Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 15.djvu/130

120 the desire for fame, and used to shed tears of sorrow at the thought that this wish could never be gratified, as he had no special talent for any pursuit and his social position was also against him. He attributes this feeling partly to his natural temperament, and partly to his Latin studies, such as they were. During these years he taught his younger brothers and sisters for one hour each evening, except Saturdays and Sundays, for which his father paid him a small fee quarterly. As he had himself been taught almost nothing, he had a poor idea of his performances as a teacher, although his parents and pupils were satisfied with his efforts. At the age of sixteen he had to face the question of a calling. He was feeble, delicate, shabby in appearance, with no conscious bias, but only the wish to live by honest industry. He was offered as an apprentice to a dealer in woolen cloth, flannel, and small wares, but the proprietor, he says, "took me to the door to obtain light to view me better, and turned me round and round: he then politely told my father that I would not suit." On the way to the shop of another cloth-merchant they met one of his uncles, who was told where they were going, and what had happened at the former application. This uncle now suggested to the father that they try the law, "For," said he, "you have given George a good education: we have a numerous connection in town, and there is no writer among us." The father was afraid they could not succeed with this idea, but it ended in his going as an apprentice for five years to a "writer to the Signet," one Alexander Dallas. He had to bring a certificate from Professor Hill, of his attendance at the college for two years. He was terribly alarmed lest Professor Hill should decline to do this because of the utter neglect of his studies during those two years, but was astonished at the close of the session to get the following document:

That the bearer, Mr. George Combe, attended the Humanity class in the University of Edinburgh two years, and prosecuted his studies with great diligence and success, is attested by (Signed)Jo. Hill, Lit. Hum. P.

Although this certificate gained him the place, the autobiography closes by explaining how completely his schooling had unfitted him for it. His first experiences in the study of law were extremely painful and mortifying. Some degree of independent judgment in the use of words was now required, and of this he was wholly destitute. He had to begin anew his literary education, but by unwearied industry and perseverance he at length aroused his dormant faculties and learned how to use them. Combe thought his helplessness was due to the fact that at school he was taught nothing; but children nowadays are rendered equally helpless by over-teaching. They get abundant instruction and but little education. Our youths leave school as incapable of independent thinking as was Combe himself. With all our boasted progress empty-headed teachers still abound, and the failure of