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Hereditary Genius
163
Raleigh, Sir Walter; adventurous explorer and colonizer, also statesman, courtier,
and writer, as well as an eminent commander by land and by sea.
B. (half-brother.) Sir Humphrey Gilbert, renowned navigator; proposer of the
North-west passage to China. It was he who took possession of
Newfoundland. He was lost at sea.
2B. John and Adrian Gilbert. “Sir Humphrey's fame has eclipsed that of his
brothers John and Adrian, but all three helped notably to make England what it
is, and all were fellow-workers in the colonization of North America”
(Edwards' “Life of Raleigh”).
uS. Henry Champemoun, leader of the band of English volunteers to the Huguenot
camp.
uS. Gawen Champemoun, engaged with Raleigh in later service in the civil wars of
France.
Runjeet Singh, founder of the Sikh empire. His father died when he was still a boy;
and his mother, who was young and handsome, did all she could to corrupt
him, that he might be unfit to rule when he grew to manhood: nevertheless he
entered, aet. 17, on a career of ambition, and by aet. 29 he had acquired large
dominion. This energetic man ruled for forty years in undisputed mastery over
numerous turbulent provinces, although his health was so broken by excesses
and low indulgence, aet. 50, that he could not stand without support. He
retained authority till his death in 1839, aet. 59.
G. Churruth Singh, from a low condition and a vagrant life, became master of
Sookur Chukea, in the Punjaub.
F. Maha Singh extended his father's rule, and though he died aet. 30, had carried on
war with his neighbours for fourteen years, and, it is said, had commanded at
one time 60, 000 horsemen.
Saxe, Marshal; famous general under Louis XV. He was of large size and
extraordinary physical strength; was distinguished in bodily exercises from
childhood. Aet. 12 he ran away to join the army. In character he was
exceedingly Don Juanesque. He was a well-practised commander, who loved
his profession, but his abilities were not of the very highest order.
F.
Augustus II., King of Poland (the Marshal being one of his
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