Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1832-09-13


Dialectic Societies at Chapel Hill, n. G., BY
the Hon. VIM. CASTOR; second edition; Rich
mond, Thomas w. White.
The old fashioned way of launching young
man upon the world, was for his tutor or guar.
dian, when he was about to assume the toga vir-
ills, to take him into some dark closet or cobweb
covered oratory, and there, with puckered face
and solemn mein, freeze the STRIPPING into a mo-
ments occurrences, which the lecturer hoped
would last for years. Tcmpora mu,autur! The
grand divisions Of labor which have taken place
have rubbed the pedagogue Of his musty office;
his care terminates with the youthful studies of
his charge, and he then passes him on to other
hands. II is now left for men Of the world 1--WE
use the word IN its best sense) to initiate the
young into the business Of life. We regard this
custom of leading men in the country, men Of
talent, of practical business habits, and literary
witha', annurlly addressing the graduates of our
colleges, as one Of the most excellen, u'agrs
that ever came into fashion. There is a vanity
in young blood which. even in youths Of sense
and spirit, prompts them too often to hold light
IL the counscls Of those Immediately around them,
upon matters which affect their worldly station
and happiness. Their confidence in their own
resources, their quick perception of the ludicrous,
and their fear of ridicule, combine to steel their
minds against the influence of what they readily
regard as the matter, Of course. pressing OF their
legitimate advisers. But when such men as
Writ, Cass, Berrien, and others, whose stations
and pursuits would seem to place them above or
be, cnJ the friendly duty, come forward and cor
daily taking them by the hand, welcome them
as rivals in the grand race Of life while they are
poiuting out each rule and custom of the course,
it is the Ounce, the bIockhead. and the churl
alone, who does not feel his heart glow with &C.
nervous confidence toward him who thus claims
il. The lessons imbibed al such moment we
should conceive to be among the most durable
in life, and capable, above all others,-except-
ing only those received at mothers knee, OF
wi,hstandins the assaults of Time and Circum-
stances. Such we would hope to be the case
with the majority of those who listened to the
varied advice laid down IN the eloquent discourse
before US. That our readers may judge whether
it merits to be SO treasured up, we proceed to
give few extracts without further preliminary
remarks. What just view Mr.. CASTOR takes
of what :. Lionnel" in Miss Buruey's novel SO
expressively calls " the deucedcst thing in the
world. study:
| 1t is undoubtedly mistake to suppose, that
there is no original inequality in the mental IA
cul,ies of difiernt individuals. Probably, there
is assreat disparity in their intellectual as in ply
seal conformation But however false this extrava-
CANT theory NAV be, there is another far more
common, & practicaly,far more mischievous, the
error Of exaggera,ing the difference between the
original energies of intellect, aud OF attriDuing
tc splendid and resistless genius those victories
which are not to be achieved but By we'll directed
and continued industry.
| 1t is in the infancy of life, that the mequail-
ties of original talent are most striking, and 1t Is
not strange, that vanity on the one hand. and IN
doIent admiration on the other, should hyper
bolicaiy extol these obvious advantages. In
wha, this disparity consistAit may not be easy to
state with pre- cisIon. But from an observation OF
many wears. venture to suggest that the chief
natural superiorty manifested BY the favored
| few over their competitors in the intellectual
conflict. is TO be found in the facility with which
their attention is directed and confined to its
proper subjects. That youth may be regarded
as fortunate indeed who in early life can restrain
his wandering thoughts and tie down his mind at
will. TO the contemplation of whatever he wishes
to comprehend and to make his own. A few
moments Of concentrated application, IS worth
DAYS and weeks of vague, interrupted, scattered
attention. Tbs first resembles the well known
monruyre in Strategy, so simple In ITS concep.
ton and yet SO astonishing in its results, by
which all the arms Of a military force are made
to bear upon given point at the same moment.
Every thing here tells, because there IS no power
wasted, and none misappied. Now let no one
despair. because he finds this effort to conine his
attention difficult, or for considerable length Of
time imprac,ieab'e. Nothing is more certain
than that this power over the mind may be &C.
quired. Let the attempt be repeated again and
asain,--6rst for SHIRT, afterwards, as the sblli-
ty is increased, for longer periods. and success
will ultimately follow. The habit Of fixed at
tention will thus be created and IT is one OF the
| Of oil artira hah,ts TINT in nrOnOr.