Smyrna times., 1877-11-07
Boyhood and Manhood.


are dying" The boy is too often ignored,
and only the youth and the man brought
to the front for inspection and instruction.
We find a secret connection between the
first impulses and the latter actions Of in
dlviduals; and if parents and teachers
would look more for indications and pre-
dispositions in the boy, there would be
less of mistitting and fewer blunders in the
business of life.
The force of impressions received in the
warm susceptibility of childhood is little
known to US. First studies and first habits
are often of momentous importance. The
faculty of genius can exist independently
of education, and where it is wanting, educa-
tion can never confer it. 1t is an impulse
AN instinct working in the character,
which may require considerable influence,
and in the right direction, to develop, but
can be crushed with ease. Painters and
poets have often been such, before they
understood the nature of colors and the
arts of verse.
Michael Angelo, while yet mere boy,
busted himself wherever he went in draw.
ing. His parents belonged to the nobility,
and distressed at the idea of genius break
ing out and disturbing the proud line of
their ancestry, consequently forced him to
relinquish the pencil. Then the boy artist
flew to the chisel-the art in his soul must
have vent.
An imperious Unborn impulse drove
Murillo into the world in pursuit of more
knowledge and higher style of art. He
was almost unknown in the place of his
birth. He was destitute of the ordinary
means of making journey, and bought a
piece of canvas, which he divided into
parts, and painted on each figures of saints,
landscapes and flowers, which he sold by
the way. His sister, with tears and lamen-
tations, tried in vain to turn him from his
mad and perilOus project. He reached
Madrid, where the great Velasquez was
struck by the ingenious simplicity of the
youth, who urgently requested letters for
Rome. When the former understood the
purport of the romantic journey, he said,
You need not 60 to Italy 10 learn the art,
my lad" And he opened the royal
galleries to Murillo and assisted him in
every possible way. When Murillo re-
turned to his native city, where, from his
obscurity he had never been missed. he
made it the theatre of his glory.
Under similar impulse Callot. at the age
OF twelve, disappeared from under his
fathers roof. He wanted to be an en-.
graver, but his proud parents thought it
was degradation. He was picked up in
the utmost distress by a gang of gipsies
and returned to his home. He ran away
again and was found by his brother and
brought back. His father, losing all
patience, allowed him finally 10 become
the most original genius of French art:
one who, in his vivacious groups, the
touch OF his graver and the natural ex-
preston OF his figures. anticipated the
creations of Hogarth.
Nanteuil hid himself in tree to pursue
the destinations of his pencil. which had
been forbidden him.
Handel was ever at work at harpsi-
chords while being drilled for doctor of
civil laws, and would convey musical in.
struments secretly to his bedroom, and
break forth in harmony in the middle of
the night
Sweaton, the great mechanic, when a
boy, disdained the ordinary playthings of
boyhood. He collected the tools of work.
men and bothered them with questions
One day, after having watched some mill.
wrights, he was discovered, to the great
distress of his family, in a situation of ex.
treme danger, fixing a windmill on the top
of the barn. His father sent him to
London to study law; but he declared
that law did not suit the bent of his
genius,' and addressed a memorial 10 his
father to show his utter incompetency for
legal pursuits His father finally abandon
ed him to the bent Of lis genius, and it was
he who built the Eddystone Lighthouse, in
the midst Of the waves, like the rock on
which it stands.
Able la Gallo, one of the first astrono.
mers of his time, when ten years old, was
sent by his father every evening to ring
the church bell, but always returned home
late. His father was angry and beat him,
and still the boy stayed out an hour after
his task was accomplished. His father
went and watched him one night saw him
go into the steeple and ring the bell, but
he did not come down for an hour. When
he made his appearance, and was cues
toned, he confessed that he had been
looking at the stars. His father was not a
born astronomer, therefore he fogged his
son severely, and left him to come home by
himself. He met "A man of science on the
way, who, seeing his tears, made kindly
Inquiries, and when he discovered that a
boy of such tender age possessed passion
for watching the stars by the hour together,
and had improvised an observatory in a
steeple, he investigated the matter, and
placed the child IN situation to study
what he most desired.
One of the great naturalists of modern
times began as soon as he could walk to
gather hideous bugs and reptiles, and no
however severe, on the part
OF his parents, could cure him of the pro.
pensity. The next morning after having
received castigation for some offence of
the kind, he would come toddling in with
a hornets nest in his arms, more delighted
than ordinary children with beautiful
toys.
Instances multiply as we pursue the sub.
lect. We have cited extreme cases. Our
boys will not all be leading painters.
mechanics, or astronomers, but every one
of them should have the benefit Of the
possibility. 1t often happens that men of
talent waste long period Of their lives
under the shadow of an unsettled impulse.
unable to decide upon the object of its
aptitude. 1t is most unfortunate when
thirst and fever in the temperament must
be endured year after year, and the occu.
patton to which only that disposition can
attach itself is beyond reach.
Which brings us back TO the boys. For
a little fellow to be distinguished by his
equals is one criterian of talent. At this
peculiar period Of life. with no Hattery on
one side and no artifice on the other. all
emotion and no raAaofiop The bo,, ,rL. -