The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1857-10-17
What Working Men have Done.

But some may say, "Why give working
people special time to think! What good
use can they make of it - Let us see what
they hare done. Take general literature.
Look at Daniel Defoe, the author of ''Ro-
binson Crusoe," one of the greatest authors
of prose fiction that ever lived he began
life as hosier, and was almost wholly self
taught. William Cobbett, the great mas
ter of racy Saxon English, was in early life
farmers boy, and afterwards a common
soldier. Izaac Walton, the pleasing bio
grapher and complete angler, was linen
draper. Then in science; Thomas Simpson,
the distinguished mathematician, wrought,
for the greater part of his life, as a weaver.
Captain Cook, one of the most scientific OF
English sailors, 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
peruse his sons voyages. Arkwright, sub
seouently Sir Richard, the inventor Of the
cotton-spinning machine, was a poor man,
and commenced life as a barber. James
Brindley, the author of canal navigation in
ENGLAND, the first who tunneled great hills,
and brought ships across nayigable rivers
on bridges, was a millwright. Herschell,
subsequently Sir William, originally a mu-
sician in Hanoyerian regiment, became a
slillful optician and great astronomer.
To him Campbell refers in the well known
line:
Gave to the Tyre OF heaven another string
/ Then for the fine arts. Chanrey was a
milk-and- butter boy, and his first modelings
we're in softer material than marble. Sir
/ Thomas Lawrence was the son of an inn
4 keeper, and wholly self-taught John Opie
was found by DR.. Walcot working in saw
pit. William Hogarth, the greatest master
of character that ever developed his ideas
by means of the pencil, served his appren-
ticeship to an engraving silyersmith, and
commenced his professional career by en-
craving coats of arms and shop-bills. Then
in poetry. Clifford, the first editor Of the
Quarterly" began life as poor sailor
boy, and afterwards served an apprentice
ship to Il shoemaker. Bloomfeld-pardon
me for calling him the English Burns-wrote
his best poem, ''The Farmers Boy" while
he, too, worked in garnet as a shoemaker
"Ben johnson" says Fuller, in his English
Worthless" 'worked for some time as q
bricklayer and mason. He helped in the
building of the new structure OF Lincoln S
Inn, when, having trowel in his hand, he
had book in his pOsket." Shakespeare
your own VIII Shakespeare, was a poor
mans son his father could not write hi
name, and his cross or mark still exists II
the records Of Sratford-on-Avon to attes
the fact. The poets own education seem:
to have been very limited, and tradition de-
scribes him as having lived for a time b,
very humble employments. Then turn We
to theology, the highest range of all. The
two Miners, DR.. Isaac, Dean Of Carlisle
and his brother Joseph, author Of the we'll
known 'History of the Church" began life
as weavers. DR.. PrideauX, author Of thu
"Connection, and Bishop of Worcester
cot his education by entering Oxford as I
Kitchen boy. John Bunyan, the creates
master of allegory, and author of the SECOND
best book in all the world, was selt-taugh
tinker. These be some of England's work
ing men who have thought, and thought tC
some purpose. These be some of your no
siers, and linen-drapers, and millwrights
and masons, and sawyers, and shoemakers
and weayers, and BARRIERS, and thinkers. Il
England proud of them7 Well she may be
Does she want more of them? She needs
them all. Then let England give her work
ing men time to think; for the mans sake
for the masters sake, for England's sake
for Gods sake.-Loadoa Lectures.