, and take cour-
age. It may not be the duty ofal to undertake the
ask performed by this blacksmith on languages. I
But it is the duty OF all to mark high for inteectu
a attainments. n
A BLACKSMITII's LETTER.
from a speech of Governor Everett of Massachu- |
sets, at meeting of the friends of education in
Bristol county]
1t is a great mistake to suppose that it
II necessary to be professional man, in
rider to have leisure to indulge taste
Ibr reading. Far otherwise. believe
ne mechanic, the engineer, the husband
ban, the trader, have quite as much lei
IRE as the average of men in the learned
Professions. know some men busily
Engaged in these different cal.ings of ac-
nal life, whose minds are well stored with
vRrious useful knowledge acquired from
books. There would be more such men,
Heducation in our common schools were,
- It well might be, Of higher order -
AID if common school libraries, we'll fur
nished were introduced into every dis
iflct, as trust in due time they will be-
q is surprising, sir, how much may be
fnrcted, even under the most unEavorabIe
circumstances for The imp ovement of The
mud, by person reso!u.ely bent on the
acquisition Of knowledge A letter has
laiely been put ialo my hands, bearing
oaie the sixth OF Septelnbcr, so interesting
~ itself, aud 81 strongly illustrative OF
ms point. that will read portion of it
shnugh it was written, l am sure, wthou:
iht least view 10 publicity.
| was the Youngest" says the writer,
20 many brethren, and my parents were
poor. My means Of education were lin
! lied TO the advantages Of a district school.
and those again were circumscribed by
nv fathers death, which deprived me, al
lhe age Of fifteen, OF those scanty opportu-
mics which had previously enjoyed
Al few months after his decease, appren-
iced myselfto blacksmith in my native
Village Thither carried an indomita-
be taste for reading, which had previous
lNacquired through the medium of the
toeipty library; all the historical works
(which | had at that time perused. At
the expiration Of little more than half
mY apprenticeship, | suddenly conceived
she idea Of studying Latin Through the
assistance of my elder brother, who had
hihsef obtained collegiate education by
BIZ own exertions. completed my Virgil
during the evenings Of one winter. Aftel
soine time devoted to Cicero and few
olher Lrtin authors, | commenced The
Greek. At this time it was necessary
thai l should devote every hour Of day
liaht and part of the evening to the du
iiVs of my apprenticeship. Still | carrie,
mf Greek grammar IN my hat, and Offer
iouhd moment when was heating SOM
large iron, whyn | could place my bool
open before me against the chimney of IN,
foFge, aud go through with tuplo, tuptei:
furiei, unperceived by my fellow-appren
tees, and, TO my confusion OF face, with
delfimental effect TO the charge in my fir,
AZ evening, sat down unassisted an
alepe 10 the Hind Of Homer, twenty book
which measured my progress in tn;
laagnage during the evenings of anol ht
Wfpler next turned 10 the modern la
euAyes, aud was much gratified to lear
ihA my knowledge of the Latin furaisI
81 PIE with a key to the literature of mo
oilhe languages of Europe.
This circumstance gave a new in
pulse to the desire of acquainting mvse
wish the philosophy, derivation, and aft
~ u the different European tonones.
could not be reconcied to limit myself
these investigations to few hours aft
the rduous labors of the day. Their
!, fore laid down my hammer aud went
!. N<w Haven, where | recited to natl
! teacLers in French Spanish, German, a
!, lieIian. returned at the expiration
!. tNo years to the forge, bringing with
i. such books in those languages as | co,
pfocure. When | had read these boo
thFongh, commenced the Hebrew W
y awakened desire of examining anott
y field; and BY assiduous application "
" cnnbled in few weeks to read this /
'p gu4ge with such facility that | allotted
% Myself as a task, TO read two chap,
1n,fne Hebrew Bible before breakfast e;
% morning.; this and an hour at noon be
eII The time that could devote 10 NV
duTing the day After becoming so,
What familiar with this language, | ID
H1 around me for The means of ini,ia,
o self into the fields of oriental lterat
to my deep regret and concern
= I'd my progress in this direction h,
'pp by the want of requisite books
sdiately began to devise means oil
FH'ing tins obstaeie and, after m
O~ Pens' concluded to seek a place a
DIOR on board some ship bound to
il ppe: thinking in this way to have op
+. Rnltics OF collecting at different ports s
10 forks in the modern and oriental