Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1871-09-07
Ounces What Some of the Dull Boys
Of the Past Became.

Isacr Amc- entered Harvard ut the age b.
J., ana Edward Everett at l3. Bishop
lie.e- translated Plrlrus' into English NJ
seven, Anna Seward repeated from memory
cIe first three books ot Paradise Lost at
nine: and Lord Brlugham wrote on phia.o-
r1v ut Is
Eltal eminent men have n15 been re-
.ar6ah.e tr early attainmcnts. Some oI
the grand 80 spirits that the world has ever
known-meu whose works and memory are
enduring - were regarded ia youth as
ounces. They hIwerei htt. bat bore the
rarcst .ruit.
l- is somewhat diseour-ing for boy of
moderate abilities who aims % do his best,
to he told that others acc1mpli shed in child
hood what he can do only by hard study in
the best ycars Of bis youth But such a boy
should not relax his efforts. He Will sue
coed j bee gives DIS heart and mind % the
work
That distinguished teacher, Or. Arnold, OF
BgehY, after speaking Of those who Jealous
ly cultivate inferior powers of mind. said of
such pupil would stand bo that man
has in hand lie once spoke sha rply %
dull boy. who replied Why do You speak
augriIy. sir Indeed, am doing the best
can. Dr. Arnold said be never so felt re-
lGke in his Hle
Sir Isaac Newton was prcnounc ID Ounce
in his early school DAYS Il stood low in
his classes, and seemed u have no re lish for
study. One day the brig int boy Of the
school gave him @ kick ~ the stomach, ,
which caused him severe pain. The insult
-.ln- young Newton to tho quick. and he re-
solved TO make himself felt and respected by
improved -choarship H. applied hi nselt
re-olutclv To study, and, re long, stood in
bi. classes above tire boy vino had kicked
him. and ultimately beca1 ne the first scholar
in the school. Newton owed his preeni-
neace in his uhilos0phlcsl studies more TO
perseverance and applies ton than TO any
marvellous natural eudoV ments
Oliver Goldsmith. t IAN whom no boy
could appear more stuIid was the butt of
ridiculc nc school. a school dame, after
wonderful perscyeran, e taught him the al
uhabet-a thing viii 30 she deemed credita-
b!e to her skill, and ghich she lived to men
uon with pride when her pupil became ia
nous. lie made no progress in the exact
studies, bat liked history and Latin poetry.
tie was a sore trial 20 his am bilious mother.
who made many iruitess eff rts 70 quicken
his wits by her sharp words. His relatives,
teachers and schoolinates all cold him that
be was a fool, which verdict did not dis
pure. but took good humoredlS Even when
he had produced the Travel Ell an eminent
critic said to a friend Sir DO believe that
Goldsmith wrote that poem; and that, let
NE tell you, is believing a grel deal
Sir Walter SEQ tt was a dali boy,and when
attending the university at Edinburgh, he
went by the name of Tne Great Block
head But be wasted no tine on trliies,
and, in pursuing study that re loved-aS,
for example, history or the chIssics-hc was
peTsevcring and meth0dical. BE was one OF
those whose knowledge on a su hject that H.
tcrested him increased untilhtl ~ like great
volume IN his mind. v hen Walter Scott
began u make use Of that knol Wedge, s0cie-
ty gave him another name, some what differ
ent from the Edinburgh eppellat ion. 1t was
The Great Magician
Hutton, the antiquarian, whose knowledge
of books was deemed remarkable, was slow
10 learn when a boy. lie was sen to sch, nOl
TO a certain Mr.. Meat. lie thus els his ex-
perience Ny master took occasi, m 10 beat
nv head against the wall, holding Il by the
hair. but he could never beat any learning
into it
Sheridan found it hard to acqJ ire the ele-
ments Of learning. His mother deemed it
her duty TO inform the teacher shat he was
not bright to learn like other boys. Adam
Clarke was pronounced by his ia ther to be
a grievous Ounce, and DR.. CHI liners was
pronounced by his teacher as an incorrigi
bic one Chatterton was disi missed from
school by his master, who. fin ding himslf
unable 70 teach him anything in a satisfac-
fprx ba- hn-
fool
dull scholars. and predict of the n that the,
will never come to anything. 81 Ich uncalled-
for prophecies ought to discours &c no scholar