Little journeys to the homes of eminent orators . WILLIAM PITT 165. INCE the subject of heredityalways seems to come up whenthe Pitts are mentioned, it maybe proper for us to go back andtrace pedigree a bit, to see if wehave here the formula for pro-ducing a genius. The grandfather of William Pittthe Elder, was Thomas Pitt, asea-captain, trader and gentleman adventurer. In fact,he was a bold buccaneer, but not too bold, for he gavelarge sums to church and charity and showed his zealfor virtue by once hanging three smugglers in chains,high up on a gibbet overlooking the coast of Cornwall,and th
Little journeys to the homes of eminent orators . WILLIAM PITT 165. INCE the subject of heredityalways seems to come up whenthe Pitts are mentioned, it maybe proper for us to go back andtrace pedigree a bit, to see if wehave here the formula for pro-ducing a genius. The grandfather of William Pittthe Elder, was Thomas Pitt, asea-captain, trader and gentleman adventurer. In fact,he was a bold buccaneer, but not too bold, for he gavelarge sums to church and charity and showed his zealfor virtue by once hanging three smugglers in chains,high up on a gibbet overlooking the coast of Cornwall,and there the bodies were left until the birds of preyand the elements had bleached their Pitt was known as Diamond Tom throughbringing from India and selling to the Regent Orleansthe largest diamond, I believe, ever owned in Eng-land. For this Diamond Tom received one hundredand thirty-five thousand pounds—a sum equal to onemillion dollars. That Diamond Tom received thismoney there is no doubt, but where and how he gotthe diamond nobody seems to know, a
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