The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1888-03-28
YOUNG MEN WHO WERE GREAT.

Charles James Fox was in Parliament
at nineteen.
The great Cromwell left the University
of Cambridge at eighteen.
John Bright never was at any school
day after he was fifteen years old.
Gladstone was in Parliament at twenty
two. and at twenty-four was Lord OF tie
Treasury.
Lord Bacon graduated at Cambridge
when sixteen, and was called to the bar
at twcnty-one.
Peel was in Parliament at twenty.one,
and Palmerston was Lord of the Admir-
atty at twenty-three.
Henry Clay was in the Senate of the
United Safes at twenty nine, contrary to
the Constitution.
John Hampton, after graduating at
Oxford, was student at law in the
Inner Temple at nineteen.
Gustavus Adolphus assembled the
throne at sixteen; before he was
thirty-four he was one of the great
rulers of Europe.
Judge Story was at Harvard at fifteen,
in Congress at twenty nine and Judge
of the Supreme Court of the United
States at thirty-two.
Martin Luther had become largely
distinguished at twenty.four, and at
6fty-six had reached the topmost round
of his worldwide fame.
Conde conducted memorable cam
paign at seventeen, and at twenty-five
he, and Turenne also, were the most
illustrious men of their time.
Webster was in college at fifteen, gave
earnest of his great future before he
was twenty-five, and at thirty was the
peer of the ablest man in Congress.
William H. Seward commenced the
practice of law at twenty one, at thirty
one was President Of the State Conven-
tion and at thirty-seven Governor of New
York.
Washington was a distinguished
Colonel in the army ut twenty-five,
early in public affairs, commander of
the forces at forty-three, and Pres:dent
at fifty-seven.
Maurice, Of Saxony, died at thirty
two, conceded to have been one of the
profoundest statesmen and one of the
ablest generals which Christendom has
seen.
Napoleon at twenty-five commanded
the army of Italy. At thirty he was not
only one of the most illustr;ous generals
of all time, but one of the great law
givcrs of the world. At forty-six he
saw Waterloo.
Leo Y. was Pope at thirty-eight, hav-
ing finished his academic training, he
took the office of Cardinal at eighteen
only twelve months younger than was
Charles James Fox when he entered
Parliament.
William Pitt entered the university at
fourteen, was Chancellor of the Ex-
cheouer at twenty-five, Prime Minister
at twenty-four, and so continued for
twenty years; and at thirty-tive was the
most powerful uncrowned head in Eu-
rope.
From the earliest years of Queen Eliza
beth to the latest of Queen Victoria,
England has had scarce an able states
man who did not leave the university by
the time he was twenty, and many OF
them left at an earlier age.
The late Lord Beaconsfeld left the
cloister and entered the great word early,
as did John Bright, and commenced his
political career by writing a book at sew
entecn, IN which he predicted that he
uoul6 he Prime Minister.
Hamilton was in Kings College at
sixteen; when seventeen he m lde no.
table address on public affairs to the
citizens of New York: at twenty he was
entrusted with most important mission
to General Gates; was in Congress at
twenty-five, and Secretary of the Treas
ury at tfirty-two.
John Quincy Adams, at the age of
fourteen, was secretary to Mr.. Dana,
then Minister to the Russian Court; at
thirty he was himself Minister TO Prus-
sia; at thirty-fve he was Minister to
Russia; at forty-eight he was Minister
to England; at fifty six he was Secretary
of State. and President at tifty-seven.
Jonathan Edwards acquired early re-
nown as the greatest metaphyslcian IN
America and as unsurpassed by any one
in Europe. He commenced the reading
of Latin when six years old. At ten ne
wrote remarkable paper upon the i'm
mortality of the soul. At the age OF
thirteen he entered Yale College, where
he graduated four years later.
General Grant was elected President at
forty-six; but when young man, in the
Mexican war, he so distinguished him
self at the battle Of Molino del Rey that
General Scott named him for promotion
on the field, and at the storming OF
Chapultapec his courage and ability
caused him to be specially commended by
General Worth. And for these young
acts of skill and valor he was made Cap
tain in the regular army. He was but
thirty-nine when he gained his victory
at Fort Donelson and only forty-one
when he took Vicksburg.--Boston Ga
zftte