Northern star, and Warren and Bristol gazette. [volume] (Warren [R.I.]) 1826-1830, 1826-12-02
Wgrren Saturday Morning December NO. A
No. ~.

l.
feand possessed ofs greater number Of
clear md distinct ideas, and ofagreates
,lvigour Of conception, than one that ha
run over all the instructive and enter
tanning stories that ever were written
for children Of that age.
In speaking of-the books that we
read by children, the reader will please
observe, that ] restrict my meaning 10
those which they peruse Of their own
accord and for their own arnuscmeDt.-
The books which they read as lessons,
consider as distinct from these. The
child. who never opens a book but as
a task, must have been the victim Of
neglect or mismanagement. Nature 80
strongly impels the young mind to seek
the requirement Of new ideas. that Il
the curiosity she has implanted be en-
tirely quenched, we may be assured that
this has not been effected without some
pains on our part. But curiosity, al.
though not easily efaced, may be easily
directed to low and grovelling objects
and tits not without some pains that it
can be turned into these channels, where
its activity will be truly useful. ] hare
seen little girl, whose burning curios-
ity no drawer that contained piece
of iinery could escape who would risk
disgrace and punishment to crafty her.
self by peeping into the trunk or closes
which was prohibited to her approach;
and who would yet evince such manifest
indifference towards information Of eve.
~ other kind, that it was impossible 10
rouse in'her wish for Instruction.
Such is the consequence Of the early
direction given to curiosity.
The first step to clear and accurate
conception, is the careful examination
Of material objects. Withoat thiss the
conceptions obtained from descriptions
must be languid and confused. Where
the perceptive faculty has been suffic-
iently exercised, the conceptions OBJ
tanned by the description Of absent OBJ
jects, or of the feelings and sensations
of others, will be sufficiently lively,
provided the language in which they
are conveyed be sufficiently intelligibled
So many meanings are through the pow
erty Of language, attached 10 the same
word, as to be the means Of occasiohine
much confusion in the ideas Of those Of
rper years and T believe it often
happens, that where a false associa ion
has been formed in infancy to word
no, in common use, it remains indelli-
bic to the latest period Of life. I was
told by gentleman Of no common en-
dowments, that IN reading to his moth
er when child something concerning
the patriarchs, he blundered on the
word partridges. His mother set him
right. bat without an explanation of the.
meaning Of the term patiiarchs 90 that
when it next occurred, instead of ven-
turing to pronounce it, he called out
: here mamma are these queer fowl
again - Again she taught him to pro.
nounce the word, but without destroy
ing the association that bad been form
cd by clear explanation 80 that il con-
tinued 50 far to operate, as that whens
ever he afterwards heard the word pa
the idea Of fpartridges was sure
10 follow.
Two ignorant persons fell into a
dispute about the native place Of Jonah
who. as the clergyman told them. i'm
his text, Or at least as they understood
him, once sua,iowed Whale. "I
IeIl you" said one with great earnest
ness, I" this Jonah was no Boston man !;
he was Newfoundlandsr---a devil Of
a fellow for fish,"
WOMAN.
Conscious of her worth, and dar.-
ing to assert It, l would have q wom]
an, early m life, know that she is
capable Of filling the heart Of man
,r sense snd merit. that sbc is woyl