The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1871-09-29
Chr 5}larietta 9unrnaI.
Mari tia, Georgia, September 20, 1871
OUNCES.

at seven Anna Seward repeated
from memory the first three books OF
Pardise Lost at nine; the LORD
Brougham wrote on philosophy at
eighteen.
But all eminent men have not been
remarkable for early attainments.-
Some of the grandest spirits that the
world has ever known-men whose
works and memory are enduring
were regarded in youth as ounces.
1t is somewhat discouraging for a
boy of moderate abilities, who aims
to do his best, to be told that others
accomplished in childhood what he
can only do by hard study in the
best years of his youth But such
boy should not relax his Efforts
He will succeed if he gives his heart
and mind 10 the work.
That distinguished teacher, Dir.
Arnold of Rugby, after speaking of
those who zealously cultivate inferi-
or powers of mind, said of such a
pupil, 81 would stand to that man,
hat in hand" He once spoke sharp
ly to a dull boy, who replied:
"Why do you speak angrily, sir 7
Indeed l am doing the best can"
DR.. Arnold said he never so felt a
rebuke in his life.
Sir Isaac Newton was pronounced
Ounce in his early school days
He stood low in his classes, aud
seemed to have no relish for study.
One day bright boy" of the school
gave him a kick iii the stomach,
which caused him severe pain. The
insult stung young Newton to the
quick, and he resolved to make him
self felt and respected by improving
scholarship. He applied himself
resolutely to study, and ere long
stood in his classes above the boy
who had kicked him, and ultimately
became the first scholar in the school.
Newton owed his pre-eminence in
his philosophical studies more to per-
severance and application than to
any marvellous natural endowments.
Oliver Goldsmith, than whom no
boy could appear more stupid, was
the butt of ridicule at school. A
school dame after wonderful patience
and perseverance, taught him the al
phabet-a thing which she deemed
creditable to her skill, and which
she lives to mention with pride,
when her pupil became famous. He
made no progress in the exact stud
les, but liked history and Latin po-
etry.
He was a sore trial to his ambi
tious mother, who made many fruit
less efforts to quicken his wits by
her sharp words. His relatives,
teachers and schoolmaster all told
him that he was fool, which verdict
he did not dispute, but took good
humoredly. Even when he had
produced the "Traveler," an emf
nent critic said to friend, "Sir, l
do really believe that Goldsmith
wrote that poem ; and that let me
toll you, is believing great deal"
Sir Walter Scott was dull boy,
and when attending the university at
Edinburgh he went by the name of
"The Great Blockhead." But he
wasted no time on triAes, and in pur-
suing study that he loved-as, for
example, history or the classics-he
was persevering and methodical.--
He was one of those whose knowl-
edge on a subject that interested, in
creased until it lay like a great vol
ume on his mind. When Walter
Scott began to make use of tina
knowledge, society gave him another
name, somewhat different from the
Edinburg appellation. 1t was "Th'
Great Magician"
Hutton, the antiquarian, whose
knowledge of books was deemed re.
markable, was slow when a boy
He was sent to school to a certain
Mr.. Meat. He thus tells his expert
ence: "My master took occasion t.
beat my head against the wall, hold
, ing it by the hair, but he could neve
beat any learning into it."
Sheridan found it hard to acquir
the elements of learning. His mothe
deemed it her duty to inform tn
, teacher that he was not bright t
learn like other boys. Adam Clark
5 was pronounced by his father to b