Virginia free press & farmers' repository. [volume] (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1827-1832, 1831-01-12
A FEW WORDS OF ADVICE.

A. our journal has an extensive cir
co'a'ion among men OF business, and
especially among young men who have
recently embarked in the career oil
active life, on their own responsibility,
n lew words of advice TO this class oI
readers will not be deemed out OF place
at this time. To commence business.
or, IN the common phrase, To set or
Tor ourselves, is tn commence the world
anew. Before this beginning is made.
We are either engaged in the acquisi.
ton of an education that will suit u.
Tor professional life, or in the employ.
ment oi another, for the purpos. of fit
ting ourselves for the dawn Of manhood
We then are without family, wi,hou,
those responsibilities which the con.
traction Of debt incurs, and not sub
Ject by the fluctuations Of the market
the failure OF banks or other establish.
ments in which men Of business arc in
terested, TO q prostration Of our pros
poets and loss Of our capital. We
then think little Of the struggle which
rs going on, from day to day, in the
outdoor world for gain; Of the du.
plicity and treachery that are resorted
I" among men, for the purpose Of accu.
INITIATING wcalth-of the difficulties
which many hourly encounter, in order
to keep their credit good, and have
their notes accepted in banks-or the
starvation & misery which bcsct many
OF our fellow creatures, who have enter.
ed boldly and wrecklessly pom the a.
reer Of life have become bankrup t and a
prey TO villains. We dream little oil
these things IN the hcytlay Of youth,
IN the hours Of courtship, in the sea
sons OF gayety and pleasure. But soon
the dream ends. We find that we
have grown up, and must take part in
the great drama Of life. Our parents,
~ we have any, call US to their quiet
chamber, tell US that we must nut on
the mail OF manhood and struggle for
ourselves. They tell US to beware Of
the storms and guicksands that are in
the career Of young adventurer, and
our bark is launched on the turbulent
sea Of business.
Ii requires firm hand. quick eve.
and strong heari, 10 bear US along
that sea safely. Our former pleasures.
on the one hand, calling US away from
the counter and the desk. and the al
Iurements of vice which are spread
out IN abundance TO entrap the weak
anu unwary, are powerful on the other
hand. Nothing we arc certain is more
important than the conduct of young
men when they commence the world.
They must not only be- attentive and
studious in their respective voc ations.
out they must shun the ways Of intcm
perance, the society Of the idle. and all
connexion with the dishonest and dis.
honorable. They have then To com.
mence the formation Of a new charac.
tcr-a character for probity and in.
tegrity; one that shall win for them
maine among the affluent and those in
high places, n name that they NAV
transmit with honor as an inheritance
Tor their children.
Let us look around Us, for few mo
ments, upon those uho a few wears
since started out to struggle with their
fellows! Let US examine the career
OF those who have prospered with no.
nor. aud those who have sunk into DO
verify and ruin, and are clouded with
disgrace. What have been their diff.
i=rent modes Of conduct? The frs,
have, with unwavering application in
their early career. thrown ali minor con.
sidcrations aside, aud devoted them.
selves to the acquisition Of credit a
mong their compeers-not only credit
IN pecuniary point Of view, but in
reputation. The last have been won
away from their stores or counting
rooms, and given up that time to idle
ness and dissipation which should have
been devoted 20 the pursuits in which
they had embarked. They have nj
hrst visited the theatre once or twice
IN the course Of the week-haye there
become companions Of the Idle and the
dissIpated. more negligent Of their
stores and less courteous when in them;
ahd thus, step by step, have been led
TO the verge OG ruin, where their pre-
tended friends fofsOok them as ihpy
we're lettering above It's abysses.
This - no imaginative picture. We
call upon all who are Young in the ca
reeT Of HE, to pause aud consider What
they are-9Or what they are contend
ing. ani how they may expect 10 gain
%. Their own ambition and self re-
speet will teach them they aim Vt an
honorable iDdeVendence--a state 81
existence that shall place them above
the reach II want and beyond the con
tempt Uf pity. Hey vii tell tLcur
that they are men, forming a portion a
The great chain 81 creation which
constitutes kingdoms, republics, and
goveInmcnis. and the examnle Of