Litchfield enquirer., 1860-03-22
s.. 4-.., 6fss s For the Litchfeld Enquirer. COUNSELS TO YOUNG. MEN. f
NUMBER TEN.
SELF MADE MEN.

l of . far better develOpement! than. can promise to give you There are two classes of selfedueated men those who work their own way through some public institution, and thep,into the liberal professions, and those l who educate themselves, without ever en toying these advantages. It would not be worth while for you all, if you could, to go through college. Bat few. of you, perhaps, expect to enter either of the learned profes- sions. You will devote yourselves to agri, culture, to merchandise, to manufacturing or to the mechanic arts so that full clas. sical course would take up more time than yon can spare.d. s5aser.e 5fa.gs -a.t,ss a. .;n. l For all the professions, technically SC called, public education, though not abso.
 lutely essential in every case, is highly desi, rabie. We must have class of men thor ougbly ducated-learncd in the law and in the sciences in the arts and in literature. To this end, we must have an adequate num- Der of colleges, and able professors and it 1 is highly desirable, that such young men as have taste and aptitude for classical learn ing, should enjoy the hest advantages and the great qucston-witl many of them is, how to procure the ncedfuI funds. For such have word of encouragement. You would he surprised to learn how many of the most prominent men are, and have been, of the tumblest origin, and indebted to their own efforts for their education, both classical aud professional. ..l:fl.,5 ............
 l could give you the names of men of the highest distinction in the pulpit, at the Bar, in Congress, and Professors ill our literary institutions, who worked tlleir way through College, in spite of every Encouragement. Indeed, it has come to be a maxim with me, that in this country, almost any young man of good talents, good habits, good health, untlring industry, and rigid economy, can get a public education, if he will. If he has to earn the means, it will tnke him longer of course, than if he had the needful funds But what of that? What if it puts him back three or four years, in entering his profession It may be all the better for him and for the public. In my judgment, most young men who have the means, enter college too early-before their minds are strong and mature enough to grapples with the harder studies and then, as a matter of course, almost, they go into the professions too early, and are much more in danger of breaking down than if they were older.
 If any of you, my young friends, who are in narrow circumstances, aspire to a public education for the sake of doing good, let not the want of funds discourage you. You will find it a serious undertaking, to be sure, as some of us have learned by experience. If you are easily discouraged if you lack industry and strong, pcrseverirg will, l advise you to give the thought up But if you are willing to work hard, and economze, and take time enough if you can make up your minds to encounter difficulties, and de-
 iiberntely resolve that TO effort on your part shall be wanting to carry you through, then, trusting in that good Providence which aids those who help themselves all they can go forward. You will gst e public education, and We shall hear from you You may not " stand before kings, but you shall not stand before mean men," .r. ..-.....-..... #.
 The other and much larger class of self educated men, are those who by their own efforts acquire knowledge and rise to dis tinction, without ever enjoying collegiate ad- vantages. Some of the most illustlious philosophers, statesmen, mathematicians, po- cts, orators, scientific and literary men, be- long to this class. Let me name some of them.
 One of the ableet editors of the Vest minister Review, and cue of the most brill iant writers of the passing hour, was once a cool or in Aberdeen. Clifford, the founder, and for many years, the editor of the Lon don Quarterly Review, was an orphan, and barely escaped the poor-house. First, a ship boy on board of small coasting yes sel. Then, for six years, an apprentice to shoemaker, where he, stole time from the last for mathematics and algebra and for lack of other conveniences, he used to work out his problems on leather with q blunted awl. Perhaps the best reporter to the Lon don Times, was once a weaver in Edinburgh The late Dr. Milhor of China, was herd boy. The President of the London Mis- siopary Society's College at Hong Koug, was saddler. Sir Johu Clark, her Majes- tvs physician, was druggist. All these, aud many others whom I might name, did my limits allow were self-educated men.
 And to rise still higher: Sir William Herschell one of the greatest astronomers of modern times, was first 9 musician in a Hanoverian regiment, and an orgauist in a chapel at Bath.r, In4 his late hours, he stud jed astronomy. Finding the purchase of a powerful telescope, too expensive for his means, he , constructed one for himself, through which he discovered new planet and named it Georgian Sidus. The illustri- ous .philauthropist John Howard, was inhis boyhcod, bound as an apprentice to agro- cer.. John Hunter, a surgeon of great ce- lebrity in the last century, labored till the age of twenty, as q carpenter and cabinet maker. The celebrated painter, Sir Thomas Lawrence, had very scanty education, but acquired U large fund of Knowledge by read tug. 7i aI es t#ai 5'aa s' lI -9a'7i. st ai
 Robert Burns, a poet of 8Lom Scotland
 sill ever be proud, was the son of a small
 s1nn ,arnler ana gardner. He first laboreu on the
 ln farm, and then became flax-dresser. His premises being burnt down. he next took a d small farm with young brother n the
 mean time, reading was the. delight of alJ
 his leisure moments. The perusal of some of the best British poets, walked un his ran. jus, and with very little education, he enroll ed his name high on the catalogue. Hay den, one of the greatest musicians and com, 'fposers of Germany, was the son of a poor cartwright, and nearly all the education he received, was from schootmaster, who kind. iygaye him. instruction in music, for which he perceived the boy had 8 remarkable gen. ius. The renowneds English painter, Ho. l tror ~.Ig c-.-xx x-..