The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1851-04-02
Never too Old to Learn.

The following we'll authentic sied facts
will illustrate the principle that man is
neuer too old 10 learn.
Socrates, at an extreme old age, learnt
TO play on musical instruments. This
would look ridiculous for some Of The
rich old men in our riiies. especially if
they should take i, iuto their heads to
ihrnm guitar under lady's window,
which Socrates did not do, hut only
learnt to play upon some instrument Of
his time, not guhar. for the purpose of
resisting the wear and tear OF f6td age.
Cato, at eighty wears Of age, thought
! proper to learn the Greek language.
Many of our young men, at thirty and
forty, have forgotten esen the alphabet
of language, the knowledge of which
was necessary To enter cullege, and which
was made daily exercise through co.'s
lege. A fine comment upon love Of let.
trs, truly.
Plu,arch. wien between seventy and
eighty, commenced the study of Latin.
Many Of our young lawyers, not thirty
years of age, think that nisi prius, scire
tdcids, dc are English expressions
and if you tell them that knowledge of
the Latin would make them appear lit
tie more respectable in their professions,
they will reply that they are TOO old to
think Of Featning Latin
Boccacio was ,hirty.hve years Of age
when he commenced his studies in polite
literature. Yet he became one Of the
three great masters Of the Tuscan das
lect, Dante and Petrarch being the othS
er two. There are many among US ten
years younger than Roccacio, who are
dying OF en"ai. and regret that they were
not educated to taste for literature, bus
now they are too old.
Sir Henry Speman neglected the sc-;
ences in his youth, but commenced the
study Of them when he was between fifty
aud sixty years Of age. After this time
he became the most learned antiquarian
and lawyer. Our young men begin To-
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 that which
characterized Certain period Of the
Grecian repubiics when a man was not
allowed 10 open his mouth in caucuses
or political meetings. who was under
forty years
CoIben, the famous French Minister, !,
at sixty years of age. returned to his
{ Latin and law studies. How many Of
our cullege.leMnl men have ever looked
; into their classics since their gradua..
, ton
DR.. johnson applied himself TO the
] Dutch language but Il few years before
Y his death. Most of our merchants and
lawyers Of twenty-five, thirty and forty
2 years Of age, are Obliged to apply to a
: teacher to translate business letter writ
ten in the French language. which might
he learnt in the tenth part OF the time
required for the Dutch and all because
n ,hev are I'm oid IN Isnrn
Ludovlco Monaldesco, at the great age
. of one hundred and fifteen, wrote the
b. memoirs of his own ,imes-a singular
II exeriion, noticed by voliaire, who was
i himself one of The mos, remark able in
y stances Of the progress Of age III new
Y studies.
Ogilby, the translator Of Homer and
Virgil, was unacquaimed with latin aud
Greek till he was past fifty.
Franklin did not fully commence hi:
l. philosophical pursuits Till he had reached
II his ffielh year. How many among u.
n Of thirty. forty aud fifty. who read moth,
ing but newspapers for the want Of a
$ taste for natural philosophy, But the,
c are too old 10 learn.
Accorso, great lawyer. being asked
why he began the study of law so late
answered that indeed he began it late
J.. hut Ire slinud therefore master il the
u sooner. 'fhis agrees with our theory
that healthy old age gives a man tn,
IS power Of accomplishing difficult stud,
u in much less time than would be neces
g sary to one Of half his years.
Dryden, in his sixiy.eighth year. com
menced the translation Of tie HAD; nn6
= his most pleasing productions were writ
" ten in his old age.
u We could go on and cite thousands o
( examples Of men who commenced e new
study and struck out into an entlrel,
: new pursuit, either fnr Livelihood or a
d musement, at an advanced age. Blu
y every one familiar with the biography o
Is distinguished men, will recolect indi
s viduul cases enough 10 convince hin
n that none but The sick and fudoleut vii
N ever say. am too cid to study.
IN
n CT AT Weslchesier, Pa, on the morning.
of the 10th ult.. about 10 o'clock, tn