The weekly Lancaster gazette. (Lancaster, Ohio) 1852-1855, 1854-11-30

why, what use can you have for so many
books? Young people at your age, have
seldom read beyond the tenth chapter OF
. Nehemiah
L can boast said Ben, 'of having read
la great deal beyond that myself: but still l
T should be sorry if I could not get trunk
full to read every six months
At this, the governor, regarding him
with look of surprise, said
You must then, though SO young, be
a scholar; perhaps teacher OF the Ian
guages.'
No, SIR answered Ben, Il know no Ian
guage but my own
What, not Latin nor Greek?'
No sir, not word of either
why, don't you think them necessa-
ry?
4 don't set myself up as judge-but l
should not suppose them necessary"
'Ah! well, should like to lear your
reasons
well, sir, am not competent to give
reasons that would satisfy u gentleman of
your learning, but the following are the
reasons with which | satisfy myself: l
look on language merely asarbitrary sounds
or character, whereby men communicate
their ideas to each other. Now l already
possess a language which is capable of con-
veying more ideas than shall ever acquire;
were it not wiser in me to improve my
time in sense through that one language,
than waste it in getting mere sounds thro'
fifty languages, even ii | could learn as
many
Here the governor paused a moment,
though not wilhouta little red on his checks,
for having put Ben and chapter x of Ne.
hemiah so close together. However, catch
ing new idea he took another start
"Well, but my dear sir, you certainly
differ from the learned world, which is,
you know, decidedly in favor of the Ian
guages.
i would not wish wantonly to differ
fromc the learned world, said Ben, 'espe-
cially when they maintain opinions which
seem TO me founded in truth. But when
this is not the case, to differ from them /
have ever thought Tiny duty; and especial
ly since studied Locke
'Locke! cried the governor with sur
prise, you studied Locker
Yes, sir, / studied Locke on the Uner-
standing three years ago, when l was thir-
teen.'
You amaze me, sir. You study Locke
on the Understanding, at thirteen.
Yes, sir, did
We'll, and pray at what college did you
study Locke at thirteen; for at Cambridge
College in old England, where got my
education, they never allowed the senior
class TO look at Locke till eighteen
Why, sir. it was my misfortune never
70 be at college, or even grammar
school, except nine months when | was a
child.
Here the governor sprang from his seat,
and staring at Ben cried out
Never alta college! Well, and where
and where did you get your education
pray?'
AT home sir, in talow-c chambers
shop
in tallow- -chandler's shopr screamed
the governor.
Yes, sir, my father was poor old tai
low chandler, with sixteen childred, and |
the youngest Of all; at eight years Of age
he put me to school, but finding he could
not spare tho money from tie rest of the
childred to keep me there, he took me
home to the shop, where l assisted him by
twisting the candle wicks and filing the
moulds all day and at night read by my
SELF
Here the governor patted his hands to-
gether, and gave loud whistle, while his
eye balls, wild with surprise, rolled about
in their sockets as if in amind to hop out.
Impossible, young mani he exclaimed,
impossible; you are only sounding my ere
dulity. can never believe the one hall
OF this Then turning to the captain he
said-'Captain, can this young man here
be aiming at any thing but to quiz mo?'
No indeed, please your excelency,' re-
piled the captain, MIR. Franklin is not quiz
zng you; he is saying what is really true,
for | am acquainted with his father and
. family
The governor then turning to Ben, said
more moderately-'Well, my dear wonder
full boy, | ask your pardon for doubling
your word, and now pray tell me, for feel
a stronger desire than everto hear your OBJ
lection to learning the dead languages
why, sir, l object to it principally on
account of the shortness of human life
Taking them one with another, men do not
live above forty years-Plutarch, indeed,
puts it at thirty-three. But say forty
Well, ofthis, full ten years are lost in child
hood, before any boy thinks of Latin
, grammar; this brings the forty down tc
, thirty. Now, of such a moment as this tc
, spend five or six years in learning the dead
languages, especially, when all the bes
A books in those languages are translated into
| ours-and, besides, we already have more
books on every subject than such short
4 lived creatures can ever acquire-seems
t very prepostcrous.
4 We'll, what are you to do with theiI
t great>poets, Virgil and Homer, for exam
Y pie; suppose you would notthink of trans
lating Homer, out of his rich native Greek
f into our poor, homespun English, woult
G your
: why not, sir?
t why, should as soon think of trans
d planting apine apple from Jamaica to Bos
: ton
/ We'll, sir, skillful gardener, with hi
n hot-house would oiva ne noorly nc 6na