Southern Argus. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 1834-1842, 1839-01-08

Ats4N.-t lAA4
derivation and affinity Of Tie difIe
longu. could not be reconciled Is
HINT myself iii these invest cations ID ]
lev hours aller tie ardaoas labofs &C lls
day. = therefore laid down my hammer
land went to New HaVeny where reei6ed
10 native teachers in fench, Spanish
German, and Italians returned atfhe exl
prationItwo years 10 the forge bringing
with me such books inthose languages as
could procure, When i bad read these
books through, commenced The Hebrew,
with an awakened desire Of examining
another field and BY assiduous applica!
ton, / was enab1 ca ID 4 few weeks, to read
this language with such facility that / al.
lotted It to myself as atask, Is resd two
chapters i1a the Hebrew Bible, before
breakfast each morning this, and an
hour at noons being all the time that /
could devote 10 Dysefaduring the days.
After becoming somewhat familiar with
this language, / looked around me for the
means of initiating myself into the fields
of literature, and to my deep regret and
concern found my progress IN this di.
rection hedged p-bv the want Of the re.
quisite books. / Immediately began to
devise means of obviating this obstacle !:
and after many plans, concludedtO seek
oplaceaas sailor on board some ship
bound to Europe.s thinking in that way to
have opportunities Of collectingsat differ
ent lorts, such works in the modern and
oriental languages. as ! found necessary
for this object. | left the forge and my
native place to carry this plan into execu-
tom, travelled on foot to Boston, q dis
lance of more than a hundred miles, to
find some vessel bound TO Europe. In
this Twas disappointed, and, while revolt
wing in my mind what steps next to take,
! accidentally heard Of the American An
tiquarian Society in Worcester. / irnne-
diately bent my steps towards this place.
visited the Hall ofthe A. A. IS. and found
there, to my infinite qualification, such a
collection Of ancient, modern, and gorien-
tai languages asI never before conceived
to be collected in one place; and SIT, you
may imagine with what sentiments of graf
itude | was affected, when, upon evincing
a desire to examine some of these rich
and rare works, was kindly invited to an
unlimited participation in all the benefits
Of this noble Institution. Awaiting myself
of the kindness Of the Directors, spent
about three hours daily at the hall, which,
with an hour at.noo1, and about three IN
the evening, make up the portieasof day
which appropriate TO my studies, the rest
being occupied ing ardunus mammal toll.
Through the facilities afforded by this In
stitution, | have been able to odd ,nnch
TO my previous acquaintance with the an
Gent, modern and oriental languages, as
to be able to read upwards of fifty d
them, with more or less facility - sa :
thrust, Mr.. President, 1 shall BE- pardon
ed by the ingenious author Of this letter
and the gentleman to whomitissaddres
sed, (Mr w. Lincoln, ESQ. Of Worces
kter,l for the liberty which, have taken
unexpectedly, | am, suFes by both Of them
in thus making it public, It discloses 1
Iresolute purpose of improvement, (unde
| obstacles and difficulties of no ordinar.
kind, which excites my admiration, | ma!
say, veneration. Ii is enough to maxi
one, who has had good opportunities 70
education, hang his head in shame.