Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1851-04-08
VOL. 52.-NO. 6.
NEVER roo OLD TO LEARN.

NhtEh IVu ULD fV LEdkN.
The following well authenticated facts
well illustrate the principle that man Is nev
err fooold to learn:
ooerafes. AZ an extreme old age, learnt
10 play on musical instruments. Tbi.
would look ridiculous for some Of The rich
old men IN our city, especially If thev
should take i, into their heads 10 ,hrom
guitar under alady's window. which Soc.
fa'es Gid not do; bu, only learn, 10 play
upon some instrument of his dine. NOT !
guitar. tor the purpose ofresis,ing the wear
and tear Of old age.
ldfo, Of eighty years Of age. though,
proper 10 learn the Greek language. MANY
OF our young men at thirty and forty, have
forgotten even the alphabet Of language.
the knowledge Of which was necemsry 10
enter college, and which was made dailv
exercise through college. A fine COM
meni upon love Of letters. truly. n
Pfutarch, when between seventy ard
go, commenced The study OF the Latin.
Many OF our young lawyers, no. thirty
years o. age, think that nis,. prius, scire
tacias, &c, are English expressions: and
hyou tell them tina, knowledge Of the
Latin would make them appear a lille
more respectable in their professions they
are two old TO think Of Learning Lain.
Boccacio, was ttirty.fve years Of age
when ne commenced his studies ia polite
literature. Yet he became one OF the
three great masters Of the Tuscan dialect.
Dante aud Perarcli being the other two.
There are many among us ten years Young
er than Boccacio, who are dying ofSnntu. :
and regret that they were not educated to
taste for literature, but now they are toe
old.
Sir Henry Spelmm neglected The sci.
ences OF his youth but commenced the stu
dy Of them when he was between fifty and
sixty years Of age. After this time he be.
came the mosi learned antiquarian and
lawyer. Our young men begin 10 think
OF laying their seniors on the shelf when
they have reached sixty years Of age.
How different the present estimate put
upon experience from tha, which charac-
terlzed a certain period OF the Grecian re-
public, when man was not allowed TO o.
pen his month in caucuses or political mee-
tings, who was under forty years fl
Colbert, the famous French Minister.
al SIXTY years Of age, re,uraed',o his Latin
and law studies. How many Of our col
lcge-learn. men have ever looked into
their classes since their gradua,ioni
DR., johnson applied himselftothe Dotch
Language but few years before his death.
Most OF our merchants and lawyers Of
twenty five, thirty and forty wears Of age.
are Obliged TO apply 10 teacher TO trans.
lste business letter written in the French
language, which might be learnt in the
tenth part Of the time required for the stu
dy Of the Dutch; and all because they are
Zoo oidfo learn.
Ludorico .M0aaldesco. at The grea. sgs
ofone hundred and fifteen, wrote the mem
or' ofh own times singular exeriion,
noticed by Vollaire. who was himself one
of the most remarkable instances of the
progress OF age in new studies.
Ogilby,the translator of Homer and Viz
gil, was acquainted with Latin and Greek
till he was past fifty.
Franklin, did not fully commence his
philosophical pursuits till he had reached
his fltie,h year. How many among us Of
thirty, forty, and fifty, who read nothing
but newspapers for the want Of taste for
natural philosophy Blu. they are too old
TO learn.
.7ccrso, great lawyer. being asked
why he began the study OF law so late, an
swered that indeed he began il late, but
he should therefore master it the sooner.
This agrees with our theory, .ha, heal.
thy old age gives man the power of &C.
compllshing difficult study in much less
time than would be necessary 10 one Of
half his years.
Dryden, in his sixty eighth year, COM
nenced the translation Of the Iiad; and
his most pleasing productions were written
in his old age.
We could go on and cite thousands OF
examples Of inch who commenced new
study and struck out into an entirely new
pursuit. either for livelihood or amusement
at an advanced age. But every one IA.
mllIar with The biography Of distinguish.
&c men, will recolleci individual cases g.
nough 10 convince him that none but the
sick and ndolent will ever say, lam too
old 10 study.