, 1862-10-09
The Young Philosopher.


Mr.. Solomon Winthrop was plain old farmer
-an austere, precise man, who did everything by
established rules, and could see no reason why peO
pie should grasp at things beyond what had been
reached by their grandlathers. He had three chill
dren-two boys and girl. There was Jeremiah,
seventeen years old; Samuel, fifteen; and Fanny,
fourteen.
It was a cold winters day. Samuel was in the
kitchen reading book, and so interested was he
that be did not notice the entrance Of his father.
Jerry was in an opposite corner, engaged in cipher
ing out sum from his arithmetic
:" Sam" said the father to his youngest boy,
have you worked out that sum YETI"
"No, sir" returned the boy, hesitatingly.
didn't tell you to stick to your arithmetic
till you had done it ~ uttered Mr.. Winthrop, in
a severe tone.
Samuel hung down his head and looked troubled.
al can't do it, sir" he tremblingly replied.
Cant do itH and why not? Look at Jerry
there, with his slate and pencil. He had ciphered
further than you have, long before be was as old
as you are"
Jerry was always fond Of mathematical prob
lens, sir, but cannot faslen my mind on them
They have no interest for me-"
That because you don't try to feel an interest
in your studies. What book is that you are read
ing?"
"a work on iiddesticks! Go, put it away this
instant, and then get your slate, and don't let me
SIC you away IRON your arithmetic until you can
work out thOSt roots. DO you understand me?'
Samuel made no answer, but silently he put
away MS philosophy, and then he got his slate and
sat down in the chimney corner. His Dether lip
trembled, and his eyes mOistened. for he was un-
happy. His father had been harsh toward him,
and he felt it was without a cause.
sam" said Jerry, as soon as their father had
gone, f" will do that sum for you
No. Jerry" said Sam, with grateful look,
= that would deceive latheP will try and 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, the bass, hypothenuses and
perpendiculaTs, though comparatively simple in
themselves, were to him mingled mass Of incom-
prehensibe things, and the more he tried the more
he became perplexed and bothered. The truth
was, his father did not understand him. Samuel
was q bright boy, aud uncommonly intelligent Tor
one Of bis age. Mr.. Winthrop was q thorough
mathematician he never yet came across prob
lem he could not solve and he desired that his boys
should be like him for he considered that the
acme Of educational perfection lay in the power
of conqueriug Euclid, and he often expressed the
opinion that, were Euclid living Their he could
give the old geomietrician hard tussle," He
seemed not 70 comprehend that different minds
were made with different capacities, and what one
mind grasped with ease, another Of equal power
would fall to comprehend. Hence, because Jere-
mah progressed rapidly in his mathematical stu
dies, and could already survey a piece Of land Of
many angles, he imagined that Samuel, who made
no progress in the same branch, was idle and care
less, and treated him accordingly. He never can
didly conversed with bis younger son, with a view
Al, k,n Of ind hat ha hoA
his own standard Of the power Of all minds, and
be pertinaciOusly adhered to It.
There was another thing that Mr.. Winthrop
could not see, and that was that Samuel was con-
tinually poudefing upon such profitable matter as
was interesting to him, and that he was scarcely
ever idle; nor did his father see either, that IL he
wished his boy to become mathematician, he was
pursuing the very course to prevent such result.
Instead Of endeavofing to make the study interest
ing to the child, be was making It obnoxious.
The dinner hour came, and Samuel had not
worked out the sum. His father was angry, and
obliged the boy to go wtho 1t his dinner at The
same time telling him he was on idle, lazy child.
Poor Samuel LEFT the kitchen and there he sat and
cried At length his mind seemed to pass from
the wrong he had suffered at the hand Of his pa
rent and took another turn and the marks Of grief
left his face There was q large tre in the room
below his chamber, so that il was not very cold |;
and getting up, he went to closet, and from b..
meath lot Of old clothes he took forth some long
strips Of wood and commenced whiting. 1t was
not for mere pastime that he whitfield, for be was
fashioning some curious affair from those pieces OF
wood. He had bits Of wire, little scraps Of tin
Mate, pieces Of twine and dozens Of small wheels
that he had made himself and he seemed TO be
working to get the whole thing together after some
particular fashion Of his own.
Half the afternoon had thus passed away, when
his sister entered his chamber. She had her apron
gathered up in her hand, and after closing the
door softly behind her, she approached tie spot
where her brother sat.
"Here, Sammy-see, have brought you some
thing to eat know you must be hungry"
As she spoke, she opened her apron and took
out four cakes, q piece Of pie, and some cheese
The boy was hungry. and hesitated not to avail
himself Of his sisters kind offer. He kissed her
as he took the cakes, aud thanked her.
"0h, what q pretty thing that is that you are
making" uttered Fanny as she gazed upon the
result Of her brothers labor. won't you give il
10 me after II is dOner
Mot this one sister," returned the boy, with q
smile; abut as soon as get time, will make
you one equally as pretty" Fanny thanked her
brother, and shortly Afterwards left the room, while
| the bow vent on with his work.
Before long the various materials that had been
subject to Samuel's iack-knie and pincers I'D as
sumed form and cOmeliness, and they were joined
and grooted together in curious manner.
The embryo philosopher set the machine-tor il
looked very much like machine-upOn the hoor,
and then stood olf and gased omit Hiseye cleaned
With n racu;ar eovv N aatielaction and be looked