The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-03-18
ACHIEVEMENTS OF YOUTH
Great Mea Who Acquired Fame at an
Early Age.
What History Teaches In Eneourasement
OF the Young Man just Entering
Upon Q Career-Extrscts from
an Eloquent Address.

March to Judge Thayer. the following
words were used by James NJ. Beck IN
his response to the toast, "The Junior
Bar:
Secular history eloquently tells us OF
the capabilities of youth. 1t Is one long
splendid, flaming record of youthful ex.
ploits Shall we instance Ale xander, VINO
at 20 ascended the throne, at % won the
who at 50 years of age had carried Greek
civilization from the Mediterranean TO the
DANCES, and who was but 81 when he died,
nneonauered save by that waste o. H. ocean s@r,
ther progress? The greatest of the Cae-
sars was but young soldier when ne
compelled Pompey and Crassus to DIVIDE
with him the dominion of the world. or
shall We Instance that marvellous poy OF
our own century. who t26. like young SAM
son. rent the lion of French anarchy 'as
ceived as his wife's dowry the command ct
some 81, O0O half-clothed and half starved
bsttalions. and fung his proud chaiIense
10 his adversaries. that he would make
them burn their books on tactics At 20
this modern Caesar beholds the minarets
of Cairo cleaning In the rising sun. and
could challenge the forty eensI5ies pra uids .hds
TO parallel the wonder OF his career IN
deed. from 1885 until 1906 all Europe be-
came the mere chessboard OF two young
men. and its kings, knights. bishops. cas-
lies and pawns, We're moved almost al 'he
will OF their master minds.
The one, Napoleon. who ut 81 pressed
the other, young Pitt, who on entering the
bar was elected to the house OF commons.
and who approved himself mon impair
congressus AchillL" His rirst speech. de-
able that not only Burke proclaimed him
"a chip of the old block" and therefore a
worthy son of the Earl of Chatham, but
Fox. when told that Put would become
one of the greatest orators OF the house.
replied: Nay, he is." year later the
ministry had dissolved and a powerful
coalition. consisting of Lord North. Burke
formed to oppose the government. Who
could cope with an opposition that was
formidable beyond any precedent? The
age he became chancellor OF the exche-
qlier, and from that time until his death,
a few days after the battle of Auster-
litz, he held supreme sway In England, a
has even been enjoyed by any English
parliamentary. leader before or since. 1t
was young Pitt who organized with un-
tion that ultimately broke the power OF
the young Napoleon. and thus they played
for the empire of the world their chess
shone forth resplendent at Austeritz. and
Pitt died of chagrin at hearing the thun-
herous 'checkmate" from Napoleon's
ward from the cornfields of Waterloo the
real victor of the Titanic struggle Of
twenty years was not the Iron Duke. but
that young lawyer whose , remains ,hn ms.fsb fhen
speaking race, Westminster Abbey.
OTHER GREAT YOUNG MEN.
If we turn from the cabinet and the
tented field to the more peaceful voca-
tions of men, the truth is not less star
Ting. Newton was but % when he dis
covered that law as infinite and compre-
the innumerable starry worlds in It's ma
jestic -gravitation. Beethoven
wrote the more famous or his sympho-
s nies before he was I; ana t1deliS af h3n 3
Giovanni" which the gray-beards here
assembled have not failed to admire. We're
written by Mozart at e. Mendelssohn
at II the overture to the Midsummer
Nights Dream of which 1t is the high
est compliment to say that it s worthy
world with his mellfiuous melody, died
at 81. Wagner the Napoleon of the Or
chestra, revolutionized the opera by
%. convulsed the world with merriment-
and it has been laughing ever since,by
that most perfect comedy, 1.-The Rivals"
aSd oh founS hG himself famo1s at t bw WIFE
ing "Childe Harold" Campbell at s2.
composed his pleasures of Hope" and
bryant. at IS. wrote that undying poem.
'.Thanatopsis." Shelley, at IS, made the
world his lasting debtor by queen Nab"
while Burns, with his boyish hand upon
the plough sang under the blue skies Of
AYR his divine lyrics OF democracy.
Shall we further instance that sovereign
poet. who. fleeing across Warwickshire
meadows, entered London a penniless and
trades. as Greene called him. he held
horses and dreamed. He doubtless slept
IN the suualor of some London garnet,
but at the bidding OF his genius the rude
ination there arched above him the blue
heavens of Verona. its "majestical roof
fretted with golden fire." while across the
balmy air there fioated the youthful VOWS
OF ardent lovers. Thus at q years Of
age Shakespeare composed the most per-
feet love tragedy of literature. Romeo
and Juliet"
IN AMERICAN HISTORY.
Go back in imagination to the house Of
bnrgesses. In Virginia, IN the year 1865;
none more quick to resent the slightest
expression of disloyalty to England's 3
king. The session is drawing to Its close
and no member has had sufficient ,conr-
age to condemn by word or resolution
the recently enacted stamp act. The
youngest member of the house Is q young
of q parson and a wig that knew no pow
der. who had just reached his twenty
ninth year. He had not imbibed what
jefferson finely called '.the honeyed Mans
fieldism OF Blackstone. which. as Jeffer-
son added. had turned the old lawyers
from Wings into Tories" but had drunk
ueep OTduSntS liberty from tOke )
comments on Magma Charta. "Alone, un-
advised and unassisted." the young law
yer arose and submitted f1ve resolutions
so radical, revolutionary and comprehen-
sive as to cause a thrill Of Indignation to
pervade that Tory body, as though bias
phemy against the Lord Anointed had
been uttered. Standing erect. with large
sweeping gesticnlations and a voice OF
marvellous melody. he supported his reso-
lutions by torrents OF sublime elo-
Quence." as one OF his auditors said sixty
u.A, n..n. If frsr co. Iii. L..
tered the memorable and daring words.
the first challenge of defiance to the Brit
ish crown; Caesar C.au had had his Brqtus,
:"Freasoa! treason!" echoed from every
part of the house. The orator faltered
not far an instant. but rising with the
;ofsy ana prssS,enGe 9f youth to
III may profit by their example. II this
be treason. make the most of It,"
1t was the "fOrest-born Demosthenes,' -
ory. BY u majority of one vote the reso.
lntions were carried. It was a triumph
OF eloquence great almost beyond prece.
dent. Preyton Randolph. the kings at.
forney general. angrily swept out OF the
chamber crying, by God, 1 would have
gwen sCo guineas for q single voter
q those shining lights of the Junior bar
w'homas Jefferson, James Madison and
John MarshalD Pendletpn and other older
carried. as Bancroft says, because "Hen.
~ carried all the young members with
him. and thus Virginia gave the signal for
the continent"
Standing on tiptoe and listening with
bated breath to his friends sublime elo.
quence. another law student, aged p
years, who had drawn his inspiration OF
freedom from the everlasting hills OF
Northern Virginia. stood on that great
day in the lobby Of the house. At Is he
procured by his Summary View of the
Rights Of America" the honor Of an nj.
fainder by the British parliament. and et
q was selected, because his was the mas.
terful pen Of his time. to- give to man.