Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1859-11-10
The Young Philosopher.

Mr.. solomon Wlntnrop was II Plaih oiu
farmer-.an austerc, precise man, who did
everything by established rules, and could see
no reason why people should grasp at things
beyond what had been reached by their great
grandfathers. He had three children two
boys and girl. There was Jeremiah, seven
teen years old, Samuel fifteen, and Fanny,
thirteen.
1t W cold winters day. Samuel was
in the kitchen reading book, and so inter-
estcd was he that he did not notice the en-
trance of his father. Jerry was in an oppo-
site corner engaged in ciphering out a sum
which he had found in his arithmetic.
"Sam," said the father to his youngest
boy, " have you worked out that sum yet ,"
" No, SIR returned the boy, hesitatingIy.
Didn't tell you to stick to your arith-
metic till you had done it?" uttered Mr.,
Winthrop in a severe tone.
Samuel hung down his head, and looked
troubled.
"Why haven't you done it?" continued
the father.
81 can't do it, sir" tremolingy returned
Samuel.
Cant do it and why not ? Look at
Jerry, there, with his slate and pencil. He
had ciphered further than you have, long be-
fore he was as old as you are
Jerry was always fond of mathematical
problems, sir, but cannot fasten my mind
on them. They have no interest for me-
"That's because you don't try to feel an
interest in your studies. What book is that
yon are reading?"
1t is work on philosophy, sir"
"A work on fidd.e-sticks Go, put it
away this instant, and then get your slate,
and don't let me see you away from your
arithmetic until you can work out those roots.
Do you understand me?
Samuel made no answer, but silently he
put away his philosophy, and then he got his
slate and sat down in the chimney corner.
His neither lip trembled, and his eyes moist
encd, for he was unhappy. His father had
been harsh towards him, and he felt that it
was without cause.
Sam" said Jerry, as soon as their father
had gone, /" | will 90 that sum for YOU"
"No, Jerry, returned the youngest broth
err, with a grateful look, " that will be de-
ceiving father. will try to do the sum- but
| fear | shall not succeed
Samuel worked very hard, but all to no
purpose. His mind was not on the subject
before him. The roots and squares, hypoth-
enuses and perpcndiculars, though compara-
lively simple in themselves, were to him a
mingled mass of incomprehensible things
and the more he tried, the more he became
perplexcd and bothered.
The truth was, his father did not under
stand him.
Samuel was a smart boy, and uncommon
ly intell gent for one Of his age. Mr. Win
throp was a thorough mathematician he
never yet came across problem he could moi
solvc and he desired that his boys should be
like HIM, for he considered that the acme of
educational perfection lay in tho power oil
conquering Euclid, and he often expressed
his opinion that, were Euclid living then, he
could give the old gcomctrlcian hard tus-
sell" He seemed not to comprehend that
different minds were made with different Ca
pacities, and what one mind grasped with
ease, another, with equal power, would fail
to comprehend Hence because Jeremiah
progressed rapidly in his mathematical stud
les and could already survey Il piece of land
Of many angles, he imagined that because
Samuel made no progress in the same branch
he was idle and careless, and treated him &C.
cordingly. He never candidly conversed
with his younger son, with view to ascer.
tain the true he:t of his mind, but he had
his own standard of the power of all minds
and he pertinaciously adhered to it.
There was another thing that Mr.. Win.
throp could not see, and that was, that Sam
uel was always bordering upon such profta
bic matter as was interesting to him, and
that he was scarcely ever idle; nor did the
father see, either, that if he ever wished hi.
boy to become mathematician, he was p ur
suing the very course to prevent such fe
suit. Instead of endcavoring to make thu
study interesting to the child, he was making
it obnoxious.
The dinner hour came, and Samuel had
not worked out the sum. His father was an
CRY, and obliged the boy to 90 without hi
dinner, at the same time telling him he was
an idle, lazy child.
Poor Samuel left the kitchen, and there h.
sat and cried. At length his mind SCENE,
to pass from the wrong he had suffered at tn
hand of his parent. and took another turn
and the marks of grief left his face. Their
was a large fire in the room below his cham
Der, so that he wss not very cold, and gettin
up he went to small closet, and from be
meath lot of old clothes he took forth som
long strips of wood and commenced whit
ling. 1t was not for mere pastime that h
whitfield, for he was fashionimg some curiou
affair from those pieces of wood. He ha
bits of wire, little scraps o. tin plate, piece
of Irvine, and dozens of small wheels that h
made himself, and he seemed to be workin
to get them together after some peculia
fashion of his own.
Half the afternoon had thus passed ava,
when his sister entered his chamber. 81
had her apron gathered up in her hand, ar
after closing the door softly behind her, 81
approached the spot where her brother sat.
"Here, Sammy--see, I have brought yc
something to eat know you must be hun
cry"