The native American. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1840, 1839-12-07
A CHAPTER FROM THE YOUNG MANS GUIDE
w. A. ALCoTT.
SECTION L. Habit Of Observation.

Your eyes open, your thoughts close, will 90
safe through the world is maxim which some
have laid down; but it savors rather too much OIL
selfshness. You may learn from others all you
can, but you are to give them asllule opportunity
as possible for learning from you, seems TO be the
language, properly interpreted. Suppose every
one took the advice, and endeavored to keep his
thoughts close, for fear he should either be mis-
understood, or thought wanting in wisdom what
would become of the pleasures Of conversation
Yet these make up very considerable item Of
the happiness of human life.
have sometimes thought with Dr. Rush, that
aciturnity, though often regarded as a mark of
wisdom, is rather the effect Of want Of ideas
The doctor mentions the taciturnity of the Amer
lean Indians as case in point. Evenin civilized
company, he believes that with one or two excep-
tons, an indsposion to join in conversation in
nine cases out OF ten is a mark OF stupidity, and
presently adds; Ideas, whether acquired from
books or by reflections, produce plethora in
the mind, which can only be relieved by depe-
ton from the pen or tongue
Keep your eyes open,' however, is judcious
advice. How many who have the eyes of their
body open, keep the eyes of the soul perpetually
shut up. Seeing, they see not Such persons,
on arriving at the age Of three or four score may
lay claim to superior wisdom on account OF supe-
rior age, but their claims ought not to be admitted
A person who has the eyes both of his mind and
body open, will derive more wisdom from one
years experience, than those who neglect to OBJ
serve for themselves from ten. Thus at thirty,
with ten years acquaintance with men, manners
and things, person may be wiser than another
at three times thirty, with seven times ten years
OF what he calls experience. Sound practical wis
dom, cannot, it is true, be rapidly acquired any
where but in the school Of experience, but the
world abounds with men who are old enough to
| be wise, and yet are very ignorant. Let it be
your fixed resolution not to belong to this class.
But III order to have the mental eyes open, the
external eyes should be active. We should, Us q
general rule, see what is going on around US.
There are indeed seasons, occurring in the schools
or in the closet, when abstraction is desirable; but
speaking generally, we should keep our eyes
OPEN
It's hence easy 10 see why some men who are
accounted learned are yet in common life every
great fools. Is it because their eyes have been
shut to every thing but books, and schools and
colleges, and universities
The late DR.. Owl ht was eminent instance
Of keeping up acquaintance both with books,
and the world in which he lived and acted. In
his walks, or wherever he happened to be, no.
thing could escape his eye. Not bird could
fly up says one of his students, but he observ-
ed it. And he endeavored to establish the same
habit of obscrvati II in others. Riding III chase.
one day, with student Of his, who was apt TO
be distracted from surrounding things, he sudden
~ exclaimed, almost indignant at his Indifference,
s. keep your eyes open! The lesson was
not lost. 1t made deep Impression on the mind
Of the student. Though by nomeans distinguished
in his class, he has outstripped many. if not the
most Of them, in actual and practical usefulness
and to this hour, he attributes much o(his success
to the foregoing circumstance.
There is pedenry in these things, however,
which is not only fulsome, but tends to defeat our
very purpose. 1t is not quite sufficient that we
merely bestow passing glance on objects, they
must strike deep. ifthey do not, they had better
not have been seen at all since the habit Of see
ing not while we appear to see, has been al
the while Strengthening.
1t cannot be denied that person WHO shall
take the advice have given, may, with portion
of his fellow men, gain less credit than if lie adop
ted different course. There Is a certain surgeon
in one of the New England States, who has &C
CURED much popularity by reading as he travels
along. Seldom or never, says his admirers, is he
seen III his carriage without book in his hand,
or at his side. But such popularity is usually of
a mushroom character There may be pressing
occasions which render it the duty of the surgeon
to consult his books, while in his carriage; but
these occasions can never be Of frequent occur
renee. 1t far better that he should be reading
In &C.