Section 109. On⁠ Self Culture

(From⁠ an address delivered to an assemblage of young men at Edinburgh.)

I⁠ stand before you a self-educated man. My education was⁠ that which was supplied at the humble parish schools of Scotland; and it was only⁠ when I⁠ went to Edinburgh, a poor boy, that I devoted my evenings, after the labours of the day, to the cultivation of⁠ that intellect which the Almighty has given me. From seven or eight in the morning till nine or ten at night⁠, was I at⁠ my business as a bookseller’s apprentice⁠, and⁠ it was only during hours after these, stolen from sleep, that I could devote myself to study. I assure you that I did not read novels⁠; my attention was devoted⁠ to physical science and other useful matters⁠. During⁠ that period I taught myself French. I look back⁠ to that time with great pleasure, and am almost sorry I have not to go⁠ through the same troubles again. I⁠ reaped more pleasure when I had not a sixpence in my pocket, studying in a garret in Edinburgh, than I now find when sitting amidst all the elegancies and comforts of a parlour.—William Chambers.

Über Selbstbildung.

Aus; to deliver an address to an assemblage, vor einer Versammlung eine Rede halten; young men, junge Leute.

I — man. This sentence does not allow of a literal rendering; say ‘You see before you a man who has educated himself’ (sich selbst bilden or aus´bilden).

was — Scotland = was such as (it) (eine solche, wie sie) is given (erteilen) at (in) a simple Scottish village-school.

The adverb ‘only’, when used in reference to time, is turned by ‘erst’, but in references to number by ‘nur’; as—

This man has only (but) one coat. Dieser Mann hat nur einen Rock.

It is only one o’clock. Es ist erst ein Uhr.

when — boy = when I, a poor boy, came to (S. 72, N. 4) Ed.

Construe the clause ‘of — me’ according to S. 48, N. 6; intellect, Geist.

‘at night’, here abends, since Nacht applies only to the hours between 11 P.M. and 5 A.M.

at = in, contracted with the Dat. of the def. art.

Supply here thätig (engaged).

Say ‘and only during the later (später) hours, which I stole from sleep (dem Schlafe ab´stehlen), could I’, etc.

Roman, m.

auf naturwissenschaftliche Studien ... gerichtet.

Gegenstand, m.

‘During that period’ may be briefly rendered by damals; to teach oneself German, ohne Lehrer Deutsch studieren.

zurück´blicken.

to go through troubles, Beschwerden durch´machen; again, noch einmal. For the constr. see App. § 19.

Say ‘When (S. 4, N. 2) I had no sixpence (Sechspfennigstück, n.) in my pocket and studied in a garret in E., I felt (sich fühlen) happier than now, when (da) I sit in an elegant and comfortable (behaglich) parlour’.