Litchfield enquirer., 1846-12-03
The AristOcracY Of Merit.

We acknowledge in this world, no "Kings
by the grace of Goo. l." but those who rule,
Lords of the human mind. This, and this
only, bears the divine impress. "Poets are
bern, not made" is proverb, the pith Of
which is equally applicable to every branch
of mental endeavor. Genius, of whatever
complexion, whether it rules in mechanics,
philosophy, poetry, or the arts, is equally
child of the Divine. As to it's natural gear,
it shines equally in homespun or courtly
trapping. The verses of the beggar Homer,
we're as melodious, as though spoken by
prince On his throne Of imperial blue. The
discovery Of world, was as illustrious in
Columbus, poor carpet weaver, as if ac-
companied by Ferdinand himself. The
ora,ory Of Demosthenes the cutler was as
terribly impressive, as though he had been
the child of wealth and luxury-yes, and
we may even say more So for had this been
the case the world would probably have new
er heard of his fame. Oliver Cromwell was
tbs son of a brewer. Ben. Franklin, as the
world we'll knows, was a journeyman printer.
Yet the liehtnings of heaven condescsnded
from their imperial places of thunder, TO &C.
knowledge the power of his transcendent
genius. The illustrious Howard, whom
neither dangers nor death could terrify or
conquer, whose tenevolence two hemispheres
delight 10 remember: this specimen Of true
as 10 have been nut apprentice to grocer
Or. Thomas, Bishop of Worcester, was the
son Of linen draper. The illustrious
Whitfield was the son of an inn-keeper.-
Sir Cloudsley Shovel rear Admiral Of En-
gland, was first shoemaker'S apprentice,
and afterwards cabin boy The celebra-
tel Bishop Prideaux worked in The kitchen at
Exeter College, Oxford. Cardidal Wolsey
was the sou of butcher. Ferguson, the
Astronomer, like may others Of the same
star gazing propen iy. was originally a
shepherd. Hogarth of world wide fame was
put apprentice to an engraver Of pewter pots.
DR. Mountain, Bishop Of Durham, was the
son Of beggar; Virgil Of potter; Horace
of a shopkeeper; Plautus Of a baker
Shakespeare, whom the whole world deligh,
to honor, and almost Acknowledgements,
the renowned, the witty, wise, sublime" the
immortal the poor child Of an hum
bic wool stapler The Bard who sung OF
Paradise Regained'-,he sturdy defender
of human liberty, and the rights of con
science, was from no royal stock or ancient
pedigree--he was the son Of a plain money
scrivener The great Ben Johnson was
not above working with his own hands as
bricklayer. The hero of Highland Ma
ry' was p!oughman in Ayrshire; Chatter
ton. the poet. son Of sexton; Gray, whose
'Elegy in country churchyard' will live
as long as time endures, or hearts are at.u.
ned to the tender, the touching, and the true.
was the son of petty scrivener. Henry
Kirk White (alas who does not weep over
the untimely grave Of one so strangely gift.
ed) he whom Byron's name was honored in
eulogising, the melancholy poet of midnight
and tears, he ,oas The son Of a butcher. Bloom
field and Clifford. the former of whose songs
particularly will be ever remembered for
their simple and unaffected beauty, were
both shoemakers. Thus ever from the low
horizon of earth, have the brightest gems
that deck the armament arisen. And wher
the Divine Sun Of the universe wonld en-
shroud his Divinity in the opaque Of hu
mainly, He came not in the gilded trapping'
of those whom earth hath elevated, but il
the garb Of the lowly--"in the form of ;
servant"-that man might learn the heav
en- taught doctrine Of true greatncss--,he
arislocracy Of merit--the statue Of the mnt
the nobility Of the soul.
e. $50 named from having been found lying up
on a shovel. .,