Einineyii Naturalists. ^7 



they nor their descendants longer reap the bountiful harvests pre- 

 pared for them by the hand of nature — long- since having one by 

 one, made the little mounds throughout the border of the valley, 

 marked only by little groups of cholla cactus around the squir- 

 rels' holes. 



C. R. Oractt. 



EMINENT NATURALISTS.— V. 



HUGH MILLER. 



On the loth of October, 1802, there was born at Cromarty 

 Scotland, one whose name will be remembered, and whose writ- 

 ings will be extensively read, as long as English literature shall 

 remain. 



The little Hugh Miller, for such was the name of this sturdy 

 Scotch urchin, early lost his father, who was a sea-faring man, and 

 whose little vessel was overwhelmed during a storm off the Scot- 

 tish coast. 



Kind friends, however, watched over his early life and directed 

 the course of his education. He attended various schools, from 

 which, according to his own testimony, the most important 

 acquisition that he obtained was the ability to read. He had a 

 fine memory, but his other talents did not seem remarkable, and 

 he was often at the foot of the class. 



But the ability to read opened to him a boundless field, full of 

 treasures, and he eagerly gathered in whatever he could find from 

 a great variety of authors. Books of adventure, English classics, 

 and the stories of martyrs were read by this Scotch boy, and in 

 course of time he began to : ttract attention. It was suggested 

 that he should study for the ministry, but he felt that he was not 

 called to the pulpit, and he chose for himself the trade of a stone- 

 mason, and was set to work in a quarry of old red sandstone. 

 Very delightfully has he told the story of his first day's labor, of 

 the interesting things which came to his notice as the day wore on. 

 and of the exalted feeling he possessed at nightfall, when he re- 

 viewed the work of the day, and realized that he had himself 

 assisted, by honest toil, in preparing the stone for some useful 

 building; in short, he perceived the dignity of labor, and felt en- 

 nobled thereby. What a worthy example for every young man 

 who is inclined to feel an aversion to manual labor, and to think 

 that to work with one's hands, if not positively degrading, is quite 

 far from being anything to feel proud of Not so with Hugh 

 Miller, however ; he knew that every well-hewn block of stone 

 reflected honor upon the one who wielded the hammer and held 

 the chisel ; and while he rejoiced in this feeling, he was led to de- 



