GEORGE WASHINGTON BROWN AT HARVARD.

GEORGE WASHINGTON BROWN was born in the year 1758 under the Great Elm, a picturesque and lonely spot. But his parents soon became dissatisfied with the situation, and so moved to 924 Beacon Street, which was then the fashionable quarter of the town. We smile when we think of this, and how much we have changed since those quaint times.

His worthy parents saw signs of genius from the day of his birth, and his education was soon begun. Old Mr. Brown, as excellent and wise as he was ambitious, placed the little George at one of the many and venerable Alma Maters with which the stony fields of New England have ever teemed, where he received a first-rate training. Yet he was as a youth backward, and only after repeated failures did he succeed in entering Harvard College at the rather late age of nine years and six months.

It is strange that we should have but such a scant picture of his college life, which could hardly fail to be a remarkable one. We give the few faint glimpses that are afforded us by the excellent biography of the Rev. Dr. Little-kin, whose research has been both conscientious and scholarly.

In person George W. Brown was strikingly handsome. Tall, spare, one shoulder gracefully bent below the other, expressionless gray-blue eyes, and a chin receding in tender undulations, - such was he at ten years.

He seems not to have been distinguished for hard study. The following conversation is recorded: Crossing the College Yard one afternoon to breakfast at the "Holly Tree" (then a mere log cabin), after he had been at Cambridge for about a month, he was confronted by the then Registrar, Cusset Jeremy Whitcombe by name, who said, "Brown, I shall be obliged to send you a Private and Public at once, next a Special, and the week after a Suspension, - so I 'd advise you to make the most of your time."

"Ah, if you but knew -" said Brown, but hurried on. After breakfast he discovered that seven consecutive severe illnesses had been the secret but terrible cause of all his misfortunes; and as his generous and open nature revolted from keeping this fact from the ears of the College powers, he frankly disclosed all, and was as frankly forgiven.

He was a great poet; indeed, he used to receive censure-marks for writing verses too much during the Chemistry lectures, and then reciting them aloud under the impulse of inspiration, while the professor was engaged in performing experiments. But his native courtesy ever for bade him from interrupting the lecturers while speaking.

The rest is soon told.

In his Sophomore year he published ten volumes on Political Economy, which have now become the text-books - as we all know - of desk, pulpit, and platform.

After this work succeeded work, poetry as well as prose; and some of his exquisite lyric strains are the burden of the recitation-room and the stage, - raised by one harmonious voice from man, woman, and child. He was Minister to the Friendly Islands in 1823, and occupied nearly every position of honor that art, literature, and politics could offer him.

He died in 1858 at a ripe age in his farm-house near Lexington.

WEST.