St. Charles Republican intelligencer. (St. Charles [Charles City], Iowa) 1856-1857, 1856-10-02
WORKING MEN.

Some may say, why give work.
ing people special time to think !
What good use can they make of it Z"
Let us see what they hare done. Take
general literature. Look at Daniel
Defoe, the author of Robinson CRU
soe, one of the greatest authors OF
prose fiction that ever lived he began
life as hosier, and was almost who'll
ly self-taught. William Cobbett, the
great master of racy Saxon English,
was in early life farmers boy, and
afterwards common soldier. Izaak
Walton, the pleasing biographer and
complete angler" was linen-dra-
per. Then in science Thomas Simp-
son, the distinguished mathematician,
wrought for the greater part of his
life, as weaver. Captain Cook, one
of the most scientific of English sail
ors, and 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 pursue his sons voyages.
Arkwright, subsequently Sir Richard,
the inventor of the cotton-spinning
machine, was poor man, and com
menced life as barber. James
Brindley, the author of canal naviga-
ton in England, the first who tunnel
ed great hills, and brought ships
across navigable rivers ON bridges, was
a millwright. Herschell, Subsequent
ly Sir William, originally musician in
aHanoverian regiment, became skill
full optician and great astronomer
To him Campbell refers in the we'll
known line: f#
"Gave to the Tyre of heaven another string.
Then for the fine arts. Chantrey
was milk-and-butter-boy, and his
first modelings We're in softer material
than marble. Sir Thomas Lawrence
was the son of an inn-keeper, and
wholly self-taught. John Opie was
found by DR.. Walcot working in g
saw-pit. William Hogarth, the great
est master of character that ever de
veloped his ideas by means of the pen
Gil, served his apprenticeship to al
engraving silversmith, and commenced
his professional career by engraving
coats of arms and shopbills. Then in
poetry. Clifford, the first editor Of the
"Quarterly," began life as poor sail
or-boy, and afterwards served an ap
premiership to shoemaker. Bloom
field-pardon me for calling him thu
English Burns-wrotc his best poem
in garnet as a shoemaker. Bel
Johnshn," says Fuller, in his "Englisl
Worthless" worked for some time al
a bricklayer and mason. He helpet
in the building of the new structure
of Lincoln's-Inn, when, having trow
ell in his hand, he had book in hi
pocket" Shakespeare, your own Viii
Shakespeare, was poor mans son
his father could not write his name
and his cross or mark still exists in tn
records of Stratford-on-Avon to attes
the fact. The poets own education
seems to have been very limited, an
tradition describes him as having liv
ed for time by very humble employ
ments. Then turn we to theology, tn
highest range of all. The two Mi
ners, DR.. Isaac, Dean Of Carlisle, AM
his brother Joseph, author Of the wei
known History Of the Church." be
gan life as weavers. DR.. PrideauS
author of the Connection" and Bisl
op of Worcester, got his education b
entering Oxford as a kitchen-boy
John Bunyan, the greatest master
allegory, and author of the secon
best book in all the wsrld, was sci
taught tinker. These be some of Eng
lands working men who have though
and thought to some purpose. Thes
be some of your hosiers, and liner
diapers, and millwrights, and masons
and sawyers, and shoemakers, an
weavers, and BARRIERS, and thinkers
Is England proud of them? Well sh
may be. Does she want more o
them She needs them all. Then lie
England give her working men TIM
to think for the mans sake, for tn
masters sake, for England's sake
for Gods sake.-L0ndon Lectures.