Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1856-07-21
WHAT WORKING MEN HAVE DONE.

But some may say, "Why give working
people special time to think What good use
can they make of ?' Let us see what they
haze done. Take general literature Loak
at Daniel Defoe, the author Of Robinson
Crusoe," one Of the greatest authors Of prose
fiction that ever lived; he began life a
hosier, and was almost wholly self-taught
William Bobbett, the great master Of racy
Saxon English, as ip early life farmer boy,
and afterwards a common soldier. Isaac Val
ton, the pleasing biographer and complete
angler, was linen draper. Then IN sci-
ence. Thomas Simpson, the distinguished
mathematician, wrought, for the greater part
| Of his life, as a weaver Captain Cook, ono
OF the most scientific Of English sailors. and a
very pleasing writer, was wholly self-taught.
His father, poor peasant, learned to read
when turned Of seventy, in order that he might
be able to peruse his sons voyages Ark
wright, subsequently Sir Richard, the inven-
tor OF the cotton spinning machine, was a
poor man, and commenced life as a barber.
James Brindley, the author of canal naviga-
tion in England, the first who tunneied great
hills, and brought ships across nsvigable
rivers on bridges, was q millwright. Herschel,
subsequently Sir William, originally a mu-
sieian in Hsnoverian regiment, became a
skillful optician and a great astronomer. To
him Campbell refers in the well-known line,
"Gave to thelyre Of Heaven another string"
Then for the fine arts. Chantrey was
milk and butter boy, and bis first mOdelings
were in softer material than marble. Sir
Thomas Lawrence was the son of an in-keep-
er and wholly self-taught. John Opie was
found by DR.. Wallace working in a saw-pit.
William Hogarth, the greatest master of ch ar
acter that ever developed his ideas by means
of the pencil, served his apprenticeship 70 an
engraving silversmith, and commenced his
professional career by engraving coats of arms
and shop bills
Then in poetry. Clifford, the fret editor of
the Quarterly" began life as a poor sailor
boy, and afterwards served an apprenticeship
to a shoemaker. Bloomfeld-psrdon me for
calling him the English Burns-wrote his best
poem, {" The Farmers Boy" while be, too
worked in garret as a shoemaker
Ben johnson" says Fuller, in his Eng
lish Worthless. worked for some time as a
bricklayer and mason He helped In build
ing the new structure Of Lincoln's Inn, when,
having a trowel in his hand, be had a book
In his pocket" Shakespeare, your own Will
Shakespeare, was poor mans son; his father
could not write his own name, and his cross
or mark still exists in the record Of Stafford
On-Avon to attest the fact. The poets own
education seems to have been very limited,
and tradition describes him as having lived
for q time by very humble employnents.
Then turn We to theology, the highes: range
OF all. The two Millers, DR.. Isaac, Dean of
Carlile, and his brother Joseph, author of the
well-known " History of the Church" began
life as wesvers. DIR. Pridesux, author Of the
:" Connection" and Bishop Of Worcester, got
his education by entering Oxford a kitchen
boy. John Bunyan, the greatest master Cf
allegory, and author of the second book in all
the world, was self-taught tinker These
be some Of Englsnds best workmen waO have
thought, aud thought to some purpose. These
be some Of your hosiers, and linen drsPers,
and millwrights, and masOns, and sawyers,
and shoemskers, and weavers, and bar0ers,
and tinkers. Is England proud Of them
W ell she may be. Does she want more Of
them She needs them all Then let Eng
land give her working men time to think for
the mem sake, for the master sake, for Eng
lands sake-fOr Gods sake.-LORdOR Lee
lures.