The Cairo evening bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1868-1870, 1869-03-06
Srif-hadc Men.
~ rnOF. \. Q. IEWETT.

Scf-Madc Men.
BY PROF. r. G. IrEwETT.
Some terms in language are very mfurtu-
nate not so much in what they say, @, IN
what they suggest Dean Trench has writ
len some very interesting things aboJt The
history that is handed down 10 rs by the
words we use NOW, the history contained
in some Of our common expressions is any
thing but ilattcring TO those who invented
and first used them. Take, for instance,
"mcntar' arithmetic What kind of ar ith-
mctic is that which is not "mcntaly' And,
yet, this would tell Us very plainly that men
have coptrived to make Arithmetic AT times
more of a thing of figures than Of the brain
and thus II is 100 often presented 10 learners.
And what a suggestion IL that in the phrase,
practical arithmetic: As though he who
uses Figures in an arithmetical operation
were more practical in his work than hc
who proceeds without such help! 4 lame
man with his cruichcs more practical" ia
his walking than lac who can dispense with
thcml
Is not the term "selfmade men" of the
same class a. those already instanced' As
though any mSu ever was really made at
all who was not SELF made No doub /.
il has been attempted often enough to make
men by schools, colleges, diplomas, money,
influence and position; but, unless the man
himself possessed both ability and energy,
and freely gave them 10 the work, the result
has never, 10 my knowledge, tecn one 10 he
proud Of To be sure all these things are
helps, If rightly used; frequently they turn
out to he real hindmnccs, because
the individual trusting g. them rather than to
his own efforts, has failed To- put forth the
cxcrion without which MS making j. simply
impossible He who is destitute of such
help realizes from the start, because hc Is
Obliged 10 do 50 the necessity OF personal Ct.
fort; and hence, doubtless, the reason that so
large proportion Of men, who are really
made ~ an, are made without the aid Of these
external advantagc- -ar. -elt-laade men, So
called / object 20 the phrase, not on account
of wha, II really means, hut what il seem. 20
imply. And II invention and common use
certainly pcrpatuitc the history OF
one of the most common and most
paw ,''' ''''...r'' '''. men nave ever
''''' ''''' '''' "'"- 'i''''e' y. '''' heh'
.''',' ~ -'''' ''', ,,.'' ,','.JD't, whether
DumslnC., wore raIig any les ,nlf-mq1c
han Benjamin franklin or Abraham Lin.
colin II j. true, had thcf started Ia the race
on vantage ground los, degree of personal
,.Iort may b,v. l,pe n,,rr far ,hc,. than :,
.,,,, -
MUM WI '"''' " '"''"'u, bu'' "pl SCI
uom, has 'his worked 10 their Injury, in IA at
they have not Glt the absolute necessity Of
,.r,,i,,, c,,,I. ,,I, ,...,,,..... -.
-. 49,. -"
'''' nv" '''! my h''' r'''h' tu'! nave
not a'"tFr I'le 'hclr best ana, ~ some
cases have been lett FIR in the rear by those
.,,ios- .,,l;,,. i i,,,.. i'll, ~.
""' - ''"'''' "''"'"' "'iP'
mere, believe, T. the reason that So large a
number comparatively ofiLosc who sta nd
'Y'.' - W. 'oU",'y a. Sucoe'''u' pn,''
oSopheFs, scholars merchants bankers, poll
lclahs' Cue, nave risen to their present posi-.
lion with little or M ,y,orr,l ala
sP'"A VI Boos ueePer sun In
The minds OF many il totally yitiates their
conception Of the process Of education. and
ofthc functions Of school an ,oaot,ri j., 81.
,;on,f rl,..,;... ~ WA
A''''' INV personal feigion,
Hs''''y anu en'itely an aiiair OF the person
shat bear. upon fhesubie,;a Al All Il si,n,r a
,,o.,Iiodra.,a. :. ''' '"P!
gor r,a, oHa -, GoIp'leos' easier
S D,DAe' snu "a iand OF churches and OF
F+'"H' ,"ehNt Val All Ucse means com