, 1841-06-12
THE LEARNED BLACKSMITH.

THE LEARNED BLACKSMITH.
Our readers nav rrcollect that we have
on several occasions alluded to Elihu Bnrriti.
OF Worcester, Mass. the ''learRed Black.
smith, as he is called, and who has acqui, ed
a knowledge of fifty different languages with.
out giving up his business ut the anvil. By
an account now before us it seems that he,
in the first place, without any instructor. &c.
CURED n thorough knowledge of the Latin.
ana next studied Greek with equal ease. A
perfect acquaintance with these languages
had enabled him to real with facility the
Italian. Spanish and Portuguese. He next
commenced the study OF Hebrew, but we
will give his own words in n letter written to
a friend who had requested iniormalion:-
NO. Picayune.
"As YOU express Il desire in your letter for
50 ne account of my past and present pur-
suits. | >hall nope Ia -ra,ify YOU on this point.
and also rectI'y . misrepresentation which YOU
with many Others NAV have entertained OF
my requirements. With regard 10 INV arten.
;Ion 10 the languages. Il study of which | am
not 81 fond rs of mathematics, | hlve tried
by 4 kind Of practical and philosophical pro-
cess To contract such a familiar acquaintance
with the held OF Il family of lanrulgrs rs Ia
introduce me 10 the other members Of the
same family. Thus s,udyinr the Hebrew
very critically, ! hcran.c readily acquainted
with its originate languages. among the prIn-
cIpal of which are The Svriar. ChaIdlic-
Arabic. Samaritan, Erhiopic. &c. The Ian
cuaces of Europe occupied nv attention I'M
mediltcIv after | had finished nv classics.
and ! studied French. Spanish. li1lian and
German under na'ivc teachers. Afterwards
pursued The Portuguese. Flemish, Danish.
Swedish. Norwegian, lcclandir, Welsh.
G;cIIc and Celtic. then ventured on furIl.-
er east. into the Russian Empire: and the
Sclavonic opened To me abnu, 4 Dozen of
the languages spoken in The vast domain. be-
tween which the aiiini'v is rs marked as lha,
between the Spanish and Portuguese. BE.
side those. have attended In MANY different
European dialects still in vogue. | am now
trying Ia push On eastward as fis, as NV
means will permit, hoping to discover still
inrihcr analories among tie oriental %lancua.
.eS. which will assist my progress. must
now close this hasty though lnng. letter. with
The assurances Of my most sincere respect
and esteem. EIIiIU BURRITT.
To L. Nelson VI. d."
lie is now but little over thirty wears of
age, and still devotcs eight hours out of the
twenty-four 10 lis anvil. eight 10 study. and
the balance 10 repose.
The Ners--Hs importance--Ab ,Iifion of The
English earn LGws--The Beginiag Of a
Gr'.a RcroIution.
The news which we publish TO dav.
brought I" Boston by the Caledonia stcam-
er, from Liverpool is prohably the most i'm.
portant. in one point of view, which we
have received in many years from that quar-
ter of the world.
We allude particularly TO the defeat Of
the British ministers on The Irish question.
and the announcement by Lord John Russell.
the abolition of the corn laws, or 4 radi-
cal change IN their principles and operation.
was 10 be made 4 cabinet question.
We take this movement 10 he equal 10 the
first agitation of the Reform Bill in England;
and it will lead 10 rs decided Il change in
the commercial and financial affairs Of tina,
rs the reform bill did in its political
affairs. The agitation of this question will
on one side all the landed interest,"
the ariStocracy-the church, and their sup
poricrs against the commercial, manu(actur.
lng and radical interests.
In the progress of this controversy, the
commercial systematic tarilf-the banking
system-and all their financial Influences
will be examined and discussed. We NAV
n prodi.ious excitement, the end of
which no one can see-Perhaps it may lead
10 an ultimate revolution and form Of govern
nent. The Wings, to retain power, have
g give the movement party their popular
bit by bit. The latter got a large
lice when the reform bill was passed-the
anne party can not fail To get another slice
by the agitation or the modification of the
Corn Laws and the Tariff, under the ~auSpi-
,es of the present ministry. l. was in this /