The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1871-10-21
Great Mem Regarded i'm Youth as
DunCeSs

AAiItS OilS4N'A LA"A NNANk CIV
the age of twelve, and Edward Ever
EFT at thirteen; Bishop Heber trans
lated "Phpdrus" into English at
seven Anna Seward repeated from
memory the first three books of
" Paradise Lost" at nine; and Lord
Brougham wrote OH philosophy at
eighteen.
But all eminent men have not
been remarkable for early attain
ments. Some Of the grandest spirits
that the world has ever known, men
whose works and memories are en-
during, were regarded in youth as
ounces. They flowered late, but
bore the rarest fruit.
1t is somewhat tliscouraging for
a boy Of moderate abilities, who aims
to do his best, to be told that others
accomplished in childhood what he
can do only by hard study i'll the
best years of his youth. But such a
boy should not relax his efforts. He
will succeed, if he gives his heart
and mind to the work.
Tlat distinguished teacher, DR..
Arnold, of Rugby, after speaking of
those who zealously cultivate inte-
riOr powers Of mind, said Of such a
pupil: II would stand to that man
haiti hand.' IIeo once spoke sharply
to a dull boy, who replied:
" Why do You speak angrily, sir !?
Indeed, [ am doing the best | can"
DR.. Arnold said he never so felt Il
rebuke in his life.
Sir Isaac Newton was pronounced
a Ounce in his early school days. He
stood low i'll his classes, and seemed
to have no relish for study. One
day the ~ ''bright boy" of the school
gave him a kick in the stomach,
which gave him intense pain. The
insult stung young Newton to the
quick, and he resolved to make him
self felt and respected by improved
scholarship. lie applied himself re
solutely to study, and ere long stood
in his class above the boy who had
kicked him, and ultimately became
the first scholar in school.
Newton owed his pre-eminence in
III his philosophical studies more to
perseverance and application than
any marvellous natural endowments.
Oliver Goldsmith, than whom no
boy could appear more stupid, was
the butt of ridicllle at school. A
school dame, after wonderful patience
and perseverance, taught him the
alphabet-a thing which she deemed
creslitable to her skill, and which
she lived to mention with pride when
her pupil became famous. He made
no progress in the exact studies. but
liked history and Latin poetry.
He was sore frial to his ambi-
tions mother, who made many fruit
less efforts to quicken his wits by
her sharp words. His relatives,
teachers and schoolmates, all told
him that he was fool, which verdict
he did not dispute, bat took good
! humoredly. Even when he had pro-
duced the Traveller" an eminent
critic said to a friend: Sir, [ do
believe that Goldsmith wrote that
poem; and that, let me tell you, is
believing good deal"
| Sir Walter Scott was i, dull boy,
and when attending the university
at Edinburgh, he went by the name
of " The Great Blockhead." But he
wasted no time on trifles, and, in
pursuing study that he loved-as,
for example, history Of the classics
-he was perseyering and methodi-
cal. He was osle Of those whose
knowledge Oh a subject that inter
ested, increased until it lay like a
great volume in his mind. When
Walter Scott began to make use Of
that knowledge, society gave him
another name, somewhat different
froul the Edinburgh appellation. It
was "Tlle Great Magician"
Houston, the antiquarian, whose
knowledge of books was deemed re-
markable, was slow to learn when a
boy. He was sent to school to a GER
tain Mr.. Meat. He thus tells his ex-
perience: "My master took occasion
to beat my head against the wall,
holding it by the hatr, bnt he could
never beat any learning into it."
Sherman found it hard to acquire
the elements oflearning. His mother
deemed it her duty to inform his
teacher that he was not bright to
learn like other bows. Adam Clark
was pronounced by his father to
! be ga grievous Ounce" and DIR.
Chalmers was pronounced by his
father as an "incorrigible" one.
| Chatterton was dismissed from school
by his master, who, finding himself
unable to teach him anything in a
satisfactory manner, settled it that
the boy was q "fool.'
Teachers are apt to become impa.
tent over dull scholars, and predict
Of them that they will never come to
anything. Such uncalled for proph-
ecies ought to discourage no scholar
who tries to do well. A certain
Edinburgh professor once pronoun
ced upon a student this severe opin-
ion: "Dunce you are, and Ounce
YOU will ever remain.n That student
was Sir Walter Scott, u
II q dull boy feels an inspiration
stirring within to do something wor-
thy in literature, science, or art, let
him set his face as flint toward his
object let him be patient, hopeful,
and self.relianf. unmoyed by laugh