Bozeman avant courier. [volume] (Bozeman, Mont.) 1872-1882, 1877-09-20
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n MOihc-s of Great Men.
BY HELEN MAR.

Throughout ::,e pages Of history we ar.
struck with the fact that our remarkable
men possessed mothers Of uncommon tai
+. entS for good or bad. and great energy OF
character. 1t would almost seem. from
this circumstance. that the impress of the
mother is more frequently stamped on the
boy. and mat OF the tatler upon the girl
we mean the mental. intellectual impress.
in distinction from the physical one.
1t is said of Sir Walter SCOTS mother.
that she was a small. plain, well-cducatcd
woman. OF excellent sense. very charitable,
and great lover Of poetry and painting.
and on the whole a superior woman. 'Tis
evident. from the writings of Sir Walter
that he had an uncommon Gift in word
painting.
! Ii is said Of Byton's mother, that she
was Il proud woman, hasty. violent, and
unreasonable, with not principle enough to
restrain her temper. Unllappily, Byron in
her!ted his mothers inilammable temper,
! and instead of being subdued and softened
by the harshncss with which she often
treated him, he was rendered more passion
ate by it. THIS We see that this infirmity.
which by gentleness and kind treatment
might have been checked, if not cured.
was suffered to cnSlavc one of the most
talented, brilliant, poetical minds that ever
shone among men, entailing life of mis-
cry upon its possessor, and an early ter
mination to his career.
The mother of Bohapartc was woman
Of great beauty and energy of character.
This last trait was strikingly exemplified
throughout his whole life.
The mother of Robert Burns. the Scottish
poet. was q woman of moderate personal
attractions. hut in every other respect she
was a remarkable woman. She was bless
ell with great equanmity of temper, and
her religious feelings We're constant and
deep. She used to give wings to the weary
hours of her checkered life by chanting
song or ballads, of which she had a large
store. Her perceptions Of character
were very quick and keen.
AMI she lived to good old age,
rejoicing in the fame IF her poet son, and
partaking Of the fruits of his genius.
Lord Bacon's mother is said to have
been woman of superior mind, of great
learning, and deep piety.
Little is said of the mother of Nero. ey-
cept that she murdered her second hus-
band the Emperor Claudius. about forty
years after marriage. Do we wonder that
Nero was a cruel Emperor if his mother
was m'r'leress? How strangely does
the mother OF Nero, an ancient tyrant. con- I
[rast with the mothers of some of our
modern plilanthropists and statesmen.-
The mother Of Washington. whose name is
familiar to every reader OF history: the
mother Of John Jay, who deserves place I
Dy the side of Washington. Mrs. Jay is t
said to have had a cultivated mind. fine t
and an atiectionate temper.
The mother of Patrick Henry was wo- t
nan of great excellence of character. and d
marked by superior conversational powers Il
1ence, doubtless, the oratorial gift of her
on. With the mother of the Adamses all s
re acquainted. Where will you find more v
cal practical sense, and true energy of {
flaracter, than John Quincy's mother pos +.
esscd? r.
The late John Randolph. some years be-
ore his death, wrote to a friend as follows:
used to be ,alled Frenchman. because q
took the French side in politics; and II
lougl this was unjust, yet the truth il. | =
lOuld have been French atheist, if it had IL
OF been for one recollection. and that was
lat my departed mother used to take my is
tile hands in hers, and cause me, on my W
nees. to say, Our Father, which art in s
q,
Mothers will do we'll to remember that tb
eir impress is often indelibly stamped ps
,On their sons. 4,
c,