The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-06-02

tell US how kingdoms and empires rode
to fame upon the shoulders of young
men and their voices of enthusiasm and
nope nave sounded through many dark
midnights of woe, and trumpeted them
down in the midst of gloomiest nights.
Whether we journey through the splen-
doris OF literature, or study the might
lest battles IN war, or investigate the
most startling revolutions in religion,
or delve into the sublime achievements
of science. we win find. head and shout
ders to the front, to have been the
young To verify these statements will
you journey with me a few moments
through the brilliant corridors of the
Past. We find at the tender age OF
seventeen Michael Angelo had &. study
IN the famous palace OF Lorenzo de
Medici. At that same age Mozart had
thrilled all Germ any with his marvel
Gus symphonies. At a similar age Alex
ander Hamilton was prominent figure
as a literary writer before his country,
and the chaste literary spirit of Wash
ingtOn Irving had called special atten
ton to him as the spirited editor of the
Daily Morning Chronicle We find
also though but one year older-at
eighteen-the splendid Swiss reformer,
ZWingn had so well read the New Tes-
lament Greek, as to doubt the authority
of the ROmish Papacy- At the same age,
the age possibly of the greater number
of this class, the youthful Spurgeon was
pastor of a congregation, and the great
father of Protes tantism, Martin Luther
was a popular professor a. the Q4lAA GASA-
ty Of Erfurt.-
'eWho dare say these youths achiev-
ing national reputation at so tender age
did not have early intimatiOns of their
powers and future2 Our own glorious
Washington has tradition placing the
aggressive axe in his hand at a tender
age. That Ratchet story may be only
a myth, but history has Washington
commissioned as a major in the Colonial
army at the age of 49,. At that same age
noble n0nf RTU1nT had written
his immortal poem "ThanatOpsis;" and
another who was destined to revolution
ize transportation, George Stevenson, at
the age OF l9 was carrying in his brain
an improved steam engine. Ancient
history tells us that at the age of 20
Alexander the Great had mounted the
throne; and modern history records the
Iact that the brilliant Wallace had as
saulted the battements of Edward I. At
the same age the great musician Weber
was giving to Europe his magnificent
symphonies. which stirred continental
musical circles from center to circum-
ference At his majority Milton had
written that immortal poem The Hymn
of the Nativity Beethoven had added
another great name to the realm Of
music; and WilberfOrce had placed his
own side by side with names of the
worlds greatest philanthrOpists. At the
age of % Algeron Sidney had signally
antagOnized Cromwell; SavOnarOla had
charmed southern Europe with his mag
nificent eloquence; and Schiller had i'm
mortalized himself by composing his
great work. The Robbers
Nor dare I tell only the story of
youthful success among the young men.
While Pope was lauded for writing the
finest poetica1 essay in his day at %,
at the same age Charlotte Bronte had
given to the world her thrilling Jane
Eyre which so and more years have
not relegated to oblivion. At the same
age Bailey had written his 'Festus,
Browning his .Paracelsus.' and Whit
field was a bright and shining light in
the pulpit, and Charles Schwab was
manager Of the greatest steel works in
the world At q Ruskin had written
| Modern Painters, Bismarck was cap
tain Of the kings cavalry, Alexander
had taken Thebes and crossed the
Henespont AT 25 we are told the Bo-
/ hernian reformer Huss had become a
flame of fire in Germany.
..Shall I cease2 But hear me yet a few
moments longer. At tWenty-six Frank