298 COTTON PLANTER'S MANUAL. 



of higher, we might almost say, of more romantic interest, than 

 the life of Eli Whitney. All the elements we have named 

 are here present. There is great genius, adequately trained 

 for its conflict. There is an object most noble and inspiring, 

 and clearly contemplated by him as worthy his efforts there 

 Is success the most complete and triumphant, in a result the 

 value of which defies all computation ; and there are obstacles 

 enough to invigorate, to test, and develope the sternest heroism. 

 We do not propose to give here an extended view of the cha- 

 racter of Whitney, or a history of his life. Both of these have 

 been ably done in the work of which we have given the title. 

 There are, however, some facts and some personal traits, con- 

 nected with the history of his greatest invention, which ought 

 to be familiar to all our citizens. 



Whitney \vas born in Massachusetts, at Westborough, in the 

 year 1765. His father was a frugal, hard-working farmer, who 

 had some taste for mechanics, as it would seem, having pro- 

 vided himself with a work-shop, which was stocked with a 

 small supply of tools. This work-shop laid the foundations of 

 Whitney's fame, and strengthened the decided genius for 

 .mechanics which he very early developed. From the earliest 

 age at which he could handle tools, he was always in this shop. 

 At about the age of twelve, he made a very tolerable violin, 

 which was finished in all respects, and furnished very good 

 music. This wonderful performance, for a boy of his age, and 

 at that period in the history of our country, when the mechanic 

 arts were so rude, in an interior country town too, as might 

 reasonably be supposed, established his fame as a mechanic. 

 From this time he was employed to repair violins, and to exe- 

 cute difficult jobs of various kinds, in all of which he seems to 

 have been uniformly successful. At about this period, he took 

 the opportunity, during the absence of his father at church, of 

 prying into the mystery of his watch, which was to him a 



