The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1880-02-19
THE DAILY STAR
BROOKLYN LETTER.


q Grandson Of Alexander Hamil-
ssn-A Novel Idea i'm Detective
Work.
Special Correspondence OF the star
BROOKLYN, N. Y, Feb. 16, 1880.
Early educational advantages are by
no means to be despised, and without
them the battle of life is made much
harder than it otherwise would be; but
for all that have an utter contempt for
the man who goes snivellingly around,
bemoaniug his intellectual shortcomings
and attributing them to the misfortunes
of his youth. In this age of newspapers
and books, no man with an honest desire
for knowledge and with a will to work
need reach middle age without having
mastered the principles of science-I use
the term in its broadest sense-and OBJ
tanned at least veneering of the polite
literature that imparts grace to conver-
sation and places its possessor at ease in
society. Every man should. however,
strive to accomplish more than this, and,
with patience, perseverance and self
sacriice, he can.
By an absence of early advantages /
10 not mean an absolute lack of school
ing or of the rudiments of education,
though ! believe that even lack of
that kind could be in the main overcome
by personal effects, but want of collie
giate and seminary training; and, there
fore, my remarks are directed to the
young man in the store, the apprentice
in the workshop, and hundred others
who are honestly fighting their way to-
ward afluence, though when they get
there they may discover that brains are
something that money can not buy.
My thoughts have been directed into
this channel by occasionally meeting wi tn
one or more complaining individuals
who deserves neither sympathy nor assist
ance simply because he never strives to
make good the deficiencies he 90 tiresomely
bewails, and also because there has lately
fallen under my eye signal illustration
in the ctfeerof the Hamilton Literary
Association of this city, of how much
young men can accomplish in all intel
lectual ways by union of efforts and by
that mental attrition which comes
from an exchange of sentiment, an attri-
ton which wears off all the sharp corners
and asperities OF our natures, leaving in
the end well-rounded and symmetrical
whole.
This Association recently completed
he first half century of It's existence and
It was my privilege to sit down with the
members at the splendid banquet given
in honor Of the semi-centennial. Fifty
years ago-not long for the life of an in
dividual, but long for the lite of socie-
ty, and that society as vigorous to-day as
when it started out on its course with
the enthusiasm of youth-fifty years ago
what was Brooklyn? ! heard some of
the aged men at the head of the
table presently answer the question,
and there / contrasted the. picture they
drew of the pretty little town of fifty
years ago with the great and stately city
of to day, and thinking of the great
changes that had taken place. recog-
nized in the handful of white-haired men
whom the Society honored as it's founders
and early members, the men to whom to-
day the community pays respect as having
been the origlnators and promoters Of
many Of the great institutions which it
cherishes as centers Of culture and morali-
ty, such as the Long Island Historical So
ciety, the Academy oil Music, the Art
Association, the Collegiate and Poly
technic Institute, the Brooklyn Library,
and kindred organizations. Presently /
heard this thought strikingly brought
ont in Speech. and then tie kindred
thought that involving the achieve
ments Of the members themselves. In
the list of those who had achieved emf
nence were statesmen, jurists, judges,
Congressman, literateurs, merchants,
scientists, public officials, and last, but
not least, photographer, whose name
has recently been added to the roN Of
fame.
Now, here is an example for the mil
lion young men of this country who
want 10 accomplish something, but know
not how to set about it. / do not sup
pose that to the young men who in 1880
banded themselves together as literary
society, the horizon Of their prospects
extended beyond the plain Of self.
Improvement. How could they, Just
feebly entering upon active life, plan to
lay the foundations of great Institutions,
and to become the promoters Of aesthetic
culture? But they were earnest and
laspired with a lofty purpose, and by
and by, as they ciiilr.Aad higher and
higher, their horizon expanded until the
result was as seen to-day. What it was
possible for those young men to accom-
plish, it is possible for other young men
to accomplish. Self-culture comes Of self
effort, and self-effort is in no way SO
encouraged and promoted as BY healthful
supplemental effort in a good literary So
ciety. The trouble with most so-called lit
erary societies Is that they degenerate
into sort Of dilettanteism that is ener-
vaiing. , ~. s., .esu a. e.
i saw at this banquet one who bears
an honored name by Inheritance, d short,
stocky, chirp little man with kindly
x.soxS q Iona, t,ead and an iIa rn fach adornad