The Camden weekly journal. [volume] (Camden, South-Carolina) 1853-1861, 1854-04-18
Hisrfllanrult5.
BOyilood of Distinguished Men.

manhood and Johnson says Of Goldsmith,
ithat he was "plant that fowerei late" Schil-
Yer. was very idle scholar, and much fonder
OF bail and leaping than of books. The most
interesting thing told Of him as child by his
bi9grapher is, that once in the midst of 4 storm
of thunder and lightning, he climed a tree, and
when asked by his parents why he did so, re-
piled whispering, ."That the lightning was very
beausiful and he wished to see where it was
coming FROM" This story, if correct, furnish,
es an Illustration of the manner in which the
young mind delights to seek information for it.
self in'its own way.
Perhaps still more CHARACTERISTIC anecdote
isthat told ofSmeaton, the architect of the Ed
dystone Lighthouse, who when boy in petit
coats was one day discovered on the top of his
fathers house, in the act of fixing the model of
windmill which he had constructed.
But the great majority Of the most dstn
gushed men, especially of those distinguished
for their power, have been altogether. undistin-
gushed in their bayhood. Sir Isaac Newton,
perhaps the greatest man. stood very low in
his class at school, though he was fond OF me-
chanical pursuits, and of drawing various nat
ura objects. Sir David Brewster said of him
that "when he arrived at Trinity College, he
brought with him more slender portion Of
science than falls to the lot of ordinary schol-
ars; but this state of requirements Continues
his biographer) was perhaps not untavorable to
the development of his mental powers. I'm
exhausted by premature growth, and invigo-
rated by healthtul repose his mind was the
better fitted to make those vigorous and rapid
shoots which soon covered with foliage aud
fruit the genial soil to which it had been trans
ferred.''
The distinguished Sir Humphrey Davy said
ofhimself: "Fconsider it fortunate that was
left so much u myself when a child, and Put
upon no particular plan of study; and that
enjoyed so much ldleness at MIR. Coryton's
school. / perhaps owe to these circumstances
the little talents that have, and their pecul lar
application What am have made myself
| say this without vanity and in pure simpllci
ty of heart" And it is so in fact. Every man
who achieves greatness does so, not through
his requirements under teachers when boy,
but through his selfeducation after he. has be
come man.
We might adduce an immense number of
instances Of positively stupid boys who have
become distinguished and highly useful men
For instance, Isaac Barrow, the great divine,
was in his boyhood chiefly distinguished by his
propensity for fighting in which he got many
a bloody nose and his father used to say that
ifit pleased God to take from him any of his
children, he hoped it might be Isaac, who was
the least promising of all. And that prodigy
of learning, Dr.. Adam Clark, when boy, was
never happier than when "roIling large stones
about" caring nothing for learning or reading
of any sort. But at this kind of work he be-
came "uncomonly hardy" though his father
proclaimed him to be most "grevous Ounce"
Thanks to Adam Clark's power ofrong about
the large stone, in his boyhood, he was after
wards able to roll about large thoughts in his
manhood.
Napoleon and Wellington were both dull
BOYS. The former is described By the Duchess
dAbrantes, who knew him intimately when
child, as "having good health, and in other re-
spects he was like other boys" And she adds:
"My uncles have a thousand times assured me
that Napoleon, in his boyhood had none OF that
singularity of character attributed to him.
A TASTE FOR READING.-Sir John lIerschel
has declared, that 'if he were to pray for
taste which should stand him in stead under
every variety circumstances, and be source
of happiness and cheerfuness to him through
life, and shield against its ills, however things
might 90 amisS, and the world irown upon him
it would be taste Of reading" Give man
he affirtns, this taste and the means of gratlty-
ing it, and you cannot fail of making him good
and happy for you bring him contact with
the best society in all ages, with the tender
est, the bravest and the purest men who have
adorned humanity, making him den'zcn OF
all nations, a contemporary of all times. and
giving him practical proof that the world has
been created for him, for his soacc, and for
enjoyment. We all hold the reasoning to be
sound, but we are apt to limit the scope of the
humane and intelligent recommendation. If
the argument be just, it is of universal appll'
cation, and holds good of. the weaver at the
loom, of the peer in his library, ana OF the STU
dent in his "pensive citadel Wherever tSe
book has made its way, there have come also
in some degree, consolation, self respect, dug
nifty, and comfort, and thence have been cllas-
tsed some of those worst foes to our well beihS
the offspring Of ignorance and unrellectlhs
sefindulgence. If this be the fact, it is sure
ly the duty Of society to extend the blessings
of education to the remotest corners OF the
country, and to survey it to the lowest depths
"Givc man taste for reading and the means
of enjoying it," and you rescue him from the
worst enemies which his nature has to combat
Alexander Smith, the new Scotch poet is
said to be pattern drawer from muslin work