A Hundred Years Ago
THE " SPEC'TATOR," JANUARY 13TH, 1831.
POLAND.
Berlin letters report that even in Warsaw the spirit of resistance is not so Powerful as it was—that the Dictator is by no means so Popular—that the national excitement extends to but a few miles around the capital. Perhaps the truth lies.between these extremes. Five-and-twenty years ago, Poland was a land of slaves. The ass in the fable, when urged toy from the enemy, wished to know if he used two pack-saddles instead of one. The Polish people probably eared little about the domination of Russia so long as it did. not impose an additional pack-saddle. The numerous nobility, the real freemen of the country, have something at stake, and they aro now fairly committed with the Czar.
PRIMA.
Tt is said in the Paris papers that disturbances have broken out in Persia, and that there is an insurrection in the Comtism, which, it is conceived, may effect a diversion in favour of Poland, by withdrawing the attention of the Czar from the west. to the south. The Crown Prince is, it seems, in arms against his father, who is supported by Abbas Mims, the second son. This is not very like a patriotic struggle. So remote a danger will hardly turn Nicholas from the pressing call of the revolt. at Warsaw.
THE KING.
His Majesty, if we may believe the indirect evidence of the reports, continues to enjoy good health ; the records of the week are wholly occupied with an account of the dinners he has taken and given. We are far from underrating the value or the importance of a good dinner, but we would rather "inwardly digest it" than talk about it. Tho attendance on divine service on Sunday is a good old custom, and worthy of all commendation ; but when it occurs fifty-two times in the course of the year, it puzzles our inventive faculties to describe it without running into repetitions. Airings are more varied, for they may be taken in carriage, on horseback, on foot, in the fields, in the streets, in good weather, in bad ; yet even these changes have been long ago exhausted. We shall f oo I have nothing to say about His Majesty at all.
. Among the visiters at the Pavilion during the week we observe the name of the venerable Mrs. Fitzherbert • and among the residents there, is tho amiable daughter of the Duke of Sussex—English, like her parents, but whom our contemporaries will foolishly convert into a Frenchwoman, by calling her Mademoiselle instead of Miss D'Este. How would it sound to call her mother Madame Murray ?
EDUCATION.
The loss of education in youth is only one to mediocrity. Gibbon has said that oilmen of eminence give themselves a second education, and Humphry Davy thought it a fortunate incident that he had none.
"After all," lie say-'," the way in which we are taught Latin and Greek, does not much influence the important structure of our minds. I consider that I was left much to myself, as a child, and put urea no particular plan of study ; and that I enjoyed much idleness at Mr. Coryton's school. I perhaps owe to these circumstances the little talents I have, and their peculiar application. What I am, I have made myself—I say this without vanity, and with pure simplicity of heart."
It may enlighten those who expect much from schools of science and Universities, to know that the difficulties which genius encounters in its progress, instead of overwhelming it, only arm it with additional force. Davy would never have been the chemist he was, if ho had been born to a laboratory. In his early efforts, he was doomed not merely to invent his processes but to create his instruments. Ho collected his utensils from every part of the house ; and Dr. Paris records the humour which he vainly endeavours to veil by sustained phraseology, that one of his most useful instruments was an old clyster-pipe. His early necessities stimulated the inventive faculty ; and his facility and command of all the niceties of manipu- lation may be traced to his improvisatory experiments in youth.
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