Southern Argus. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 1834-1842, 1842-02-08
Prom the Saturday Codnef
rHE LECTURE OF Mr.. BURRlrT,A NTEE

From the Saturday Courier
The LECTURE OF Mr.. BUR Ritz, kTnF
LEARNED BLACKSMITH"
One ofthe most valuable lectures ONE
season, is generally admitted 10 be. n
pronounced. on Friday evening, bsfoA
the Mercantile Association. by Mr.. Elm
slp Burtl, the gent. eman wlfo has acquired
so mrch.distinciion. not only in-tbis cou.
try, but in Europe, as the "learned. black
smith," HIS object throughout was TO
| sh5w the Importance Of Self Cultivation.
he is himself aipractical illustration ofwha
industry and u determined pcrsevera c.
accomplish, being truly and emplialicaiy
self-made man; and as such brought TO
the subject such illustrations as no otter
lecturerin this country has ever b.foro
done.
His. views on the existence or. capacity
Of genius we're new and bold, and lhcr
very holiness created doubt n The minds
ofmany as 70 their correctne IS. While
we would award all credit to the spirit OF
| industry. without WITCH but little can be
accomplished, there can scarce Ie a ques.
ton raised as t3lhe power of genius or us
capacity to pre- form. what all lie patience
Industry and perseverance, in The world
never could accomplish. There are eyi-
licences OF this all around US. We sec
men. for instance who ossess. an intuifive
native genius for poetry, or music. which
] another Is utterly deprived OF. In inSttn.
ces Of this kind, and numerous oii.c~s
which will readily suggest themselves TO
the reader, no cxertlon, no industry, no
self-culture, however ardent, could supply,
! the place of il; and ia this particular, we
i think the lecturer weaken the force of
his reasoning. which on other points was
oloso and Insiructi-e. Aside fiena his
his discourse:.was fulfo e lthusiastic love Of
learning, in Itself the strongest commenia-
nv on his erroneous views of what is due
TO the power and majesty of genius, and
furnish 10 the youthful mind, the cheering
! incentive 10 action. No one could have
listened 10 the rich treasures which gushef
from hisswel flied mind without lon-
gihg to possess some portion of the gen.
ius as well as the industry. which in.ur
gihg him 10 brilliant and successful
course of self-c.uItivation, las. made him
what he is, an offset of wonder, as we'll as
of administration.
Mr.. Rurritt's a1lusion to Shake SIP are
was particularly unfortunate. Tie ldea
of the Bard.of Ayonowing bis astonishing
powers of creation the rich emanations of
an Inexhaustib+e genius Peopling the worlds
which owed their existence of his fertile ,
Imag' idea that self culture and
not genius, made him wins he was is one
so utterly al variance with all our pre-
conceived views with the test monv in fact
of al! who have ever CIV, n tie subject a
Though, thai we could. bur notice, the re-
EinorkS of the eloquent lecture with I'M
Eieign slFprisa, Mr., B. Owned that Shaker
Epear surprised ALI Other poets, but asks,
F" Ire we sure his poetry was from an In
born Impulse? On the Gou liry," lie
continues, may he not be considered an
example of celf culiurel" Silakesnear's
! .eenling fan y his cxhuberan. Improvisation
the incxhauetiLl: faiIneSs, aud richness -.
his giant inselieet, which would lave roI,c6
forth rs living and ilreprcsssible torrents
spite of all neglect or obstacles thai could
nave been imposed up..H him forbid m.
thought tassb; 'ndulge1 thai ge..ios, na. lie
Unborn genius. YVES not lie main SpfIng of
tt''t SIS 4dsUGu bN IN
iustry Of sc t-cu.ture, which :, this in
slanrt,-a in all others Of simia. char.
acter mu i be hooked upon as indc<>
pensab'e al is III the dcvelo., eel OF the
lborn, native powers of eaius.
Mr.. Buri is young man. He is bu
thntg years o .tF-and ysl he has acquired
la knowledge OF moro ttlau fly languages,
embracing ali the most dStlcuIr- Much
of his time must hive been spent IA the
fulii'mcnt of this Hercnlean fasS.-He is
remarkable instant Of rare intellect asso.
cideI tn great memory. and patient,
psrsev, ring industry---a living illustraii"a
Of WIN; portions of his lecture want 50
strongly 10 diSproye. Ii must be admit
ted, however, in conciusi u, that if TIC
/ young are to err at al, it is Far better they
should dose N iI:Gking that industry aud
perseverance viii &C On9iish alIihings---
for ii IS certain that without these. the
lfjiest genius viii accomplish compsralive
4 y nothlnS.