Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1838-11-22

dhc'l THESE active moving powers. Wiihont H.
much wild vigot will be excrted in vain. Energy Is
not enough; II must be turned 10 feasible objects
and work by sound principles.
Again, this spint OF enterprise runs naturally TO
"nid the acquisition OF wealth. In this ! find no
matter OF rrptoaeh only lei IL not be merely Ca
ihaeinian prosperity let taste Tor reading and
Election be cultivated rs well rs property acquired
Let ns give children the keys OF knowledge, MS
well As an establishment III business. Let them IN
youth iofm habits aud tastes, which will remain Wi
them III after liie-In old aee-and furnish rational
entertainments NJ all times. When we collect the
little eiielc Al The family board and n the hrc-sde,
III ON long winter evenings let be able 10 talk OF
subjects oi interest aud impoitance---thc piodue.
Tons aud institutions "out own and foreign conn
uaes-the history OF our yene,ated hihe,s--,he Won
defs OF the material nniyetse-the experience OF our
iaee-gteat moral interests aud duiies--suhl erts
surely as important rs dollars and .cnis. Let us,
lfum early years, teach our children above the
dusl beneath then ,tct, 10 The consideration OF the
eieal spiritual concerns Of immortal natures
mere book worm is a worthless character but a
mere money -eetief Is 10 better.
II Is great mistake 10 suppose that II In nccessn
iyto be professional man. IN order To have leisure
10 indulge n taste iot reading. Fan otherwise.
believe the mechanic, the engineer, the husband
man, the trader, have quite rs much leisure the
average OF men III the learned professions. | know
some MN bnsily engaged III these different callngs
Of active HE whose minds are we-sioied with va
nous useful knowledge acquired from books There
mon schools were ms II well might be. Of higher
order and II common school Libraries. well lur-
nshcd. were introduced into every distinct, trust,
IN due tmc. they will be. II Is surprising, sir, how
much may be effected, even under the most nnIa-
furable circumstances Tor The Improvement Of the
mind. by person ,rsontel, bent the acquisition
ol knowledge. A letter has been lately put ,nto my
hands. bearing date OF the 9Th September, So ute
resting III iiseii aud SO strongly illustrative oi tins
point, that | will read apor,,on OF II, though WAS
,,,ftp | Ian liz Ia, Al ,,,,bI
ely.
- was the Youngest (says tho Wiitei) OF many
brethren aud my parents were poor. My means oi
education were hunted to the advantages ol dis
lfet school, and those again circnmscribed by
my fathers death, which deprived me, IT the are o
fifteen, oil those scan,y opportunities which had
previously enjoyed. few months after his deeease
| applenlieed myself 10 u blacksmith IN my native
village. Thifher | carried mn ndomiable taste Ion
reading, which had previously acquired through The
medium OF the society library all the historical
works IN which had NJ that time pernsed AT the
expiration Of liie more Than half NV apprenticeship
suddenly conceived the idea oil studying Latin
Though The assistance OF an elder brother, who had
himself obtained collegiate education by his
OWE exen,ors, completed my Vug,l during the
evenings OF the winter. After some time devoted
to Cicero aud few other Latin authors, ]
commenced the Greek. At this time II neces-
saiy thai should devote every hour oil daylight aud
part OF the evening the duties Of my apprentice
ship. Snll canned my Greek grammar in my hat.
aud often found moment when | was heating some
large non, when | could place my book open be.
fore against the chimney Of my forge, aud go
through with tnpto. tnl ttt, tnPtc,. nnpereeYed by
my fellow apprentices and, To my confusion ot face,
with detrimental effect 10 II charge IN my fire
At evening | sm down nnassIsted aud alone to the
HAD OF Homer, twenty books OF which measured my
progress III that language dung the evenings OF
another winter. next turned 10 the modern Ian |
puagps, aud was much gratlhed To learn that my
kno led uf ~ kpy n
tie literature of most ol the languages OF Europe
This Circumstance gave a new impulse 10 the desire
Of aequalntlng myself with the philosophy, derpa-
ton, aud affinity ol The different European tongues
could mol be reconced 10 limit IN, sell IN these IN
yesiigaions few hours after The erdaous labo,s
Of the day. therefore LAID down my hammer and
went 10 New Haven, where reclted 10 native teach
ers in French, Spanish, German, and Italian. |
returned At the expiration OF Two years 10 tie forge
bringing with me such books IN those languages rs
/ could procure. When | had read these books |
through | commenced the Hebrew, with nna-
kencd desire OF examining another field and, by as
siduous application, was enabled, IN lew weeks,
To read tins language with such facility that allo-
ted II to lnyseli task read Two chapters IN the
Hebrew Bible before breakfast each morning tbs /
and an hour at being all The time that could
devote 10 myself during the day. Aiter becoming
somewhat familiar with thus language, | looked II
round for the means OF init,ating myself INTO the
fields of Oriental literature. and 10 my deep regret
and concern. found my progress in Tins direction
hedeed up by the want oi requisite books. inl-
pedlaiel, began devise means OF obviating tins
obstacle and after many plans, | concluded IL
seek a place rs a SAILOR bordd some ship bound
10 Europe, thinking IN tins way 10 have "pporiuni-
lies of collecting, At different ports, such works IN
the modern and Oriental languages as ] found he.
,es. ary Tor this object tll The forge aud my ma
tive place carry tins plan into execution tasel-
led on foot 10 Boston, distance OF more Than hun
,l,ed miles, to find vessel bound To Europe. In
Tins was disappointed, aud, while revolving III my
mind what step next take. accidentally, heard OF
the America an Antiquarian Society, IN Worcester
Immediately bent my steps towards ihls place. |
VISITED the Hall OF the a. A. $, and found there, 10
nv infinite qualification, such acolleclion OF ancient
modern aud Oriental languages as never before
conceived to be collected n one place. And, sli.
YOU may imagine with hat sentiments OF gratitude !
was affected when, upon eyluolng desire 10 exam
me some OF these ilch and works, was kindly
invited TO an unlimited participate IN all the bene-
ls of lhis noble INSTITUTION. Awaiting myself o ms
kindness oft directors, spend about three hours
daily at the ball which, with an hour Al noon aud a
bout thfce the evening, make up the portion oil
the day which appropriate to my studies, the resi-
heinz occupied III aiduous manual labor. Through
The l,ecs afforded BY this institutions, have been
able 10 add So much to my previous acquaintance
with de ancient, modern, aud Oriental languages as
to be able read upwards OF FIFTY oi them WIN
more or less iaclny'
,rust, Mr. President shall be padoned by the
ingenious author Of this letter aud The gentleman 10
whom It Is addressed Nv. Lincoln, Esq. Of Worces-
am sure, by both Of then, IN thus making II pub
lie 1t dlsdl SEES IA resoute purpose OF improvement,
tunder obstacles and difficulties ii no ordinary KIND
which exrites my admiration, may say my yenera-