“Dr. Abbot,” said Judge Webster, when the two were admitted to his presence, “I have brought my son Daniel to study in your institution, if you find him qualified3.”
The dignified principal turned towards the bashful boy, and said, “What is your age, sir?”
“Fourteen,” answered Daniel.
“I will examine you first in reading. Take this Bible, my lad, and read that chapter.”
It was the twenty-second chapter of St. Luke’s Gospel, and was very well adapted as a test of the boy’s ability in reading.
Now if there was anything Dan could do well it was this. He never could remember the time when he could not read. Probably he had learned from his mother, and his first text-book was the Bible. He was endowed with reverence4, and his grave, sonorous5 voice was especially well fitted for sacred reading.
The boy took the book and commenced the task prescribed. Usually a few verses are considered sufficient, but in this case the dignified listener became absorbed in the boy’s reading, and he listened, half forgetful of the object he had in view. It is a good deal to say that he actually enjoyed it. He had seldom listened to a voice at once so rich, deep and sonorous as belonged to this young boy of fourteen. Daniel, too, forgot that he was on trial, and read with his whole soul intent upon the words before him.
When he had completed the chapter Dr. Abbot said, abruptly6, “You are qualified to enter this institution.”
This was all the examination which in his case was required.
It was no common school that Daniel had entered, as is shown by the list of eminent7 men who have gone forth8 from it. George Bancroft, Edward Everett, Alexander H. Everett, Lewis Cass, Levi Woodbury, John E. Palfrey and others received here the first rudiments9 of their classical education, and all of them looked back with affection to their Alma Mater. But without derogating from the fame of any of these eminent men, it may surely be said that in Daniel Webster not only Exeter but Dartmouth College boasts its greatest alumnus.
Daniel soon vindicated10 the good judgment11 of Dr. Abbot in admitting him as a pupil. As to the manner in which he improved the advantages which his father’s self-denial had secured to him, I quote the testimony12 of Dr. Tefft in his interesting life of Webster:
“During the nine months of his stay at Exeter he accomplished13 as much for himself, according to every account, as most young gentlemen could have accomplished in two years. When he left he had as thoroughly14 mastered grammar, arithmetic, geography and rhetoric15, as the majority of college graduates usually have done after a full collegiate course. He had also made rapid progress in the study of the Latin language. Dr. Abbot, fully16 appreciating the capacity of his most remarkable17 pupil, did not tie him down to the ordinary routine of study, nor compel him to lag behind with the other pupils, but gave him free scope and a loose rein18, that he might do his utmost; and the venerable preceptor, after the lapse19 of more than half a century, during all which time he continued to be a teacher, declared on a public occasion that Daniel Webster’s equal in the power of amassing20 knowledge he had never seen, and never expected to see again.
“It is not enough to say of him, according to Dr. Abbot’s description of him at this time, that he had a quick perception and a memory of great tenacity21 and strength. He did not seem barely to read and remember, as other people do. He appeared, rather, to grasp the thoughts and facts given by his author with a peculiar22 force, to incorporate them into his mental being, and thus make them a part of himself. It is said of Sir Isaac Newton, after reading for the first time the geometry of Euclid, and on being asked what he thought of it, that he knew it all before. He understood geometry, it seems, by intuition, or by a perception so rapid that it seems like intuition; but it was also true of the great astronomer23 that he had great difficulty in remembering even his own calculations after he had gone through with them. Daniel Webster, on the other hand, though endowed with a very extraordinary quickness of insight, worked harder for his knowledge than did Newton; but when once he had gained a point, or learned a fact, it remained with him, a part of his own essence, forever afterwards. His mind was also wonderfully fertile. A single truth, which, with most boys of his age, would have remained a single truth, in him became at once a starting-point for a remarkable series of ideas, original and striking, growing up out of the seed sown by that mighty24 power of reflection, in which no youth of his years, probably, was ever his superior.”
At that time an assistant in the school was Joseph S. Buckminster, who later became an eminent preacher in Boston, and died while yet a young man. He was very young at the time, a mere25 boy, yet such were his attainments26, and such was the confidence reposed27 in him by his old teachers, that he was selected to fill the position of tutor. He it was who first directed the studies of the new scholar, and encouraged the bashful boy to do his best. In after life Webster never displayed timidity or awkwardness; but, fresh from the farm, thrown among a hundred boys, most of whom were better dressed and more used to society than he, he felt at times awkward and distrustful. One thing he found it hard to do was to declaim. This is certainly singular, considering how he excelled in reading, and considering moreover what an orator28 he afterwards became.
It was not because he did not try. He committed more than one piece to memory, and recited it to himself out loud in the solitude29 of his own room, but when the time came to get up and declaim it before the teacher and his schoolmates he was obliged to give it up. Here is his own account of it:
“Many a piece did I commit to memory, and rehearse in my own room over and over again; but when the day came, when the school collected, when my name was called, and I saw all eyes turned upon my seat, I could not raise myself from it. Sometimes the masters frowned, sometimes they smiled. Mr. Buckminster always pressed and entreated30 with the most winning kindness that I would venture only once; but I could not command sufficient resolution, and when the occasion was over I went home and wept tears of bitter mortification31.”
This is certainly encouraging for bashful boys. Here was a man who became one of the greatest orators—perhaps the greatest—and yet as a boy he made an ignominious32 failure in the very department in which he afterwards excelled. It is a lesson for parents also. Don’t too hastily conclude that your boys are dunces, and destined33 to failure, because they develop late, or are hindered from making a creditable figure by timidity or nervous self-consciousness.
In this connection I am tempted34 to repeat an anecdote35 of Sir Walter Scott. It was not till comparatively late that he discovered his poetical36 ability. It is related of him that when already a young man he was rowing with a friend on a Scotch37 lake, when they mutually challenged each other to produce a few lines of poetry. Both made the trial, and both failed. Thereupon Scott said good-humoredly to his companion, “It’s clear neither of us was cut out for a poet.” Yet within ten years appeared the first of those Border poems which thrilled the hearts of his countrymen, and have lent a charm to the hills and lakes of Scotland which they will never lose.
Daniel remained nine months at Exeter. Though he did not win reputation as a declaimer, he made his mark as a scholar. When he was approaching the end of his first term the usher38 said one day, “Webster, you may stop a few minutes after school; I wish to speak to you.”
Daniel stopped, wondering whether in any way he had incurred39 censure40.
When they were alone the usher said, “The term is nearly over. Are you coming back next term?”
Daniel hesitated. He enjoyed the advantages which the school afforded, but his feelings had been hurt at times by the looks of amusement directed at his rustic41 manners and ill-fitting garments.
The usher noticed his hesitation42, and said, “You are doing yourself great credit. You are a better scholar than any in your class. If you come back next term I shall put you into a higher class.”
These encouraging words made the boy resolve to return, and regardless of ridicule43 pursue with diligence the path which had been marked out for him.
It would be rather interesting to read the thoughts of Daniel’s schoolmates when years afterwards they saw the boy whom they had ridiculed44 moving forward with rapid strides to the foremost place in the councils of state, as well as in the legal profession.
I am tempted to insert here, on the authority of an Exeter correspondent of the Chicago Advance, an anecdote of Daniel at this period which will interest my young readers:
“When Daniel Webster’s father found that his son was not robust45 enough to make a successful farmer, he sent him to Exeter to prepare for college, and found a home for him among a number of other students in the family of ‘old Squire46 Clifford,’ as we of a younger generation had always heard him called. Daniel had up to this time led only the secular47 life of a country farmer’s boy, and, though the New Hampshire farmers have sent out many heroes as firm and true as the granite48 rocks in the pasture, there cannot be among the hard and homely49 work which such a life implies the little finenesses of manner which good society demands. Daniel was one of these diamonds of the first water, but was still in the rough, and needed some cutting and polishing to fit him to shine in the great world in which he was to figure so conspicuously50.
“None saw this more clearly than the sensible old Squire. The boy had one habit at table of which the Squire saw it would be a kindness to cure him. When not using his knife and fork he was accustomed to hold them upright in his fists, on either side of his plate. Daniel was a bashful boy of very delicate feelings, and the Squire feared to wound him by speaking to him directly on the subject. So he called aside one of the other students with whom he had been longer acquainted, and told him his dilemma51. ‘Now,’ said he, ‘I want you this noon at the table to hold up your knife and fork as Daniel does. I will speak to you about it, and we will see if the boy does not take a hint for himself.’
“The young man consented to be the scapegoat52 for his fellow-student, and several times during the meal planted his fists on the table, with his knife and fork as straight as if he had received orders to present arms. The Squire drew his attention to his position, courteously53 begged his pardon for speaking of the matter, and added a few kind words on the importance of young men correcting such little habits before going out into the world. The student thanked him for his interest and advice, and promised reform, and Daniel’s knife and fork were never from that day seen elevated at table.”
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1
dignified
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| a.可敬的，高贵的 | |
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deference
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| n.尊重，顺从；敬意 | |
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qualified
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| adj.合格的，有资格的，胜任的，有限制的 | |
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reverence
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| n.敬畏，尊敬，尊严；Reverence:对某些基督教神职人员的尊称；v.尊敬，敬畏，崇敬 | |
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sonorous
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| adj.响亮的，回响的；adv.圆润低沉地；感人地；n.感人，堂皇 | |
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abruptly
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| adv.突然地，出其不意地 | |
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eminent
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| adj.显赫的，杰出的，有名的，优良的 | |
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forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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rudiments
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| n.基础知识，入门 | |
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vindicated
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| v.澄清（某人/某事物）受到的责难或嫌疑( vindicate的过去式和过去分词 )；表明或证明（所争辩的事物）属实、正当、有效等；维护 | |
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judgment
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| n.审判；判断力，识别力，看法，意见 | |
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testimony
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| n.证词；见证，证明 | |
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accomplished
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| adj.有才艺的；有造诣的；达到了的 | |
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thoroughly
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| adv.完全地，彻底地，十足地 | |
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rhetoric
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| n.修辞学，浮夸之言语 | |
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fully
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| adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地 | |
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remarkable
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| adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的 | |
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rein
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| n.疆绳，统治，支配；vt.以僵绳控制，统治 | |
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lapse
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| n.过失，流逝，失效，抛弃信仰，间隔；vi.堕落，停止，失效，流逝；vt.使失效 | |
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amassing
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| v.积累，积聚( amass的现在分词 ) | |
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tenacity
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| n.坚韧 | |
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peculiar
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| adj.古怪的，异常的；特殊的，特有的 | |
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astronomer
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| n.天文学家 | |
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mighty
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| adj.强有力的；巨大的 | |
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mere
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| adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过 | |
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attainments
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| 成就，造诣； 获得( attainment的名词复数 )； 达到； 造诣； 成就 | |
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reposed
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| v.将（手臂等）靠在某人（某物）上( repose的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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orator
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| n.演说者，演讲者，雄辩家 | |
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solitude
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| n. 孤独; 独居,荒僻之地,幽静的地方 | |
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entreated
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| 恳求，乞求( entreat的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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mortification
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| n.耻辱，屈辱 | |
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32
ignominious
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| adj.可鄙的，不光彩的，耻辱的 | |
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destined
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| adj.命中注定的；(for)以…为目的地的 | |
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tempted
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| v.怂恿（某人）干不正当的事；冒…的险（tempt的过去分词） | |
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anecdote
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| n.轶事，趣闻，短故事 | |
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poetical
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| adj.似诗人的；诗一般的；韵文的；富有诗意的 | |
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scotch
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| n.伤口，刻痕；苏格兰威士忌酒；v.粉碎，消灭，阻止；adj.苏格兰(人)的 | |
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38
usher
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| n.带位员，招待员；vt.引导，护送；vi.做招待，担任引座员 | |
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39
incurred
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| [医]招致的，遭受的； incur的过去式 | |
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censure
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| v./n.责备；非难；责难 | |
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41
rustic
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| adj.乡村的，有乡村特色的；n.乡下人，乡巴佬 | |
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42
hesitation
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| n.犹豫，踌躇 | |
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43
ridicule
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| v.讥讽，挖苦；n.嘲弄 | |
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44
ridiculed
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| v.嘲笑，嘲弄，奚落( ridicule的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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45
robust
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| adj.强壮的，强健的，粗野的，需要体力的，浓的 | |
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46
squire
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| n.护卫, 侍从, 乡绅 | |
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47
secular
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| n.牧师，凡人；adj.世俗的，现世的，不朽的 | |
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48
granite
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| adj.花岗岩，花岗石 | |
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49
homely
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| adj.家常的，简朴的；不漂亮的 | |
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50
conspicuously
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| ad.明显地，惹人注目地 | |
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51
dilemma
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| n.困境，进退两难的局面 | |
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52
scapegoat
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| n.替罪的羔羊，替人顶罪者；v.使…成为替罪羊 | |
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53
courteously
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| adv.有礼貌地，亲切地 | |
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