Litchfield enquirer. [volume] (Litchfield, Conn.) 1829-current, 1838-10-25
EDUCATION-BY STACY G. Potts.

of life. If a person have wisdom to make
right and iudicious use of it. But the head
and thepocket must balance well the scales
must be equipoised for if one or the other
kick the beam, a loss will, in most cases, en-
sue. Ifyou have too little wit, the world will
over-reach you if too much, you will out
wit yourself In either case, ten chances to
one. your purse or rather the contents of it.
will Slip through your fingers. Among the
dangers to which hereditary wealth subjects
us, are pride, Incidence, extravaganza and
the smaller the portion of our Inheritance,
the more danger is there. But what is most
extraordinary is, that these very evils are Of
ten nursed up in the same cradle with the
child, cherished with his growth, and instiIled
into all his habits as he passes through the
routine of his education, by parental care,
and misjudging affection.
Cornelia was an heircss. That's, she was
worth some thousands Of dollars. never
knew exactly the sum; common report sell
dom speaks the whole truth in these matters,
and it is rather unmannerly to inquire very
particularly into lady s fortune. She was
INDUCED by her kind mamma al home, and
caressed by her kind friends abroad; sent to
the most fashionable school; the mistress
duly advised that she was peculiarly deli
cate little girl. with most exquisite sensibi!l-
ties, and rare genius; and was to be treat
cd with all becoming tenderness and consid-
Grafton There she learned few fthe use
ful, and great many of the ornamental.
branches taught in such sernnaries and she,
was finally despatched to boarding school
to finish her education~-a polite, fashionable,
elegant education, with which the adjective
"usgful" as usual, had very little, if any
thing, to do.
She was now an accomplished lady. She
a,1tSo Nd nd mi nj inc
in bellesletters knew something of philoso-
ply, natural and moral; had gone the round
Of sciences; wrote poetry; kept an album
understood music |; and was, finally, fitted
out at home with a fine parlor, and piano
What fine lady," said the wondering vii
layers" what a very fine lady; how fash
ionable how perfectly genteel." e
It was even so; and the first difficulty
which arose, was about the choice of that
very vexatious, but still no less necessary
evil-a husband The pretty girl who has
the whole world of beaus to choose from,
sometimes find it difficult to make perfect
Nv unobjectionable choice. 1t was not then
to be wondered at, that Cornelia should be
embarrassed in making a selection for she
was circunscribed in her sphere by the very
small compass of perfectly genteel people
like herself. Such an one, with good SUBJ
stantial fortune too, was to be sought. Her
stars favored her at last, however, and she
was married-rnarried to young gentleman
as accomplished as herself; one who had as
many 'ologies at his finger ends, as buttons
on his coat, an A. B. and profession; who
drovetandem with one hand, winged pigeon
at every shot; and drank nothing but Madei-
IA. s{t #ti< 81.
It was said that the young gentleman and
lady were each little disappointed In the
AZ. 81
outset there was trihing jar on the subject
of finances but Cornelia adhered to her pi-
ano, and Bob to his rifle and Maderia, and all
went on quite unsteady again. Neither of
them had ever suffered SO vulgar o thought
as that Of how to get living when their cash
was gone, to enter their heads. But Fortune
in all these cases has plain matter-of-fact
way Of dealing, with even tho most genteel
people and when they have spent their last
dollar, Just turns them out Of house and home,
as unceremoniously as ifthey were no better
than common folks. She never works MIR
acle to sustain those who never learned, or
had the disposition, to work any thing them
selves. And so it turned out in this case.
While the piano was in tune in the parlor,
and every thing was out Of tune in the kitch-
en--whiie the master drank MADEIRA above
stairs, and the servants were drunk with Cog
MAC below stairs-while in the midst of the
best company, the best living, and dreaming
of nothing but pleasure and amusement
of Bob's creditors raped his knuckles. The
Bailiffs are an ill-bred set; they know just
as much about gentility, and all that sort of
thing, as a bear about lady's toilet; and
therefore, as might almost have been expect
ed, the carpets, the plate. the side-hoard, and
even the very piano, were levied on. a'
Still, so far as physical ability was con-
cerned, 1t was not too late. perhaps. to turn
the current Of affairs, There was a plain
and ready remedy for the disease, even in
its present state. An entire change ofliving
and habits economy for extravaganza, and
industry for Incidence. But how hard it is
for those who have been thus educated to
change! how often is the moral ability, the
will wanting And here it proved to be the
They struggled awhile to keep up appear
ances and only sunk deeper in. the end.
Ten years after they were almost forgotten.
made many inquiries after them among the
villagers, and finally discovered that Robert
and his wife had separated; that he had ex-
changed his dogs and gun fora tar hat and n
blue Jacket, and was wanderer of the sea:
and the elegant and accomplished Cornelia,
instead of humping at piano, was gaining
q scanty subsistence at the spinning wheel.
So much for the story. Industry and vir-
tue are the best legacies parents can be.
queath their offspring the only sure defen-
ces against misfortune. Let those who are
charged with the education of children be-
ware, lest through an over anxiety to make
them accomplished, they fail to make them
useful members of society instead of ma
king them respectable, make them proud;
instead of cpltivating their genius, lead them
into Incidence. say beware!
A BEAUTIFUL SKETCH. 2as' \
CAMPAsPE.-Will you try it, Apelles said
Alexander. Has thy pallet tints to match the
dye of that cheek, and lip and browe Canst