The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1842-12-10
TIE LEARNED BLACKSMITH
Worcc ster, Dec. 10Th, 1890

Dear Slr:-i sit down To write to You |
under a lively apprehension that you will
accept of no apology that can make for
my long slence.-Bu, before You lmpnte
to me Indifference or neglect, beg you.
my dear sir, to consider the peculiar ma
ture of my occupations-to reflect that |
my time is not at my dsi posal, and that
my leisure moments are such as can |
steal away ION the hours which my ar
duous manual labors would incline me to
allow to repose. deferred writing some
time, thinking to address you letter on
your return from the Springs; but the ma
ture of nv business became su CHI in the |
fall, tina, | was compelled to labor both
night and day up to the present time, which
is the first leisure hour that ! have had
for several months. | cannot but be CRATE
fully affected by the benevolent interest
which you manifest in my pursuits, both
in our interview in Worcester, and in the
letter for which am indebted to your
courtesy and kind consideration. thank
YOU most cordially for those expressions
of good will They are peculiarly gra-
liiyng-comlng as they do from one
whose personal acquaintance ] have not
long lad the means and pleasure OF en-
Toying; fact which proves, fear, that ]
have been thrust before the world very
immaurclv. An accidental allusion to
my history and pursuits, which made,
unlhinkingly, in letter to a friend, was,
to my unspcadablc surprise, brought be-
fore the public as rather ostcna,Ious
debut on my part to the world; and find
myself involved in a species OF notorrty
not at all in consonancc with my feelings.
Those who have been acquainted with
my character from my youth up will give
me credit for sincerity, when say, that
il never entered my heart to hlazon forth
any acquisition of my own. had, until
the unfortunate dcnoumcnt which ] have
mentioned, pursued the even tenor "t my
way unnotlced, even among my brelh-
rem and kindred. None Of them ever
thought that ! had any particular genius,
as it is called; never thought so myself
All that have accomplis he'd, or expect
or hope to accomplish, has been and will
be by that plodding, patient, persevering
process Of accrc,ion which builds the ant
heap, particle by particle, thought by thot
fact by fact. And if ever was actuated
BY ambition, its highest and iar,hest as
piration reached no farther than the hope
to set before the young men of my coun-
try an example in employing those lrag-
ments of time called odd momeats' And,
sir, should esteem it an honor of cost
llcr ~aicr than Inc tiara encircling a mon
arLl's brow, if my future activity and at
tainmcnts should encourage American
,rorking men to be proud aud Jealous OF
the credentials which God has given them
to every cminence and immunity i'll the
empire Of mind. These are the views
and sentiments with which have SAT
down night by night, for years, with bis
tered hands and Frightening hope, to stu
dies which hoped might be servlctable
to that class of community to which am
proud To belong. This is my ambition.-
This is the goal of my aspirations. But,
not only tie prize, but the whole course
lies before me. perhaps beyond my reach
'Icounl myself not yet to have attained
to any thing worthy Of public notice or
private mention; what | may do is for Pro
violence to determine.
As YOU expressed desire in your let
ter for some account of my past and pre-
sent pursuits, shall hope TO crafty you
on this point, and also rcctlly a mlsapprc-
hension which you with many Others
may have entertained ofm requirements
With regard to my attention to the Ian
guagcs. study of which am not so fond
as Of mathematics, have tried, by kind
Of prac lical and philosophical process, to
contract such familiar acquaintance with
the head of a family of languages as to In
troducc me to the other members OF the
same family. Thus, studying the Hebrew
r very critically, became really acquainted
with its cognate languages, among the
principal of which are the Syriac, Chul-
daic, Arabic, Samarata, Ehiopic, sc. The
languages of Europe occupied my atten-
ton Immediately after had finished my
classics; and studied French, Spanish,
Italian and German, under native teachers.
Afterwards, pursued the Portuguese,
Flemish, Danish, Swedish, Norwcgi ian,
Icelandic, Welsh, GAELIC, Celtic. ! then
| ven,ured on further east into tho Russian
empire; and the Sclavonic opened TO me
about dozen of the languages spoken in
that vast domain, between which the al
fniy is as marked as that between the
Spanish and Portuguese. Besides those
dialects, | have attended to many differ
enl European still in vogue. ! am now
trying to push on eastward as fast as my
means will permit, hoping to discover still
further analogies among the oriental Ian
guagcs which will assist my progress. !
must now close this hasty; though long
letter. with the assurances of my most
sincere respect and esteem.
~ T'---.sr--".