The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1901-10-22
ward the dead otter from all dlrec>
tions.-Morning OregoniGn.
THE LUCK OF FlRsT.soRN.
But Younger Brothers Make Good
Showing.

nut Younger NAhe 1OoO
Showing.
The law is by no means alone in IA
voring the first born of n family and
comparatively neglecting later corners.
for careful examination of the bio
graphies Of our most eminent men
will prove that quite preponderating
number of them owe their fame large
~ TO the fact that they made their en-
try into the world I'm advance of their
brothers and sisters.
To such an extent does this appear
to he the case that, If dozen names
OF distinguished men are taken at ran
dom, it would be quite safe to assert
that four OF them Tor possibly fve)
are first sons; of the remainder three
are second sons. while younger sons
ranging from number three down
ward, must he content with dividing
the small amount OF celebrity among
them
Occasionally Il very late conner ac-
quires fame, but the odds are all
against him. Thus, Benjamin Frank
lin, the great natural philosopher and
politician, had no fewer than thirteen
brothers and sisters in front of him.
Sir Richard Arllwright. the famous in
ventor, was the thirteenth child of his
parents, and Sir Joshua Reynolds was
number seven i'm his family.
But by far the majority Of the
worlds distinctions are shared be-
tween first and second sons. the
lions share going to the first born.
Fame in the world of letters has
gone in quite undue proportions to the
eldest born. If we may take Dante.
Goethe, Shakespeare and Milton as
the four greatest names in the history
OF the world literature we shall find
that all four, with the exception of
Shakespeare-the greatest, it is true,
of them all-were eldest sons.
This privilege OF the first born is
claimed for Sheiley and Byron and
Heine, and in modern times. to men
ton names without regard to relative
merit, by Ruskin, Max Muller. Leclly.
Professor Jebb, Sir Lewis Norris.
Frederick Harrison, Sir John Lubbock.
Sir George Trevelyan, Mr. Pinero and
others far too numerous to mention.
Confucius and Mohammed. Tallev.
-''AAN'f ANp'oAAls NudIltLldEnt, luInpr
and Raphael were all eldest sons: as
also are such eminent statesmen of
to-day as Mr.. a. ]. Balfour. Mr.. Cham
berlain, Mr.. Brodrick, Lords Rosebery
and Goschen and Mr.. John Morley.
Among great soldiers we have Lord
WolSeley and Lord Kitchener; among
lawyers Sir Francis Jeune and Sir
EDWARD Clarke; in the church. the late
Bishop of London, and on the stage
Sir Henry Irving.
OF famous second sons the list is
distinguished if comparatively short
Tor we find such giants of the past as
Michael Angelo and Beethoven; the
Pope, Garibaldi and Pascal; Wallace
and Sheridan; John Wesley and Mon
taigne or famous statesmen of orr
own time we have Sir William Har-
court and Mr.. Asquith, as well nc
Lord Salisbury, to mention only three
names.
The list Of second sons contains
great soldier in Sir Redvers Butler. an
eminent judge in Lord Alyerstone
still better known as Sir Richard
webster; n clever actor in Mr. Reer-
Dohm Tree; an artist in Mr.. Phil May.
and men of letters in Grant Allen and
Sir Edwin Arnold.
Nor are the third sons by any means
to be despised in point of quality. al
though the number is relatively very
small
They include the greatest soldier Of
modern times, the Duke of yelling
ton; the greatest author of any time
Shakespeare, and the most In
nous fiction writer of the last cen
fury, Sir Walter Scott.
Noltaire was third son AMI so
were c. j. Fox. the famous statesmen
and orator. Lord Lytton and Sir Rob.
ert Walpole, while Lord Halsburv has
proved that a third son can fill with
distinction the highest place i'm the
law and. the late Sir Walter Besant
that he can win laurels in the field of
letters. Tit-Bits,