Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1856-04-25

the knowledge or administering to the
comforts and happiness of their fellow
men.
Richard Arkwright passed the earlier
part of his life in the humble occupation
of barber-but he was fond of reading.
and what proved of more value to him,
he had early acquired habits of reflection.
He conceived the idea of spinning cotton
by means of machinery, and notwithstan-
ding he was miserably poor and friend
less Notwithstanding he was everywhere
ridiculed, as visionary protector, who
deserved a cell in mad house, by the
force of energy and application he sue
ceeded in carrying his design (Which has
proved SO beneficial to the human race)
into efect-and afterwards revealed in
all the luxuries ofwealth, and was knigh-
ted by his sovereign.
John Leslie was the son of humble
farmer of Largo, in the Lowlands OF
Scotland, and when he had attained his
sixteenth year he had made considerable
progress in all the branches taught at the
village school. He was then employed
as herdsman-and as the pastures In
which he tended his cattle was for the
most part hedged in, his attendance was
more necessity of being in the fields,
than an employment. This gave him lei
sure, and he sought to improve his mind.
By some means he became possessed OF
a copy of Simpsons Euclid, upon which
he commenced his career as a matheti-
clan. He powdered the footpaths of the
hedge with sand-delineated his figures
thereon-and closing his book, went
through his demonstration. It so hap
pened that one day the minister of Lar
90 was taking a walk-which led him BY
the other side of the hedge, and he was
startled by hearing muttered sounds, and
and listening he could hear distinctly the
words angls-triangle-perpenaicuLar,
and hypOthenuse-and A, B, C-mingled
with words and sentences. This must
be the mathematics" quoth the minister
of Largo-and he was truly astonished
TO find jock Leslie overcoming that in
solitude and without instructions which
the minister himself had never been able
sflfrufr~ Ut soF. z1ii1dTew-s University
Suffice it to say that by his means Leslie
received a University education-be-
came afterwards distinguished for hi:
scholastic attainments and grasp Of in
tellect-and succeeded the lamented Play
fair as Professor OF National Philosophy
in the Edinburg University.
William Clifford was the son of dis
sipated mariner, and at his fathers deatl
was left friendless and forlorn; he wa
put on board coasting vessel by his god
father, as a cabin boy, where he remain
ed until he was fourteen years of age
He was afterwards apprenticed to
shoemaker, and continued at this trad
until he was nineteen years old. Dur
ing his apprenticeship, he devoted ever
leisure moment to study, and without an
instruction made himself master of a
: zebra and Geometry. Being destitut
of paper, pens and ink, he hammered Oh
pieces of leather as smooth as possibl'
and wrought his problems on them wit
blunted awl. His perseverance an
industry were rewarded. The fame I
his literary pursuits reached the ears
a gentleman, who interested himself
: his fate-he was the means of purcha
7 ing the remainder Of his time, and
} placing him in situation, where he cou
Is acquire a classical education-and he &
terwards became one ofthe ablest writel
Il and most distinguished critics Of his da