Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1832-03-16
From The London Monthly Magazine.
HLIBERAL NOTIONS."

From The london MonthU Magazine.
"LIBERAL NOTIONS"
From the earliest of my recollection, have
always entertained liberal notions of men and
things have such thorough and hearty con-
tempt for meanness of spirit, and for people OF
narrow ideas, that | can scarcely regard them
with common patience. My father and mother,
and my old scamp of sch0olmaster, eDdeavored
to chain down my aspiring spirit. and to degrade
my soul, by instllling into my youthful mind mar
row and confined ideas; but was incapable of
receiving them, and spurncd them as a duck,
when she shakes her feathers, scattcrs the water
from her back. do really think that common
arithmetic has tendency to fill the mind with
mean aud pertifogging notions. There is some
thing so ridiculousy contemplate in that silly &C
curacy of adding, subtractng. multiplying. and
dividing, even to the niceness OF single fathing.
never IN my life could make sum in arth-
meuc precisely right. and what in the name OF
common sense can trfing alfdozen or so, one
way or other. signify? That exceeding accura.
cy of calculation shews narrow mind. My old
fool of schoomaster told me, that if did not
do my sums right should never be able to keep
set of books. Contemplate fellow! Did he
imagine that was ever going to let myself down
to the meanness and sordidness of bookkeeping!
Luok at those fellows who keep books! What
a mean, dull, clodpated race Of mortals they are
no wit, no fire, no imagination, no spirit, no
humor among them. Look at them numbering up
to the CITY by coach loads every morning from
Isnston, Pentonvills. Somers' Town, Padding
ton, Chelsea, Highgate, Hampstead, CamberwelI.
Peckham, and from ten thousand other places;
and then numbering back again in the evening,
80 supplied with book keeping that they can hard
ly tell the difference between beef and pudding.
They spend their whole lives among figures. and
so they never make figure IN life. But if | was
disguised with common arithmetic, how much
greater was my contempt Of fractions-bits, piec-
es, odds and ends, cheese parings, hair-sphttngs
People may we'll call them VULGAR fractiOns.-
Why, If was too liberal to care for ten or a do
zen, one way or other, was likely to care two
straws for fractions. for halves, quarters, eighths
and Observation-Disclosures! told the man so
to his face Sir," said |, "give me leave 20
tell you, that shall not chain myself down to
your trumperv fractions; | have had plague
enough to learn your common rules. and I will
not stoop my aspiring spirit to calculate sums
less than farthing Give me the generosity and
nobleness of spirit that is above the meanness Of
calculation"
believe the man was struck for moment at
the grandeur and sublunity of my ideas, for he
looked upon me with emotion and astonishment.
while a smile of admiration was playing upon his
features. but presently. summoning up the whole
pedagogue with him. he replied: "AIl this is
pretty talk-very pretty talk. indeed; but how
am to show my face to your father, if neglect
to teach you what you arc to learn. | am abso-
lute!y robbing your father"
"Well. Sir" said |, ''rob my father it you
like. am not so narruw-minded as to concern
myself about that"
"The boy is mad' said the fellow. All, that
is the way have always found it through life
Whenever any individual at all superior to the
common run of mortals dares to act and speak
from the generous impulses OF noble nature forth
with all the low inded. sordid sons of cacua
ton excIaim - He is mad!" Poor narrow-soued
wretches! They have no notion of any thing
that is free and generous: they are made to draw
in harness-ts follow leader-never to act from
the impulses of towering spirit!
A few months after had left school. my ia
Their said to ME, {" Bob," and said "Yes. Sir"
ut does not appear TO me, Bob.'' said my ia
Their. - that YOU much the better for school,"
"No. Sir" replied |, 'nor to me neither. |
think it great mercy that am none the worse"
That mean-spirited fellow was always endeayor-
Ing to nstl into me his own narrow notions, and
making such ridiculous fuss If SUN was not
right to farthing! Oh, Sir, could not bear
such begsarly notions. What is far,hing. more
or less, to gentleman, and a man OF liberal ide-
as:''
My father shook his head, and said, Now,
my dear Bob, let me talk seriously to you.''-
Then shook my head in return and said, Now
my dear father, pray don't"
could never make choice Of profession.
What a pity it is that the state does not make
provision for gentlemen of liberal no ions 80 that
they need not be under the CALLING and degrad-
ing necessity of STOPPING to some trumpery pro-
fession or peddling employment to avoid starva-
ton. l am really quite disguised when look
round upon my old school-felows, and see some
Of them riding in carriages, and others establish