Courage and perseverance, unaided by wisdom and sound discretion, often lead men into unforeseen and unanticipated difficulties. Combined--they are the fulcrum and lever of action. Guided by a wise discretion, with talent to conceive and boldness to execute, the weak become strong and effect wonders at which they look with astonishment after the mighty work is accomplished. To these combined qualities of the Sages and Heroes of the American Revolution we owe the blessings of liberty we now enjoy more than to the physical powers of our nation at that time. Compared with the fleets and armies of the mother country at the eventful era when the Declaration of our Independence was adopted, the available force of the Colonies dwindles to insignificance. The one a giant in the pride of his glory--the other an infant just bursting into life. The one a Goliah clad in bristling armor--the other a pioneer boy with a puerile sling. The one with a veteran army and navy united in panoply complete, well clothed, fed and paid--the other with scattered fragments of raw recruits, a few light vessels--the men poorly equipped, sparingly fed, worse clothed and seldom paid. Without referring the successful termination of the revolutionary struggle to the wisdom and perseverance of the patriots, who, under God conceived, planned and executed the noble work it would be an unsolved enigma. John Morton was proverbial for his discreet, wise, courageous and persevering course of life. He was a posthumous child born in Ridley, Delaware county, Pennsylvania, in 1724. His ancestors came from Sweden at an early period and settled on the bank of the Delaware river near Philadelphia. John's father, of the same Christian name, married Mary Richards when he was very young and died before his majority. The widow subsequently married with John Sketchly an intelligent Englishman who proved a good husband and kind step-father. To him John was principally indebted for his substantial English education, having enjoyed the advantages of a school but three months. Being a good mathematician and skilful surveyor, his step-son became perfect master of this important branch of science, which, more than any other, is calculated to lead a man into precision of thought and action. Based on invariable truth and lucid demonstration, never resting on false premises, always arriving at incontrovertible conclusions, it gives a tone to the mental powers calculated to produce the most salutary results. Education is incomplete without mastering mathematics.