Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1839-01-10
NV No. 458.
tFrom the New England Farmer.
SELF EDUCATION

traordinary and successful instance Oh
self education, under great difficulties,
deserves to be inserted in every paper
in the country. 1t shows what may be
accomplished by industry and Porsever-
snce united with strong determination
and a passionate attachment to good
object. The learned Clifford, one Of
tho best classical scholars in England,
was TN apprentice to the shoemaker's
trade; rnd in his passionate study Of
mathematics shut himself up in hours
stolen from sleep, in garret, and
worked out his problems with an a"i
on some Of the waste leather Of tho
shop. We design to revert to this sub
ject again, but have at present only
time for the annexed letter.
"It is a great mistake 10 suppose
that it is necessary to be professional
man in order to have leisure to indulge
taste for reading. Far Otherwise
/ | believe the mechanic, engineer, the
husbandman, the trader, have quite rs
much leisure as the average of men IN
the learned profession. know some
men busily engaged in the different cali
ings Of active life, whose minds are
well stored with various useful know
ledge acquired from books. There
would be more such men, if education
in our common schools were as 1t well
might be, Of higher order; and If
Common School Libraries, well fur
'nished were introduced into every dis
trct, as | trust in due time they will
be. 1t is surprising, sir, how much
may be effected, even under the most
untavorable circumstances, for the im-
provcment of the mind, by person re-
solutcly bent on acquisition OF know
ledge. A letter has lately been put into
my hands, bearing date the 9th Of Sep
tember, so interesting in itself, and so
strongly illustrative of this point, that
will read portion of it; though it was
written, | am sure, without the least
view to publicity:
Il Il am the youngest (says the writer)
! Of many brethren. and my parents were
poor. My means of education were
:, limited to the advantages Of district
school, and those again were circum-
scribed by my fathers death, which de-
prived me at the age Of fifteen OF these
scanty opportunities which had pre-
viously enjoyed. A few months alter
{ his decease, | apprentieed myself to
t blacksmith in my native village. I'hl-
5 thcr | carried an indomitable taste for
reading which had previously acquir-
ed through the medium of the society
library--all the historical works In
which | had at that time perused. At
the expiration of little more than halt
my apprenticeship, lsuddcnly conceived
the idea of studying Latin. Through
the assistance of an elder brother, who
had himself obtained collegiate edu-
I cation by his own exertions, l compile
\ ted my Virgil during the evenings OF
one winter. After some time devoted
to Cicero, and few other Latin a.,-
|,thors. | commenced the Greek; at this
: time it was necessary that should de-
vote every hour Of daylight, and part
. of the evening, to do the duties OF my
=" apprenticcship. Still | carried my
Greek grammar in my hat, often found
a moment, when was heating some
: large iron, when could place MY book
!, open before inc against the chimney ot
u my forge, and go through with tnpfo,
hpteis, tupiei, and, unperccivcd by my
fellow apprentices, and to my confusion
of face, with the detrimental effect to
the charge i'm my fire. At evening }
sat down unassisted, to the Had OF
Homer, twenty books of which measur-
ed my progress in that language during
the evenings ofanother winter. | next
turned to the modern languages, and
was much gratified to learn that my
Latin furnished me with key to the
Literature Of most of the languages OF
Europe. This circumstance gave u
new impulse to the desire ofacquantthg
s myself with the philosophy, derivation,
. and affinity of the different European
tongues. | could not be reconciled to
limit myself in these Investigations to a
few hours after the arduous labors OF
the day. ] therefore laid down my
h hammer and went to N. Haven, where
'e recited to native teachers in French,
= Spanish, German and Italian. i re-
p turned at the expiration Of two years
" to the forge, bringing with me such
is books in those languages as could
procure. When had read these books
s. through, / commenced the Hebrew WITH
an awakened desire Of examining ano-
thcr field; aud by assduous application
. was enabled in few weeks TO read
=. this language with such facility, that !
- allotted il TO myself as task TO read
y two chapters in the Hebrew Bible be.
= loro breakfast each morning; this and
an hour at noon being all the time that
D. could devote TO myself during the day.
After becoming somewhat familiar with
this Language, l hooked around me for
q the means of initiating myself into this
fields OF oriental literature, and to my
deep regret and concern ] found my
progress in this direction hedged in by
the want Of requisite books. ] began
:, Immediately to devise means OF obvis-
. ting this obstacle; and after many plans
| concluded to seek place as a sailor
: on board some ship bound TO Europe
a. sssss.