Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1870-11-09
NO. L.
The Reward OF Application.

The Reward OF Application.
Many of our readers, says the Philadel
phia Ledger, know at least by name boo
called ''Bowditch's Practical Navigator
They know, also, that it has the highes
reputation of any work of its kind in tn
world. 1t has long held its place as au
thorlty in maritime matters, and even whel
steam and new ocean routes shall hav
rendered portion of it useless, it will still
be retained as authority in matters which
no changes in the routes of trade or naya
architecture are likely to affect.
There are some circumstances in the ca
reer of Bowditch to which We wish to cal
the attention of young men. He was ma
tive of Salem, Massachusetts, and was ia
ken from school at the age of ten years
and apprenticed to ship chandler. Ifhe
had done NO more than to make himsel
familiar with the routine of that business
and become useful as dealer in shiI
stores and equipments, that much woult
have been to his credit. He would have
left an example of successful
application and proficiency in 6
limited line; for whatever is
worth doing at ali is worth doing well. Bu
he did more than well, and by diliigen
study of the subjects to which his taste and
genius inclined him, has conferred vas
benefits upon the world, and made his
name perpetual. His genius was for math
ematics. By accident, in early life, he OBJ
tanned a copy of ''Newton's Principia." A
lad who left school at ten could know moth
ing of Latin. But he studied the Language
to read the Principal; thus mastering a
language to become acquainted with q
volume that would have repelled most
young men in an English translation, ready
to their hands. Nor was this the most ex-
traordinary of the instances of his dill
gence and industry. A copy of LIE Place s
| Mecanique Celeste was loaned him for ex-
animation by the master of vessel, into
whose possession it had fallen. Bowditch
retained it for weeks instead of days. The
| owner became anxious. and upon inquiry
| for his book learned that Bowditch had re-
tanned to transcribe it. There was no Sec
ond copy of the work in America until
Bowditch had completed his manuscript
copy.
OF this work he published in later life a
translation, in four large quarto volumes,
adding to the text a copions commentary.
| 1t is a tradition among the Boston printers
of this great work, that the author, La
Place, declared his belief that there was NO
other man living, in Europe or America,
who could have done such justice to the
author in translation, and added such value
to the original work by his commentary.
And all the time he was thus engaged, be
was in active business, first as the presi
ident and afterward the actuary of an in.
surance and trust company
Bowditeh was the architect of his owu
fortune and fame, and yet commenced lie
| under the double disadvantages of limited
means and very limited education. Over
the first difficulty he triumphed by limiting
his desires to his income, and for the ex
ponse of amusement substituting the
economy of intellectual employment
And be mastered the difficulty of
deficient education by educating nim-
self continually; more honerably win
ming, unsought, the title of LII. D.,
| than if it had come to him by rotation in
an easily travelled college course, with
everything to aid and nothing to impede
him, There are thousands of young men
who read the Ledger who waste time,
opportunity and privileges, which, if I'M
proved, might place them In positions to
which they can never attain while content
with the small ambition of barely accom-
plishiag what is absolutely required OF
of them. There are hours and days OF
leisure which enervate instead OF
Strengthening them for work, because they
are hours wasted in idleness, or in pur-
suits which impair the strength without
profit And there are millions of dollars
annually thrown away in the pursuits OF
sensual indulgences which mar the phys
| ical man and deaden the intellectual
The long winter evenings are now close
upon us, and those young men who would
not barely live out their days as merely
eating, drinking and clothes-wearing ami
mails, should give themselves some intel
lectual pursuit, and continue the educa-
ton which is only commenced in the
school room. All men cannot, of course,
| be like Franklin Or Bowditcb, leaders in
scientific or other intellectual directions
| But it is no mean ambition to strive to un-
derstand what master minds have done;
and, though you. cannot yourself rise TO
eminence, which is the prize of few. at
least be able to appreciate the eminent,
which is the privilege of the many. But
Bowditch, the Cooper's son, taken from
school at ten years Of age, did not dream
of his future celebrity. Follow ti-en the
lead you.
English Fears for the Future OF Great
Britain.
The London Standard of the 9th instant
expresses it's grave fears for the future of
| England. ''Our position at this moment, y
it says, sis one that we cannot regard
without the gravest concern. The coun-
try, the nation at large, views with sympa-
thy and horror the present aspect OF things
in France. Yet our ministers rub their
hands with something very like satisfac-
ton, Ii they do not feel it they pretend 1t,
because they are powerless to intervene
Why are they powerless? Because th9y
and their supporters have stripped US
of the means to enforce respect.
We now learn that Russia is arming. Not
only is there great and growing uneasiness
in British India, but China is unmistaka.
bly, preparing to massacre ali Europeans,
save, perhaps, the Russians and to throw
off the yoke of forced commerce and In
ternational relations with the rest of the
world. Fear and trembling have como
upon the British residents in the East
They know not what an hour may brine
forth. All they know is that in the pres
ence of the frightful calamity that has
overtaken Christian France, abroad as wei
as az home, the English Government shows
40 sympathy, and does nothing to protec
them from similar catastrophe.
with regard to America, no steps were
taken to settle the Alabama question a
the right moment, and thus ill-feeling il
fostered, aud may be fostered, until it drift
into hostiIities. In Africa we have onl,
tai II away our armed protection from tn
, Car >. and trided with the cession OF Brit
ish settlement to France, In New Zealand
at time of imminent peril, we WITHDRAW
our troops In Canada, Mr.. Gladston
sells the guns of our notifications for oil
IRON, Wills MIR. Cardwell pretends to hay
t sent thither the largest portion of the rifle
, in store of which England is denuded, an
of which she stands in such urgent meet
. East and west, north and south, the mui
L terings OF the storm are heard.
cat home We undertake the responsible
ity of defending Belgium, which Is slmpl
an insult to common sense, amounting
defiance in its absurdity. as in practice
q is pretence. The cruel structures of NJ
: Bruce upon the alleged danger fro
France, and her character and fate as
: burglar are not disowned by his &C
6 leagues. and can never be forgotten or 70
9 given by our ally. Conqured or not, 81
: may live to pay back these cynical snee
. with interest, while Prussia is alreat
9 framing her bill of Indictment again
q | u. W IL f,t 80