Evening journal., 1903-07-10
A BOY WONDER

Although SiciSiy I'd Delicate, This
EngIish Lad Was htelIcctuaIIysOne
of tho Most ItcmnI 1snbIc Youths the
world Has Ever known.
one of the most re markable boys the
world ever saw. was William Pitt. He
astonished foll;with his learning at the
age of seven. He 'becaane prime min
lister of England whRn,he was twenty
four.
He was a siaSG/ G/boy, but he-took all
the out of door fexercise his delicate
frame could bcarland was as eager to
study as most boys are to play. He
would not let hissweak body stop his,
work, and he avastrcading ancient his-
tory at an age when most children are
reading stories written in words eof
one syllable.
His father wast thes great EarlV of
Chatham, and thefboy was brought in
to contact with I'LL the great mer of
the time in England. When he was
thirteen years old he wrote a tragedy
which he called -Lamrentine, King of
Clarinium."
At this age,.too, he was able to'rend
Greek and LGtin almost,as well as{ he
could English. He also was wellrin-
formed on the politics offthe 'day and
on a variety Of subjects about wlich
only men of learning are supposed TO
know anything.
At fourteen he was able to take the
works of TlncYdides, written in Greek.
and read page after page, turning Il
into excellent English as het read, and
this off hand Nranslaaion of his isisaid
to have been aimostlwithouua flaw.
His father spolIe of him as eager
Mr.. William, the counselor the 'phiIos-
opher." At the,age Of fourteen io en-
tered the great University Of Cam
bridge in Englandtand at,oncc, in spite
Of his youth. took,a high place among
the students at THAT celebrated place
of learning.
When he went to,Cambridge, thejboy
was in such feeble health that be had
TO be accompanied by a nurse, and al
through his course there he, was in SC
poor a condition. physically that it was
doubted if lie ever wouldtbe able to
finish the course.
But hard study seemedsto iagree with
him, and when he wasrgra duated, al
the age of seventeen, 'he was much
stronger thanwhen he entered the uni.
versity.
At an age when most boys are pre-
pairing to enter college. or if they are
very clever. have just become fresh
men, young Pitt won the degree OF
master of arts from one ofsthe great
est universities in the worM,and began
the study of law.
At twenty-one he was admitted to
the bar. and the same yearwas elected
a member of parliament. to become
prime minister three yearsilatT.
While he was yet law student and
only eighteen years old he attracted
the attention of prominent men by ht
clear views ON the questions of govern
ment, which then wene perpiexing Hh'
rulers of England. The boy was in
vited everywhere. and men holdingit ith'
most important Offices listened toVhi
advice and asked his opinions.
His friends wanted him to gotint,
parliament when he was twenty anC
all predicted for him brilliant career
IL was curious to see this delicate strip
ling, boy in looks andiyears, meeting
the great and wise men of the countr!
as an equal and conversing on ever
terms with the most LEANED scholars
Of the day.
Young Pitt used TO like ITO listen L
the debates in the British lparliament
and Mr. Fox, the great statesman
meeting him once after debate, wa
astonlshed at the manner in which, tn
boy criticised the eminent men whl
had spoken and pointed out,where the,
could have made their argumen
stronger.
One Of the hardest works ,to under
stand that ever were writteniis ,bOol
called "Cassandra," written sby a maj
named Lycophronis. 1t is written II
Greek. A learned man placed the bOol
5 I'm the hands of young Pitt when tn
boy was sixteen years old, and he rea'
p It at first sight translating into Eng
lish as he read and explaining it.in
manner which made the learnedi maj
declare that had he not seen it h
would have believed it TO be beyon'
the power OF human intellect"
When Pitt was sixteen, his fatheude
clared that he would be a great'states
e. man and was the hope of the country
= Other folks soon became of hisfather'
g way Of thinking. and that is wshy the,
put him into parliament when he wa
so young and made him primeministe
so soon after.
G He fulfilled all that was expected o
g him and ruled England during thirtee
8 of the most eventful years of her his
p tory.-Detroit Free Press.
A SANDER.
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