New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1872-11-14
Men Of Humble Origin.

Apropos to a letter in which the writer
seems disposed to controvert the poetic
maxim asserting that "honor and fame from
all conditions risc," we may say that almost
any collection of distinguished names may
set him to further reflection on the subject.
The history of our own country is full of illus
tratiOns, from John Adams, who was the son
of an humble farmer, and Franklin, who was
the son of tallow chandler, down to men of
our own time. 1t finds brilliant examples
even under aristOcratic institutions. Pope,
one of the greatest of English poets, was the
son of linen draper. Bloomfield wrote his
poem, "The Farmers Boy" while working
in garnet as shoemaker. Clifford, the first
editor of the Quarterly Reuieac, began life as a
sailor boy, and afterwards served an appren-
ticeship to shoemaker. Ben Johnson, the
dramatic poet, worked for some time as a
bricklaycr. Shakespeare was the son of a
poor man who could not write his own name.
Burns was the son of small farmer Allan
Cunningham of a gardener; Hogg was a
shepherd; EbeneZer Elliott worked in an
iron foundry; Falconer was a sailor boy /;
Tom Moore was the son of grocer, who,
however, cOntrived to give him a classical
education; Gerald Massey is the son of a
canal bOatman, and began life as an GRAND
boy, and was next an operative in silk mill.
Daniel DcfOe, the author of "RobinsOn CRU
soc," began life as an hostlcr, and was almost
wholly sclf-taught. Cobbett was in early life
farmer boy and afterward a private soldier.
Isaac Walton, tho complete Angler" was
lnen-draper. DIR. Isaac Miller, Dean of
Carlisle, and his brother began life as weav-
crs. DIR. John Pridcaux, Bishop of Worces-
ter, got his education at Oxford, by entering
the university as kitchen boy. John Bun
yam, author of the "Pilgrim's Progress was
tinker, and entirely self-taught. Joseph
Ames, the antiquary, was an irOn-monger.
Hugh Miller, the geOlogist and journalist,
was quarryman. Camden, the great his
torian, was the son of a house-painter. CaX-
ton, who was the first to set up printing
press in England, was apprenticed to a
weaver. The dramatist IIolcroft was a
groom. Thomas Paine was the son OF q
stay-maker. Samuel Pepys was The son of a
tailor. Richardson, the novelist, was the
son Of Joiner. Among scientific men, Simp.
son, the mathematician, was a weaver. Cap.
tain Cook was the son of peasant, who, al
| 20 years Of age, learned to read, that he might
peruse the narrative of his sons voyages. Sin
| Richard Arkwright, the inventor of the cot.
ton spinning machine, commenced life as a
| barber. Brindley, the engineer, began life
as mechanic. Sir William Herschell, the
| illustriOus astronomer, was musician IN the
band of a regiment. Farraday, the chemist
and natural philosopher, was the son of g
blacksmith. Ferguson, the astronomer, was
a shepherd. John Hunter, the celebrated
surgeon, and his brother William, the cele
brated physician, were sons of farmer
Chantery, the sculptor, was mllk-boy; ant
Flaxman, another great sculptor, was the
son of plaster-cast maker. Sir Thoma.
Lawrence, the painter, was tho son Of al
inn-keeper. Ople, the painter, worked in ;
| nit orfh &lo 4:
as working engraver of coats of arms
Golden, the statesman, was the son of ;
farmer. Sir John Hawkins, the famous gen
eral, began life as householder. Thes,
names may serve to set our correspondent
thinking. -Philadelphi Ledger.