The banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1844-1847, 1846-04-22

hioHl III 'e,-letuill IL lilc SWOfa 10 lis
scabbarl and ac at peace. \. V. R.
c--=----------
From :" "h;/adeIpai@ Satus1toy Coarirr
not Small Beginnings.
ltiS I'd in the Gcn,Icman's NEaca-
zine. uhan;ry. the celebrated sculptor,
that, when Il boy, he was observed bv Il
gentleman in the neiehborhood OF Shcf-
field very attcntivcly engaged in cutting
stick of wood with penItnifc llc
asked the lad what he was doing: when,
with great simplicity Of manner, but
with great courtesy, he replied, 81 am
cutting old Fox's head" Fox was the
schoolmaster of the village. On this.
tho gentleman asked to see what hc had
done, and pronouncinG it to be an cx-
ccllent likeness, gave the youth :, six
pence. And this may be rcckoncd the
first money Chantry ever received for
the production Of his art
This anccdo,c is but one in :. thou
sand that might be cited of as ma
ny different men who from small begin
nings rise to station and influence: and
shows the importance of not dcSpsny
the day of small things, in any condition
Or circumstance Of life. All nature, in
fact, Is full Of instructive lessons on this
point, which it would be well for us
more thoroughly to study and apprcci-
ate.
The river rolling onward its accumu-
lated waters 10 the ocean, was in its
small beginning but an oozing rill. trick
ling down some moss covered rock. and
winding like Il silver thread between
the green banks to which it impaired
vcrdure. The tree that sweeps the air
with its hundred branches, and mochs
at the bowling the tempest, was in its
|aIpell beginning Gut little seed trodden
dntlcr foot, unnoiccd then small
shoot that the leaping hare might have
forever crushed.
Everything around US tells us not to
dcspse small beginnings; for they arc
the lower rounds ola ladder that reaches
to great results, and we must step upon
these before we can ascend higher.
Hespise not smull beginnings Of
wealth.
The Rothschilds, Girard, and most of
| the richest men, began with small
means. From cents they proceeded TO
! dollars; from hundreds to thousands ;
and from thousands to millions Efad
they neglected these first earnings, had
| they said Within themselves, what is the
us" Of these few cents 2 they are not Of
much value, an,! will jus, spend them,
and enjoy myself as go-thcy would
! never have risen to be the wcalthicst
among their fellows. 1t is only by this
economical Outstanding Of means that
they increase TO large sums. 1t is the
hardest pant Of success to gain little !:
this lille once gained, more will easily
follow.
Despisc not small beginnings of edu-
cation.
Franklin had but little early educa-
! ton yet look at what he became, and
how he is revcrenced Furgusson, fee
ding his sheep on the hills of Scotland,
picked up merely the rudiments of flcarn-
ing, bat subsequently rose TO be one of
the first astronomers Of Europe Her
schell, the great astronomer, was, in his
youth a drummer-boy 10 marching
regiment, and received but a little more
than drummer-boy's education; but
this name is'now associated with the
brightest discoveries Of science, and is
borne by tho planet that his zeal disco
vered. A host of instances rise up TO
testify that, by properly improving the
small and perhaps imperfect beginnings
OF acknowledge, they may become as foun-
dation stones of a temple of learning,
which the future shall gaze upon and
admire.
A man can scarcely be too avaricious
in the acquisition of learning; he should
hoard up his intellectual gain with the
utmost assiduity and diligence; but,
unlike the lucre,seeking miser, must put
out his knowledge at usury, by lending
out his stock to others, increase by the
commerce of his thoughts his capital,
until his talent shall have, become five,
and these five shall have gained to them