The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1875-05-18
Ounces,

Fisher Ames entered Harvard at the
age of twenty, and Edward Everett at
thirteen; Bishop Heber translated Pb@
drus into English at seventeen; Anna
Steward repeated from memory the first
three books of paradise Lost" at nine
and Lord Brougham wrote On philoso
ply at eighteen.
But all eminent men have not been re-
markable 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. They lowered late,
but bore the rarest fruit.
1t is somewhat discouraging for boy
Of moderate ability, who aims 20 do his
best, to be told that others accomplished
iE childhood what he can do only by
hard study in the best years of his
youth. But such boy should not re-
lax his efforts He will succeed, if he
gives his heart and mind to the work.
That distinguished teacher, DR.. Ar
mold, Of Rugby, after speaking of those
who zealously cultivate inferior powers
of mind, said of such pupil, 81 would
stand to that man hat in hand" He
once spoke sharply to dull boy, who
replied:
"Why do you speak angrily, sirl In
deed. / am doing the best cam
DR.. Arnold said he never so felt re-
buke in his life.
Cir Jsooo Noufor uoo a nropopnro6
Ounce in his early school days. He
stood low in his classes, and seemed to
have no relish for his study. One day
the "bri.ht boy" in the school gave him
kick in the stomach, which caused him
severe pain.
The insult stung young Newton to the
quick, and he resolved to make himself
felt ard respected by improved scholar
ship.
| He applied himself resolutely to study,
and ere long stood in his classes above
the boy who had kicked him, and ulti
mately became the first scholar in the
school,
Newton owed his pre- eminence in his
philosophical studies more to persever-
ance and application than to any mar
veous natural endowment.
Oliver Goldsmith, than whom no boy
could appear more stupid, was the butt
of ridicule at school A school dame,
after wonderful patience and perseve-
rance, taught him the alphabet, a thing
which she deemed creditable to her skill,
and which she lived to mention with
pride when her pupil became famous
He made no progress in the exact stud
les, but liked history and Latin poetry.
He was sore trial to his ambitious
mother, who made many fruitless efforts
to quicken his wits by her sharp words
His relatives, teachers and schoo,mates
all told him that he was fool, which ver-
dict he did not dispute, but took good
humoredly. Even when be had produc.
ed the "Traveler," an eminent critic said
10 friend, ''Sir, / do believe that Cold
smith wrote that poem. and that let me
tell you, is believing great deal"
Sir Walter Scott was dull boy, and
when attending the University at E,lin-
burg, he went by the name of ''The
Great Blockhead But he wasted no
time on triaes, and, in pursuing study
that he loved, as, for example, history
or the classics, he was persevering and
methodical. He was one of those whose
knowledge on subject that interested
him increased until it lay like a great
volume in Ills mind When Walter
Scott began to make use of that knowl
edge, society gave him another name,
somewhat different from the Edinburg
appellation. 1t was 1.-THE Great Magi-
cian."
Hutton, the antiquarian, whose knowl.
edge of books was deemed remarkable,
was slow to learn when boy. He was
sent to school to certain MIR. Meat
He thus tells his experience: "My mas
ter took occasion to beat my head
against the wall, holding it by the hair,
but he could never beat any learning in
i to it," ~
i Sheridan found it hard to acquire the
J elements of learning His mother deem
ed it her duty to inform his teacher that
he was not bright like other boys.
! Adam Clark was pronounced by his
!. father to be "grievous Ounce and DR..
] Chalmers was pronounced by his teacher
ar ''incorrigible" one. Chatterton was
dismissed from school by his master,
who, finding himself unable to teach him
! anything in satisfactory manner, set
tied it that the boy was STOOL"
) Teachers are apt to become impatient
over dull scholars,a and to predict of them
that they will never come to anything
| Such uncaled-for prophecies ought to
discourage no scholar who tries to do
t well. A certain Edinburgh professor
/, once pronounced upon student this Sc
we're opinion "Dunce you are, Ounce
: you will ever remain" iis
e That student was Sir Walter Scott.
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