Tárogató, 1938-1939 (1. évfolyam, 1-10. szám)
1939-04-01 / 10. szám
TÁROGATÓ IS prenticed to one of his elder brothers, a printer. At the age of seventeen, Benjamin Franklin arrived in Philadelphia with a Dutch dollar and a copper shilling in his pocket, but with real wealth in character. Sometimes we think of membersi of large families as starting out in life under a severe handicap, at least when the parents are in poor or moderate circumstances. The latter, as a rule, are unable to give their children, or some of them, the university education that might have been possible in a smaller family. Often the older children at least have to stop school early, and make other sacrifices which may prejudice their careers, in order to help financially at home. It may be argued, however, that the advantages of belonging to a big family usually outweigh the disadvantages. The member of a large home circle is likely to develop self-reliance at an early age. He learns to “give and take,” to share joy and sorrow with others, to make friends easily, and to get along with people under all circumstances. Franklin’s youtful experience as a member of a huge family doubtless contributed to his love of humanity, and his burning desire to better the lot of hist fellow men. Of course some reach the top in spite of their families, rather than because of them. It is questionable whether men like Napoleon help or harm mankind, but it cannot be denied that the little Corsican went a long way in his chosen profession! Historians agree that the numerous Bonaparte family constituted a hindrance to Napoleon’s career. He elevated his brothers and sisters to dizzy heights, but through their pride and quarrelsome selfishness they kept the emperor in hot water continually, and contributed to his final downfall. In the average big family, however, all, or most, of the members love one another sufficiently that each contributes something to the others’ progress and strength of character. John Wesley was the fifteenth child, Charles Wesley the eighteenth child of their parents. All the Protestant world knows the work of these men, and realizes what it owes to the godly home in which they were reared. The family was hard-pressed financially, but rich in spirit. The saintly mother, Susannah Wesley, whose wealth of character helped through the work of her sons to transform the world, was herself the twentyfifth child of her father, Doctor Annesley, and the twenty-fourth child of his second wife. “How many children has Doctor Annesley?’ some one asked of Thomas Manton, who had just baptized the latest arrival. “I believe it is two dozen, or a quarter of a hundred,” he replied. Truly, great souls may arise from wide family circles. Josiah Wedgwood, the consummate workman and manufacturer who made English pottery famous, was a 13-th child. The family, though working-class folk, lived fairly comfortably until the father died and Josiah had to go to work at ten years of age. Crippled by smallpox when eleven years old, he was further handicapped by pain and ill-health throughout much of his life, but his infinite patience and faultless work brought fame and fortune in the end. The genius of Ludwig van Beethoven, one of the greatest musical composers of all time, arose above almost unbelievable obstacles. His drunken (father, also a musician, was a poor example for the seven children. The mother died when Ludwig was still young, but already the boy, who gave concerts when he was seven, and had learned all the music the father knew by the time he was nine, was a great musician. Beethoven became almost totally deaf when still a young man, and contemplated suicide, but though he could not hear his own music, or that of others, his soul was so full of melody that neither this nor other physical afflictions could silence it. Hard work with axe and plough in order to help support a big family did not interfere with the love of God’s handiwork which made John Muid one of the foremost naturalists of his day. When John was eleven the family moved from Scotland to a pioneer farm in Wisconsin, and the young lad assumed a man’s share of the backbreaking labour. He had little chance for further schooling, yet prepared himself for a university course, and walked through many states in his search of nature’s wonders.
