Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1856-01-26
skettg
DIR. KANE.
A SKETCH, BY DR.. WILLIAM ELDER.

SKETCH, BY DR.. WILLIAM ELDER.
When mans life is heroic, and his name
has pasaed into history, the world wants to
know him personally, intimately. The grave
aud reverend chronicer," passing over his be-
gnnings, presents him abruptly in his full
grown greatness, men render the admiration
earned, but the sympathetic emulation ava
kened is concerned to know how he grew in
to his maturity Of excellence. This curiosity
is not an idleness of the fancy, but personal
interest in the facts that springs out of those
aspirations which put every man upon the
fuIfment Of his own destiny. How came this
man to eXcel-what was in him-what hap
pened to develop it ? Some men are born
great; some achieve greatness some have
greatness thrust upon them" How came
this man by it? Is it within my reach also +?
and, by what means? History provolies US
with such queries as these: Biography an-
swers them.
Doctor Elisha Kent K ane is not quite thir-
ty-four years old, yet he has done more than
circumnavigat the globe he has visited and
traversed India, Africa, Europe. South Amer
lea, the islands of the Pacific, aud twice PEN
etrated the Arctic region to the highest lati-
tude attained by civilized man, He has en-
cDuntered the EXTREMIST perils Of sea and
land. in every climate of the globe he has
| discharged in turn the severest duties Of the
soldier and the seaman; attached to the Uni.
ted States Navy as q surgeon, he is never.
theless, engaged at one time in the coast sur.
vey Of the tropical ocean, and in Il month or
two, we find him exploring the frigid zone :;
and all the while that his personal experieu
ces had the character of romantic adventure,
he was pusing them in the spirit of scientific
and philanthropic enterprise.
As boy, his instructive bent impelled him
to the indulgence and enjoyment of such ad-
ventures as were best fitted t. train him for
the work before him. His collegiate studies
suffered some postponement while his physi-
cal qualities pressed for their necessary train
| ing ard discipline. 1t was almost in the spi-
| rlt OF truancy that he explored the Blue
Mountains OF Virginia, as student of geolo.
gy, under the guidance of Professor Rodgers
ana cultivated, at once, his hardihood of vital
energy and those elements of natural science
which were TO qualify him for his after seryi,
ces IN the field OF physical geography. But
IN due time he returned to the pursuit Of lit
erature, and achieved the usual honors as
well as though his college studies had suffer
ed no dlyersion-his muscles and nerves were
educated, and his brain lost nothing by ths
lndireetness OF its development, but was ra
ther cerroborated for all the uses which il
has served since. He graduated at the Uni
versty OF Pennsylyania-frst in its colleg
ate and afterwards, in its medical, depart
ment. His special rellshes in study indicated
his natural drift: chemistry and surgery ma
tural science in its most intimate converse
| with substance, and the remedial art in il,
most heroic function. He went out from hi.
dina Moter good classical scholar, goot
| chemist, miperalOpst astronomer anil snr
geon. But he lacked. or thought he lacked