Chap. III.]

CULTIVATION OF THE MIND.

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much of the night to the latter. Samuel Huntington was en-gaged in the labors of the farm, until his twenty-second year,when he commenced the study of the law, and rose to be a dis-tinguished member of Congress, and was chief justice of theSupreme Court, and chief magistrate of his native State (Con-necticut), during many years. Dr. Thomas Baldwin may besaid to have commenced the education which fitted him for hisdistinguished course of usefulness in the Christian ministry,when he was thirty-eight years of age. If propriety permittedme to use the names of persons still living, many other examplesequally striking and instructive might be cited. But, of all ex-amples, that of Dr. Franklin is probably the most instructiveand cheering to those, whose humble circumstances require themto be the architects of their own fortunes. His father was accus-tomed to quote this verse of the Proverbs of Solomon ; “ Seestthou a man diligent in his business ? he shall stand before kings ; ”*and the Memoirs of the son warrant us in believing, that it had adecisive influence on his aspiring genius. Born in the lowestobscurity, his industry and enterprise raised him to be the com-panion and adviser of kings. Lord Chatham said, he was “ one,whom all Europe held in estimation for his knowledge and wis-dom, and ranked with Boyle and Newton ; who was an honor,not to the English nation only, but to human nature.” f

But why review the cases of individuals any further ? Ourentire country is a great and striking illustration of what may bedone by native force of mind, self-education, without advantages,but springing up under strong excitement, and embarking innew and successful undertakings. Nowhere do we meet withexamples more numerous and more brilliant, of men who haverisen above poverty, obscurity, and every other discouragement,to usefulness and an honorable fame. The statesmen who con-ducted the revolution to its successful issue, were called, gene-rally without experience, to the head of affairs. The generalswho commanded our armies, were most of them taken, like Cin-cinnatus, from the plough ; and the forces which they led, weregathered from the firesides of an industrious and peaceable popu-lation. They were arrayed against all the experience, talent,

Chap. xxii. 29.

i Franklin’s Works, Vol. I.pp. 85, 322.