The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1888-03-29
Young MEN WHO WE'RE GREAT.

The great Cromwell left the university
Of Cambridge at lS.
John Bright never was at any school
a day after he was Is years old.
Gladstone was in parliament at %, and
at "a was lord of the treasury.
Lord Bacon graduated at Cambridge
when l6, and was called to the bar at 81.
Peel was in parliament at 81. and Pal
merston was lord of the admiralty at %.
Henry Clay was in the senate of the
United States at 90, contrary to the con-
stitution.
John Hampton, after graduating at
Oxford, was a student at law in the In
ner Temple at 10.
Gustavus Adolphus ascended the
throne at l6; before he was 81 he was
one of the great rulers of Europe.
Judge Story was at Harvard at Is, in
congress at 90 and Judge of supreme
court of the United States at %.
Martin Luther had become largely dis
tinguished at "a, and at Sc had reached
the topmost round of his worldwide
fame.
Conde conducted a memorable cam
paign at II, and at % he, and Turenne
also, were of the most illustrious men
of their time.
Webster was in college at Is, gave ear
nest of his great future before he was 10,
and at 30 was the peer of the ablest man
IN congress.
William II. Seward commenced the
practice of law at 2l, at 81 was president
of state convention and at 81 governor
of New York.
Washington was distinguished
colonel in the army at o, early in public
affairs, commander of forces at 43 and
president at 81.
Maurice ofSaxony died at 80, conceded
to have been one of the profoundest
statesmen and one of the ablest generals
which Christendom has seen.
Napoleon at 25 commanded the army
of Italy. At 30 he was not only one of
the most illustrious generals Of all time,
but one of the great law-givers of the
world. At 46 he saw Waterloo,
The great Leo X. was pope at SO, hav-
ing finished his academic training. he
took the Office of cardinal at l8-only l2
months younger than was Charles James
Fox when he entered parliament.
Only one civilian out of the presidents
of this country gained his first election
after he was sixty, and that one was
James Buchanan. The chance for the
presidency after 60 is small and growing
less.
William Pitt entered the university at
l4,was chancellor of the eXchequer at d
prime minister at "a, and so continued for
20 years and at 35 was the most power
ful uncrowned head in Europe.
From the earliest years ofQueen 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 90, and many of them
have left at an earlier age.
The late Lord Beaconsfeld left the
cloister and entered the great world early
as did John Bright, and commenced his
political career by writing book at II,
in which he predicted that he would be
prime minister.
Hamilton was in Kings college at l6
when II he made notable address on
public affairs to the citizens of New
York; at 20 he was entrusted with a
most important mission to Gen. Gates
was in congress at 25, and secretary OF
the treasury at 80.
John Quincy Adams, at the age of IA,
was secretary to Mr.. Dana, then minis
ter to the Russian court; at 30 he was
himself minister to Prussia; at IS he was
minister to Russia; at 4S he was minis
ter to England; at So he was secretary of
state, and president at 81.
There have been % presidents of the
United States, five ofwhOm were elected
at 81, and six attained that great Office
before the age of 50. Three military men,
past 60, have been elected. Two have
died very soon, and the other was Gen.
Jackson. and he was but 81 when elected.
Jonathan Edwards acquired early re-
nown as the greatest metaphysiCian in
America, and as unsurpassed by any one
in Europe. He commenced the reading
of Latin when six years old. At ten he
wrote a remarkable paper upon the
Immortality of the soul. At the age OF
l3, he entered Yale college, where he
graduated four years later.
Gen. Grant was elected president at
&c; but when a young man, in the Mex
lean war, he so distinguished himself at
the battle of Molno del Rey that Gen.
Scott named him for promotion, on the
field, and at the storming ofChapultapec
his courage and ability caused him to be
specially commended by Gen. Worth.
And for these young acts of skill and
yalor, he was made captain in the reg
ular army. He was but 80 when he
gained his victory AT Fort Donelson. and
Il when he took Vicksburgh.-[ Boston
Gazette.