Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1860-04-24

= Feel love as feeting as thy smile,
And warmth as transient a. thy showers
5 Sure, if it can, it is not true, a IA
And should not bear the sacred name;
IT'S not that which never dies,
Enkind!ed by affections fame. III
M Sc ELLA N Y.
From the Nsso York Self HsIp," By SAINT Snsy1ss.
ILLUSTRIOUS OUNCES.
s@ - A CHAPTER FOR BOYS.
An interesting chapter might be written on
the subject of Illustrions Dunces-dull boys, but
brilliant men. We have room, however, for only
a few instances. Pietro di Cortona, the painter,
was thought so stupid that he was nicknamed
Ass Head" when boy and Tomaso Guidi
wss generally known as "Heavy Tom," (Masso
.ela Tomasccio,) though by diligence he after
wards raised himself to the highest eminence. -
Newton, when at school, stood at the bottom of
the lowest form but one. The boy above New
ton having kicked him, the Ounce showed his
pluck by challenging him to fight, and beat him.
Then be set to work with will, and determined
also to vanquish his antagonist as scholar,
which he did, rising to the top of his class
Many of our greatest diyines have been anything
but precocious. Isaac Barrow, when at the
Charter school-house, was notorious chiefly for
his strong temper, pugnacious habits, and pro-
verbal idleness as scholar, and he caused such
griet to his parents, that his father used to say
that if it pleased God to take from him any of
his children, he hoped it might be Isaac, the
least promising of them all. Adam Clarke, when
q boy, was proclaimed by his father to be q
'sgrievous dunce,n though he could roll large
stones about Dean Swift, one OF the greatest
writer's Of pure English, was ''plucked" at Dublin
University, and only obtained his recommended
ton to Oxford, ''speciala gratia." The well
known Dr. Chalmers and DR.. Cooks were boys
together at the parish school of St. Andrews,
and they were found so stupid and mischievous,
chat the master, irritated beyond measure, dis
missed them both as incorrigible ounces.
The brilliant Sheridan showed SO little capac
ity as boy, that he was presented to a tutor by
his mother with the complimentary accOmpanl-
ment, that he was an incorrlglble Ounce. Wal
Ter Scott was all but dnnce when 8 boy, al
ways much reader for q ''bicker" than apt ut
his lessons. At the Edinburg University, Pro-
lessor Dalzel pronounced upon him the sentence
that 'sDunce he was, Ounce he would remain"
Chatterdon was returned on his mothers hands
as u ''Ioo, OF whom nothing could be made."-
Burns was q dull boy, good only at athletic ex
ercises. Goldsmith spoke OF himself as q plant
that lowered late. Alferi lett college as wise
as when he entered it, and did not begin the
studies by which he distinguished himself until
he had run over half Of Europe. RObt. Olive
was Ounce, il not reprobate, when youth;
but always full OF energy, even in badness. His
family, glad to get rid OF him, shipped him off
to Madras and he lived to lay the foundations
of the British power in India. Napoleon and
Wellington were both dull boys, not distinguish
iDg themselves in any way at school. Or the
former the Duchess d Abrantes says, ''he has
good health, but was in other respects like other
boys" John Howard, the philanthropist, was
another illustrious Ounce, learning next to moth
ing during the seven years he was at school,
Stephenson, as a youth, was distinguished chiefly
tor his skill at butting and wrestling, and atten-
tion to his work. The brilliant Sir Humphrey
Davy was no cleverer than other boys; his
teacher, Mr.. Davies Gilbert, says of him, "while
he was with me, could not discern the quail
ties by which he was most distinguished" In
deed. he himself in after life, thought it FORUM
ate that he had been left to "enjoy SO much
idleness" at school. Watt was dull scholar,
notwithstanding the pretty stories told about
his precocity but he was, what was better, pa
tient and perseveran:, and it was by that means,
and by his carefully cultivated inventiveness that
he was enabled to perfect his steam engine.
What DR.. Arnold said of boys is equally true
of men-that the difference between one boy
and another consists not so much in talent as in
energy. Give perseverance,, and energy soon
becomes habitual. Provided the Ounce has per-
sistency and application, he will inevitably head
the clever without these qualities Slow but
sure wins the race. 1t is perseverance that ex-
plains how the position OF boys at school is so
often reversed in real lite; and it is curious to
note how some who were then 80 clever have
ruhe
dull boys of whom nothing was expected, slow in
their faculties but sure in their pace, have as
sumed the position OF men. The author of this
book, when boy, stood in the same class with
one of the greatest ounces. One teacher after
another had tried his skill upon him and failed
Corporal punishment, FOOLS cap, coaxing, and
earnest entreaty, proved alike truitless. Some
times the experiment was cried or putting him
at the top OF his class, and it was curious to note
the rapidity with which he gravitated to the in
evitable bottom, like a lump passing through
quicksilver. The youth was given up by many
teachers as an incorriglble dunce-One OF them
pronouncing him to be a ''stupendous BOBBY
Yet, slow though he was, this Ounce had dull
energy and sort Of q beefy tenaclty Of purpose,
which grew with his mu cles and his manhood
and, strange to say, when he at length came to
take his part in the practical business Of life, he
was found heading most OF his school compan-
ions, and eventually left the greater number Of
them far behind.
The tortoise in the right road will beat racer
in the wrong. 1t matters not though q youth
be slow, if he is but diligent. Quickness of parts
may even prove defect, inasmuch as the boy
who learns readily will often forget quite as
readily and also because he finds no need Of
culivating that quality OF application and per-
I
to exercise, and which proves so valuable an
element in the formation of every character
Davy said, "What am have made myself;"
and the same holds true universally.
The highest culture is not obtained from teach
ers when at school or college, 50 much as by oui
own diligent self-education when we become
men. Parents needs not to be in too great haste
to see their chidren's talents forced into bloom.
Let them watch and wait patiently, letting good
example and quiet training do their work, ard
the rest to Providence. Let them see to it, that
the youth is provided, by free exercise of his
bodily powers, with full stock Of physical