Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1856-08-06
COL. FREMONT.

Dy Dr. d. ROBERTSON, and publish ed by Lippln-
colt & Co., Philadelphia, in 1850. In the pre-
face to this work, which is dated Philadelphia,
August, 1850, DR.. Robertson. addressing him
self to the student for whose use his book was
designed, relates for their encouragement what
he calls cav very remarkable instance of patient
subioin his narrative:
SIN the year 1927, after / had returned to
Charleston from Scotland, and my classes
were going on, very respectable lawyer came
to my school, think some time in the month
of October, with youth apparently about six
teen, or perhaps not much, of middle size,
graceful in manners, rather slender, but well
formed, and upon the whole, what would call
handsome; of keen, piercing eye, and no.
ble forehead, seemingly the very seat of ge-
MUS. The gentleman stated that he found
him given to study, that he had been about
three weeks learning the Latin rudiments, and
(hoping, suppose, to turn the youths atten-
tion from the law to the ministry, ) had resolv-
ed to place him under my care for the purpose
of learning Greek, Latin and Mathematics, suf-
ficient to enter Charleston college. l very
gladly received him, for 1 Immediately per-
ceiyed he was no common youth ,as intelligence
bcamed in his dark eye, and shone brightly on
his countenance, indicating great ability, and
an assurance of his future progress. 1 at once
put him in the highest class, just beginning to
read Caesars Commentaries, and although at
first inferior, his prodigious memory and en-
thusiastic application soon enabled him to sur
pass the best. He began Greek at the same
time, and read with some who had been long
at it, in which he also soon excelled. In short,
in the space of one year, he had with the
class, and at odd hours with myself, read four
books of Caesar, Cornelius Nepos, Sallust six
books of Virgil, nearly all Horace, and two
books Of Livy; and in Greek, all Gr;eca Mi
nora, about the half of the first volume of Gr;e-
ca Majora, and four books of Homer's Iliad.
And whatever he read he retained. 1t SEEM
ed to me, in fact, that he learned by mere in
tuition. / was myself utterly astonished, and
at the same time delighted with his progress.
L have limited above that he was designed for
the church, but when 1 contemplated his bold
fearless disposition, his powerful inventive ge-
MUS, his admiration of warlike exploits, and
did not think it likely he would be a Minister
of the Gospel. He had not, however, the least
appearance of any vice whatever. On the
contrary, he was always the very pattern of
virtue and modesty. l could not help loving
him, so much did he cap ptivate me by his gen.
tlemanly conduct and extraordinary progress.
1t was easy to see that he would one day raise
himself to enIinence.
"Whilst under my instruction, 1 discovered
his carly genius for poetic composition in the
following manner: When the Greek class read
the account that Herodotus gives of the battle
of Marathon, the bravery of Miltiades and his
ten thousand Greeks raised his patriotic feel
ings to enthusiasm, and drew from him ex
pressions which thought were embodied in a
few days afterward in some we'll written verses
in Charleston paper, on that far-famed une-
quail but successful conflict against tyranny
and oppression, and suspecting my talented
scholar to be the author, went TO his desk,
and asked him if he did not write them; and
hestating at first, rather blushingly, he con-
fessed he did. / then said, 81 knew you could
do such things, and I suppose yon have some
such pieces by you which L should like TO see.
Do bring them to me- He consented, and in
day or two brought me number, which
read with pleasure and admiration, at the
strong marks of genius stamped on all, but
here and there requiring, as thought, q very
slight amendment.
s.I had hired mathematician to teach both
him and myself, (for could not teach that
y in, &c aa1v do
derful progress, that at the end of one year he
entered the Junior Glass in Charleston College
triumphantly, whilst others who had been stu
dying four years and more we're obliged to
take the Sophomore Glass. About the end of
the year 1928 left Charleston, but / heard he
highly distinguished himself, aud graduated
in 1880. After that he taught mathematics
for some time, and then went to study law un-
der certain celebrated Senator. His career
afterwards has been one of heroic adventure,
of hair-breadth escapes by flood and field, and
Of scientific explorations which have made
him worldwide renowned. In a letter 1 re-
ceived from him very lately, he expressed his
gratitude to me in the following words ssI am
very far from either forgetting you, or neglec-
ting you, or in any way losing the old regard
1 had for you. There is no time to which 1
60 back with more pleasure than that spent
with you, for there was no time so thoroughly
well spent, and of anything have learned, I
remember nothing we'll, and so distinctly,
as what I required with you.' Here cannot
help saying that the merit was almost all his
own. It is true encouraged and cheered him
on, but if the soil into which I put the seeds