Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1872-10-05
Never too late TO learn.

Socrates, mt an extreme old age, learned
| to play on musical instruments.
Cato, at eight years of age, commenced
to study the Greek language.
Pultarch, when between seventy and
eighty, commenced the study of Latin.
Boccacio was thrty-fve years of age
when he commenced his studies in polite
! literature. Yet he became one of the great.
est masters of the Tuscan Dialects and
Patriarch being the other two.
Sir Henry Spelman neglected the sciences
| in his youth, but commenced the study OF
them when he was between fifty and sixty
years of age. After this he became a most
learned antiquarian and lawyer.
Dr. johnson applied himself to the Dutcl,
language but q few years before his death.
| Dudozico Monaldesco, at the great age
of one hundred and fifteen, wrote the
memoir of his own times.
Ogliby, the translator of Homer and
Virgil was unacqainted with Latin and
Greek until he was past fifty.
Franklin did not fully commence his
philosophical pursuits Till he had reached
his iittieth year.
Dryden, in his sixty-cighth year, COM
menced the translation of the Iliad his
most pleasing production.
We could 60 on and excite thousands of
examples of men who commenced new
study, either for livelihood or amusement.
at an advanced age. But every one famil-
lar with the biography of distinguished
men, will rccollect individual cases enough
to convince him, that none but the sick and
indolcnt will ever say, l an too old to study
WHAT IT Is TO BE A WIDow.--A wri-
ter in the Home Journal thus fttingly
rebukes the tiippancy and thought
lcssness OF some young women Il think
it must be a jolly thing to be young wi
dow - l heard this remark the other day
in group of laughing girls. l think / re-
member saying such thing myself in my
giriish times. Do you know, girls, what it
is to be a widow 1t is to be ten times more
open to comment and criticism than any
demoisello could possibly be. 1t is to have
men gaze as you pass, first at your black
dress and then at your widows cap until
your sensitive nerves CULVER under the in
Fiction. 1t is to have one illnaturcd per-
son say, II wonder how long she will wait
before she marrics again ?" and another
answer, until she can get good chance,
| suppose" 1t is now and then to meet
the glance of real sympathy, generally from
the poorest and humblest woman that YOU
meet, and feel that your eyes fill at the to-
ken, so rare that it is, alas ! unlocked for
1t is to have your fashionable friends con-
sole you after the following fashion "Oh,
we'll it is dreadful loss. We knew you'd
feel it drarn And in the next breath.
You will be sure to marry again, and
your widows cap is very becoming to YOU. "
but it is more than this to be II widow.
1t is to miss the strong arm you have lean
ed upon, the true faith that you knew could
never fail you. though ali the world might
forsake you. 1t is to miss the dear voice
that uttered name with tenderness that no
other could give it, 1t is to hear no more
the well-known footsteps that you flew 50
gladly once to meet. TO see no more the
face that to ynnr ndoring eyes seemed as
the angels of God. To feel no more the
twining arms that folded you SO lovingly,
the dear eyes that, looking into your own,
said plainly, whatever it might seem to
others, yours was the fairest face earth
held for him. 1t is to fight with a mighty
sorrow as man fights with the waves
that ovcrwhclm him, and to hold at arms
length for while only to have--in the
hours of loneliness and wcakncss--thc tor
rent roll over you, while-poor storm-driv-
en- dovc--yOu see no havcn.n