Litchfield enquirer., 1860-03-22

tie greatest poet the world lever produced He was the son of a wool-dealer in Strat-
 ford. upon Avon, and eminently selfmade man. Nearly all the learning which he possessed, he acquired at the free school in
 his native town. 74
 The list of illustrious foreign self-made
 men might be almost indefinitely heightened. Columbus was weaver. Ben Johnson
 was brlck-layer.ls Person was the son of
 the parish clerk. | Akenside, was the sou. of
 butcher. Haley, the great astronomer,
 was the son, of. a soap-boiler Belzoni was
 the son of a barber. Blackstone and South
 ey were the sons of lnen-drapers Keats,
 of livery-stable keeper, and Buchanan of
 farmer. Hugh Miller in his early life was
 Thus you see, what men can do and have
 done, to raise themselves to the highest dis
 tincton in spite of all the disadvantages Of
 poverty and caste, under monarchical gov
 ernments. Now, if when it is so hard for
 men torse above the rank in which they
 are born, industry and perseverance can sur
 mount every difficulty, ahow much more ain
 these free American States, where every ay- enue to distinction is open to the poor, as
 well as the rich. In no other part of the
 world, are there so many advantages and in citements to self-education, as here and as it might be expected we have had and still have, a much larger proportion of selfedu- cated men than any other country could ev- CT boast ofs r. .r6 s-. -..-.~,.. ss.,. .tzn. .s
 Speaking of those who have risen by their oWn efforts, and done honor to human na- ture, as we'll as to the land of their birth. where shall we begin and end the enumera- tion #t@57fi .'oe77 aa''|l27 s@ a''aa @7f
 At the head of the list, stands BEN. FRANKLIN, philosopher and statesman, who would have done honor to any nation. The life of that great seIf-made man ought to be as familiar as household words to ev- cry young American citizen, in the humblest circumstances. He was the son of soap boiler and tallow-chandler in Boston, and was early apprenticed as printer to his brother, III that town. 1t was during this short hoyltlate among types, that he began to try his powers in literary composition. Such was his thirst for knowledge, that he eagerly read in the night, the works which he had printed in the day, and from such classic writers 'as Xenophon and Heroditus derived that clear and energetic style, which afterwards characterized his writings From Boston, at the age of seventeen, he went to Philadelphia, when, after supporting him self forssome time as a joumeyman printer, he was encouraged to set up business for himself, and went to London to procure some types and a press Deceived by those who had offered to befriend him abroad, he returned as soon as he could earn money enough to bring him back :; and under bet ter auspices, established himself as q printer and stationer. His subsequent history is known by heart, in England and France, as well as in his own native land. ..........
 Next to Franklin of our self-made men, stands David Rittcnhousc, who, from being pIoughman and clock-n,aker, became all eminent astronomer, and succeeded Franklin as President of the American PhilosophicaI Society. And how, think you, did this re- markable man employ his leisure hours, af- ter laboring hard in the field and the shop Did he waste them in idle and vicious com pany, as so many young men most fatally do? No; he enriched his mind by reading and study, and so closely, did he apply him self to mathematics, as carly to master New tons Principa, and to discover the science of Fluxions. Next to Rittenhouse, I place Roger Sherman, the Connecticut shoemaker, who was born in Newtown near Boston, in 1724, and rose by the force of his superior genius, to the highest distinction as law yer and statesman, without the advantages of education He was member of the old Congress, of the Committee who drew up the Declaration of Independence, and one of its illustrious aSigners. He was also Q con spicuous member of the Convention which formed the Constitution of the Uuited States of America aud afterwards Sena- tor in Congress, which office he held until his death. He was, as one of his biogra- phers justly remarked, sagacious states man, ah able and upright judge, and an ex- emplary Christian. Patrick Henry, one of the greatest orators that this country has ever produced, received only common school education but when the revolution ary war commenced, he stood in the first rank of the patriots who denounced the en- croachments of the British Crown, and rose to the highest honoss in Virginia, his native 6tate. ss7 fH} sE, ,tagga- ss73s Ess3.'~ f!..
 'aWhat shall say more of the remarkable self-made men whose names adorn our histo- ry? The time would fail me to speak of Fulton, anc Whitney, and host of others who have departed from .the. stage, after laying mankind under lasting obligations, by
 their inventions and discoveries, by their at tainments in the sciences and useful arts, by
 their eninence in the professions, and by
 their wisdom in the councils of the nation
 9t, Of the long array of living self-made men distinguished for their requirements, stand ing and usefulness, what shall we say Who
 and where are they 7? or rather, where are they not ? You may. find them everywhere,
 in all the professions, in the most learned, scientific aud literary societies, in the most responsible and lucrative exccdtive offices,
 and in the highest departments of adminis-, ;trative justice Itis the glory of our re- public that we find them everywhere Who has not heard of the learned blacksmith !? mastering score of languages by the light of his, forge, sitting by his own anvil 2 Who was, for thirty years, or more, the pride of Kentucky, and perhaps the greatest parlia- mentary orator in Congress I need not name him. The highest office in the gift of the American people, would have honored him less than he would have houored the of fee. Nor, I am sure, would that illustrious statesman have rehuked me for coupling with hi his D name that ,of, the present able and pop
 Glar ,la. President of the young Republic of Li-
 perla, selfmade man, ard that too, under