The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1846-04-24
From the Western Literary Messenger.
Eg.lI.U EgEElEY,
PHILADELPHIA, 1916.
THE LEARnED BLACKSMITH.


There is often a great deal of GU
riosity expressed to learn the history
of this extraordinary man and it is
the object Of this article by giving
the public brief sketch Of his lie
and history, to satisfy this and also,
by correcting some erroneous i'm
pressions, to do justice to one who
truly deserves the epithct Of ''na-
lures nobleman."
Elihu Burritt was born in New
Britain, Conn, in Dec, 1911. He
was the youngest Of five brothers
who with five sisters, comprised lis
fathers family. Of these, the mo-
Their, one brother, and four sisters
are still living.
His parents were religious per-
sons, and educated their children in
strictly religious manner. though
neither in aillucnt circumstances nor
occupying very high station in life,
yet they comprchended fully their
dignity in the common birth-right OF
the race, and taught their children
also to feel and act upon it, Their
home education prepared them to
feel they were men, and to attempt
to do and claim every thing that be-
longed to men. The result has
made men Of them suited TO render
the state some service, and 10 do
common honor to their race.
Mr.. Burritt, in common with the
rest of his brothers and sisters, en-
ioyed the New England privilege of
attending the "District Schooll' for
three months every winter; until
the death Of his father, which occur
cd in his sixteenth year, made tine
ccssary for him to devote his attcn-
ton to the care of his family and by
his own eXcrtion contributed to-
wards its support.
About this time he apprenticcd
himself to the trade of Blacksmith,
and continued TO serve these indcn-
lures with very little change of par
ticular interest in his history until
he attained his legal majority. The
period Of his literary efforts may be
said then to have commenced.
Incidents occurred however OF
much earlier date, giving indica-
tons Of character, and calculated
to exert an influence in the forma-
ton Of it. During the period Of his
childhood, the old soldiers of the re-
volution, of whom one remained in
almost every house in the neighbor-
hood, were accustomed to assemble
at his fathers, and relate the storic,
of the war. He used to stand in tn,
corner and listen with deep emotion
to these relations, while his post o
honor was to draw the cider to hell
on the inspiration. Here taSt,
was created for this kind of stories
When he began to read, it influenced
MS selection of books--and anon,
these the Bible took the lead. Blu
1t seems his attention was coninc,
to the historical part of it, an,
was to great extent SuSpcn
dcd, when its stories of surpassin,
interest were exhausted.
lie next found access to the tow,
library, in which his father owned
shac, and to such a degree was hi
taste for reading awakened, that h,
had soon read every book of history
travels, etc, which the library con
tanned. He next proceeded to pc
etry, Thompson's Seasons took hi
first attention in this department
From his paucity of books, and low
OF this kind Of poetry, he Unite
himself to one page day, lest h
should get through lis luxury 10
soon. Ioung's Night Thought,
Pollock's Course of Time, Shake
speare and Milton, were secret
stored away in his mental trcasur,
with the same keen appetite. Thu
he went on through the term of hi
double apprenticeship, playing wit
the muses. on the forge of Vulcar
until he became good blacksmith
'"u ''c master Of his trade.
i ABOUT this period, in ~.,'er I