The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1811-03-08

ne rs likely to enSross. He IS therefore moi
t all anxious about himself. but generally
sohcitous TO impress upon others the lessons
OF truth and virtue. Personal considerations
ars mere out OF the Question. or of very infe-
rior moment. For if in endeavoriny to con-
tribute 10 the general stock of useful infor
nation and innocent amusement, his litera-
~ reputation suffer- or is entirely destroy
ed--he has yet merited the epitaph hes
lowed by affection on the youth who aspired
TO direct ms fathers horses quenr 81 non
trnn'f, nasn's tohnen ercidit auas"-which
it he did not accomplish, he nevertheless
fell in great attempt-rhe general design
OF the Old bachelor has been already ex-
planned. =" InnocenHy TO amuse and pirtu-
ously to instruct" is our motto The OBJ
Jects are confined, but the means to attain
them, as well as the agents employed, may
be various. Whilst, therefore, the master
spirit unlGcks the treasures of his exoerienc-
ed and well stored mind, for the benefit of
ms readers, too. may contribute my mite.
dumaniiie, with all its modes & pursuits. is so
Multifarious, that even he who has had little
experience, may have observed something
worth the communication and if he only
excites enquiry or induces single mind
to relinqush oily or renounce a vice. he
mas not iaboured In vain.
Nor my education altogether disoual-
ifed me tor the par; may have to support.
WY years have been few but they have been
busy When the seduCemehts OF pleasure
or Incidence invited to relaxation, I was
fortunate in having watchful guardian, al
ways present 10 admonish me of the value of
tune and he necessity of perseverance,
lie pointed to the young Virginians who by
industry had raised the hopes of their friends
and by deSistlng too soon from their labor,.
had afterwards disappointed them. He con-
tlnually reminded me of the fate of Menan.
der. near neighbor of ours who, about ten
years ago left The college where he was ed
ucated with prospects the most f1atterinp
ana oriiiiant-H's story is short and simple
ana tho by no means uncommon, vet worth
repeating-In his early youth he had inn
proved his natural sagaci'y by studious dill
lgence. AT College. for losg time, his ef-
forts were unremitted and crowned with the
usual success. Unfortunately for him his
reputatl n kept even pace with his talents.
by MS teliow-Students and acquaintance he
was cried up as great genius, till at length
he began to .hiuk himself one Ratine his
own attalnmen by comparison with those
OF the young men around him, he easily Der.
suaded himself that because he was before
'hem' ne was behind none. In this he
committed an error common to most Young
Collegians, who imagine that there is mn.
thing beyond heir own walls worth cons,de
ration From that fatal moment he gave
into the prevailed disease OF his countrym-n.
IN determining to RELY, solely, on he eff,rts If
ms unassisted geuus-f1is books were laid
aside and the treasuI es of ancient and mod
ern wisdom neglected. He became wi,
and man OF pleasure. Incidence seized
upon his victim and held him fast. When
he came into the rvorid, it was apparent
there were many with WHOM he could not
contend; bot either his presumption or con-
! frmed habits OF negligence hindered him
from entering again and |. eading. with in
vinciblc ardor, the only road which
can ever lead to excelence--Thus wha,
ne had gained by labor, he lost by relaxa-
ton. His fame withered like delicate
flower touched by the untimely frost. and
now. buried in obscurity, he is forever los, to
society.
his story related by my uncle, in his
usually impressive manner and i'm some han
Ply moment, excited me to greater exe:ti-
ons' Determined 10 avoid the fate of Me
handler, i seldom lost moment. yybat
time was unoccupied by books, was en-
Ployed in observation or in conversing with
those learned men whom Chance threw in
my way and who thought it not beneath them
to instruct a child. Hence / have gained
something and what is more important than
any thing the knowledge of how much re
mains to be acquired--Nor have I viewed
mankind altogether through the medium of
books q the conversation of the learn q. The
parental care and unbounded gene osity of
my noble uncle have afforded me opportu
mites OF nearer inspection, neither so few
or limited as might be imagined have
been at various seminaries of learning in
ana out OF Virginia, public and private /
nave there studied the characters of nv
young countrymen under every aspect. and
IN all their different phases. / have traced
TO my own satisfaction the causes, indepsn
dant OF original organic 4tion, which raise
one man above, and sink another below the
level OF his species. Associalinp with the
studious, have noted the march of their
minds; and, forced into company with the
IDLE and dssolute, l have followed them
through all the progressive stages of deteri-
Grafton Residing sometimes i'm a town. I
nave been received into the polite circle,
and become familiar with it's manners
whilst my Country education has made me
acquainted with the calm pleasures and un-
ambitious pursuits of rural privacy, Nor
have been permitted to overlook The fair
sex. Indeed my disposition REQUIRED no
extra ordinary excitement in this r, spect
i should not have been my uncle's mr.
phew. much less Ais pupil, If had beeDin
different to the objects OF his most enthusias-
tic devotion. Yet my regard has hitherto
been general and unappropriated. of
course have remarked failings as well as
virtues IN the female character but failings
OF such nature, so nearly allied to the
bTigh est eXCeilcnce-oDera u,,o,, s.,:4.