The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1883-01-06
DULL YOUTHS WHO BECAME
FAMOUS.

MANY OF our most celebrated men. ,vbosa
names are conspicuous in the world of liter.
AZURE, Were not renowned in tier voutb cor
any special mental briIIisrcy. Some of the
greatest ounces of the schoolroom. later IN
IN life, shoot out far ahead of their brilliant
mates and eclipse them entirely. The {. dull
Ooys' VINO strive with all their might. long
and earnestly. to achieve success, frequently
peal away the honors from the companions
VINO outshone them at an earlier day-and
develop a mental and intellectual strength
that carries them on till great heights are
attained.
The celebrated and eloquent DR.. Chalmers
was exceedingly dull and stupid at his
school tasks-so ready for play and preiu.
diced against ~study-that his master grew
;ouraged and lost all patience with him.
Sl"st. denouncing him ss an incorrigibla
" Ounce" he ordered him to lerve the par-
Ish school, and prophesied that nothing
could be made of him under the most favor
able circumstances
1t Is related of Sir Isaac Newton THAT he
stood at the bottom Of the lowest form but
one In school, though he sfterward went to
work with a strong determination to %outrival
a boy above him with whom he had fought.
and was so successful that he soon won the
head place in his class. showing what con-
tInued perseverance will do.
The lannon's and brilliant Sheridan showed
so little mental briIliancy as a boy that : his
mother, in presenting him to a tutor, de-
clared in complimentary terms that he was
an incorrigible Ounce"
Alferi, the most eminent of tragic poets,
gave promise of his talent in his early I
days. His outbursts.. of temper repelled his
friends. and he learned lIttI- or nothing in
his youth. Yet at forty-eight he m stored
Greek, and translated several languages. !
He acknowledged that love made him a (
poet
Goldsmith. in his 5oyhood. neglected the
golden opportunities offered him, and. gave
little enough heed to study. Obedience TO {
rules he detested. and he became notorious
for his improvidence and Irregularities. At
the university he exhibited no unusual
genius. In after life he often spoke of him. 3
self as a " plant that lowered late"
Neither did Byron like the prescribed
asks assigned him." Dry intellectual food " Z
was not his ambition at school. and the 6
of his teacher was sorely tried-hr e
proved such an unwilling pupil. Then re
passed from the "a first to the fourth class,
nd WIS altogether too self-willed to take
to the necessary routine of study"
Robert Burns was not a 'precocious youth
he excelled more in athletic sports than in
lis studies. He was not notIce.bly bright or
and Thom-s Chatterton. whose q
'rief career was such a melancholy one, was
mother youth sent home to his mother with
he conSoling compliment that he VS. a r
of whom nothing could be made" g
Even Walter Scott. whose works are a
in themselves. cared little for his
ext books. He much preferred desultory
and relished regular study SO poorly 8
hat the Professor Of the famous Edinburgh "a
University declared that he was a Ounce and 81
Tould remain so. FL
=. Suffering Jack Curran." as he was
amiliarly known at school. W s awkward 81
nd ungainly as a lad. and started out to
lake something for himself. with the odds Il
him. A stupid scholar, he realised
is imperfections, and set to with a ~resolute 8
ill to overcome them, and most admirably
In his efforts. n
The Duke of Wellington showed no pro-
of future greatness in his early life, 81
nd gave his mother hours of uneasiness and n
1urry. She felt no happy pride in her child,
nd it was far later on that he achieved
me and won her interest and admiration
v his heroic deeds. She imagined hun "a Il
unce. but he did not turn out according to
er early anticipations.
Many are the men, famous in the grand
7aIks Of life, who have, as Goldsmith said 81
f himself. "a lowered late" They have
ften distanced their brilliant C mpanions
no ridiculed and looked down upon them ;
nd the march Of time his proved their ii
ight to immortal fame. IN