the Mathematics at Cambridge, who had the reputation of one of the first
mathematicians of that University, and who published some ingenious papers
on Chemistry and Natural Philosophy, in the 'Philosophical Transactions,'
was originally a weaver--as was also his brother JOSEPH, the well known,
author of a 'History of the Church.' Of the same profession was also, in
his younger days, the late Dr. JOSEPH WHITE, Professor of Arabic at Oxford.

"CASSERIO, a well known Italian anatomist, was initiated in the elements
of Medical Science by a surgeon of Padua, with whom he had lived
originally as a domestic servant.

"JOHN CHRISTIAN THEDEN, who rose to be chief surgeon to the Prussian army
under Frederick II. had in his youth been apprenticed to a tailor."

_Influence of Accident in directing Pursuits_.

"The celebrated Bernard Palissy, to whom France was indebted, in the
sixteenth century, for the introduction of the manufacture of enamelled
pottery, had his attention first attracted to the art, his improvements in
which, form to this time the glory of his name among his countrymen, by
having one day seen by chance a beautiful enamelled cup, which had been
brought from Italy. He was then struggling to support his family by his
attempts in the art of painting, in which he was self-taught; and it
immediately occurred to him that, if he could discover the secret of
making these cups, his toils and difficulties would be at an end. From
that moment his whole thoughts were directed to this object; and in one of
his works he has himself given us such an account of the unconquerable
zeal with which he prosecuted his experiments, as it is impossible to read
without the deepest interest. For some time he had little or nothing to
expend upon the pursuit which he had so much at heart; but at last he