Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1857-10-14
sELF-TAUGHr MEN.


Wendell Phillips said, in his address
at Providence the other day, there were
many kinds of education. There was
the education of the n. Y. Tribune and
the II. Y. Post; and the latter kind was
quite as valuable as the former. Doubt
less in the general dissemination Of the
treasures of literature and the elaborate
powers of journalism, which our age and
land enjoy and recognize, An ambitious
youth may by lonely studies cultivate
himself almost up to the university level.
and be as worthy Of the "masters de-
gree" as any full hedged coliegian. In
this way the graduate of The Tribune
and Post, &c, although be may not act
ually yin the spurs of an intellectual
knighthOod, may be as worthy of Ihem
as any petted student of classic eloisiers
whose graduataship is rounded by the
magical diploma.
Edward Everett, in his recent brilliant
address before the Harvard Alumni, in
depreeatins the argument drawn from
the success Of ''men who Lad never been
to college," took the ground that such
men now often had the best instructors
in the printed pages to which they had
cheap and ready access. Tully, said he,
and Demosthenes and Cicero and Virgil
become their tutors and professors, and
in the great college of the world they
matriculate. This is all true, and it is
gratifying sign of the times and of the
country where ii is possible. 1t announ-
ces and heralds the elevation of all hu
manity. 1t is the best proclamation of
philanthropy, better than incendiary ad
dresses, incrssant agitation
But while this fact is a sort of signal
gun of the commencing elevation of the |
masses, it is no less true that to avail
of it, young man must have qualities
within him of an order superior to those
of the class for whom schooling cones
ready made. 1t is one thing to float i
through college curriculum, in the
fair winds of class association and per-
scribed studies, and ample explanations,
and quite another thing to tug away all
alone, plowing the wave unaided. The
knowledge gained may be nominally the
same, but the self-taught man has more
real power in his knowledge. thousand
lines than the regular, ,academician who
was rocked and dandled into what learn
ng he has.
On larger theatre, in statesmarship,
We see the same thing exempli6ed-
Your self taught man of-empire will
beat your routine statesman or diplo-
natist all hollow. Lord Palmerston
IS a red tape statesman of regular diplo-
matte growth and precedcncy. Louis
Napoleon is a sell-made man. He has
no teacher but his own soul
md the star of the great uncle;; and ac-
:ordingiy. before the parapets of the
Ialakoff. the star of England's prowess
'paled its Intellectual fires" eclipsed by t
he Gallic meteor. I
The earlier age of American states 7
nen was distinguished by men Of full /
and sometimes Of elaborate ac-
mplishment; but the latter time has
'een prolific of crop of political COM
nanders in-chief. No man new can :
iold or rise to power who has not sym
.athy with the struggles Ofthe lowly mil.
ion. II he has risen by the force of his a
wn mental muscle and indomitable will c
rom them, then he is their child, and
he great mass know him, through their n
eGrts II he has not done this, but has f
een trained in the upper air of proGes-
ional aristocracy, then he must educate f.
Iimself down again 10 the popular level,
he would iise upon the popular shoul-
ers.
1t is in admiration felt for this order OF
elf accomplished men, that the philos- I