PRECOCIOUS YOUTH

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXI, 8 September 1926, Page 6

PRECOCIOUS YOUTH

WONDER CHILDREN OF ALL AGES

There exists a general impression that precocious children become commonplace in after years (states John o’London’s Weekly). If this is true there are many notable exceptions. Byron and Disraeli were both precocious; J. S. Mill also; he began Greek at the age of three. De Quincey records that at eleven he read the ‘De Imitatione’ of Thomas a’ Kempis, and writes of “the savago delight I found in laughing at Tom’s Latinity.”

FAMOUS AT FOURTEEN But none of these celebrities produced any work of exceptional merit at an early age. Yet instances are not infrequent of successes obtained in youth. The case of Chatterton is only too familiar. W. H. Ireland, the Shakespearean forger, wrote ‘Vortigern’ at eighteen; Boucicault and Sacha Guitry at the same age produced successful plays; that of the former, ‘London Assurance,’ kept the boards for many years. More remarkable still, Douglas Jen-old at fourteen wrote 'More Frightened Than Hurt,’ which was played at Sadler’s Wells, translated into French, played in Baris, retranslated into English, and played in London under another title. Jane Austen may fairly be reckoned amongst the precocious writers, for she was only fourteen when she wrote that delightful burlesque ‘Love and Friendship,’ and at nineteen had begun ‘Sense and Sensibility.’ Miss Daisy Ashford wrote ‘The Young Visiters’ at nine years old; but in her case, as in that of the still more remarkable I’et Marjorie (Sir Walter Scott’s little friend), we enjoy their efforts for the refreshing mixture of childishness and precocity. JOHN’ EVELYN’S SON

These exceptional children are, however, put in the shade by two others, whose feats border on the miraculous. The first was the son of the celebrated diarist, John Evelyn, and his father thus writes of him: “At two years and a-half old he could perfectly read any of the English, Latin, French, or Gothic letters, pronouncing the first three languages exactly.” Later he evinced a strong passion for Greek; he coukl recite a prodigious number of verses, studied Euclid and so forth ; the catalogue of his accomplishments is a long one. In addition, his father adds: “He was all life, all prettiness, far from morose,” etc. The poor child died in 1657 at the age of five. Christian Heinecken, born in 1721, at Lubeck, was a still greater marvel. He spoke sensibly soon after his birth; before he was a year old-he could talk on most subjects; at thirteen months he had mastered the whole Bible; in the next couple of years he studied thoroughly ancient and modern history and geography; then learned Latin and French, which he spoke fluently, exhibiting his powers at the Court of Denmark in his fourth year. But his constitution was feeble, and he died on being weaned in 1725. The story sounds almost incredible, but the evidence seems conclusive; his tutor wrote his life, and there are two other contemporary accounts, besides several articles and studies.