Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1839-01-17

endeavor 10 Dring what h"'o W euy on TIC
level of your understanding. MY only aim Is
your good. do not write TO amuse you. II
any child has taken up this book merely for
usemeni, having read thus far, he may
now shut il, and lay il aside. But if any
sincerely desire to be instructed in what they
ought 70 do 10 school, and aided in doing it,
think may, without arrogance, promise them
that, if they will not only attentiyely read
what have written, but honestly strive to
practise what recommend, they cannot fail
to be benefited by the counsels they will
receive"
The second extract forms the closing Let
ter, and although somewhat lengthy, merits
porusal from our readers.
LETTER XIX.
Advantages Of Education--Improvemen Of Time.
My Young Friends:
To obtain a good education requires a
great deal OF hard work, and that continued
for a long time. Now what is education
worth Ifit has not some value, it would be
very foolish to undergo the labor and spend
the time necessary to acquire 1t. What Is
its value? What are its advantages? What
makes it worth your while TO work so long
in answer to these inquiries will close this
little volume Of Letters.
Education alone will prepare you for your
future duties. You live in a civilized coun-
try, and not only that, but in one where the
people govern. Each one Of the people may
be chosen to fill any Office in the govern
ment. Can you, without education, perform
the duties OF represe entative, Judge, juror,
M
citizen in free country ought to be able To
discharge these duties with credit TO himself
and benefit TO his fellow citizens. And
whether you ever hold any office or not, 1t
will be the duty of every one of you, who is
male, 10 vote at The annual and other
elections. II is in this way that every Ameri
Gun citizen takes part, or may and ought to
take part, in the administration of the gov
ernment. Every voter should be intelligent
and independent In this alone lies our
safety as a nation. But this he cannot be
without education.
II is by having good education. and by
that only, that you can gain for yourselves
respectability and influence among your fel.
low citizens. Look around you, and see who
are most honored and trusted. Who are the
most looked up to for advice Whose opin-
full well that il is not the uneducatcd and
ignorant. II is the intelligent, the wise, and
the virtuous; in one word, the well educated
Education clevaics the character Of every
one who possesses it, and is the only posses
sion which makes man truly independent.
Remember that education, to be Of the right
kind, must include not merely knowledge but
virtue, not only a cultivated mind but an
upright heart and pure life. Education will
greatly increase your happiness. How many
more sources Of enjoyment are open to an
educated than to an ignorant man The
pleasures Of sense, such as eating, drinking,
hunting, fishing, riding, are almost the only
kind that the Ignorant are capable of enjoy
ing. Not so with those who, by study and
reading, have laid up store of knowledge.
They have higher, purer, and better sources
Of enioyments. The educated are generally
fond Of reading, and taste for good books is
n never failing spring Of happiness. To a
person possessing this taste, history, BIZ
ography, philosophy, travels, all the wonders
of air, earth, and ocean, arc so many ministers
of enjoyment. And what unspeakably in.
creases the value Of education is that il is
possession which cannot be taken away from
you. II you have houses, they may be burnt
down; if you have lands, your titles may turn
out worthless; if you have stocks, they may
lose their value through the villany Of others;
health may be undermined by disease office
may be snatched from you by popular caprice;
you may be stripped Of every external pos.
session in a thousand ways; but education,
knowledge, virtue, the riches of the mind.
remain ever with you. You cannot part with
them even il you wonld. They are with you
at home and abroad; in prosperity and ad.
versity by sea and by land in sickness and
in health; in youth, in manhood, and in old
age. How truly then, is it declared in holy
that wisdom is the principal thing.
Education will increase both your ability
md your disposition to he useful. To do
good is the great object for which all Of you
ought TO live. TO live for yourselves alone
is the mark ofa mean and selfish spirit. Lift
TIP your eyes and look abroad upon the world.
See how much ignorance there Is to be
enlightened, how much suffering to be re-
licvcd, how much vice to be rooted out, how
much sorrow to be soothed, how much misery
to be alloviated. Do you not desire to take
part in the noble work OF curing these
evils? 1t will be little that you can do, and
little that You will be disposed TO do unless
by diligent efforts in youth, you gain that
knowledge and goodness, which it is the OBJ
ject of education to supply.
These are few only OF the many advanta-
gcs which educated persons enjoy over the
uneducated. But are they not enough TO
invite yon TO diligence? Do they not make
YOU pant after knowledge !? Are they not
sufficient to produce in your minds the finn
resolution to exert yourselves TO the utmost
in your efforts to obtain good education?
Let me, then, in conclusion my dear young
friends, earnestly exhort you to adlligent
and faithful employment Of your time. 1t
has been said that time is money (; that it is |
the poor mans estate, &c. Il is much more
than these, If rightly improved; it is know
ledge, wisdom, intellectual power, health, and
virtue. 1t is a talent given you by the
Creator, for the right use and improvement
ofwhch he will hold you strictly accountable.
Bury It not in the earth. Remember ihe
doom of the uniaithful servant, and be wise
The hours, the days, the months. the years,
glide nolselessly but rapidly away. The
New Year comes and goes, and is quickly
succeeded by another. The season of youth.
the spring-t time and the sc ed.tme Of life, will
soon (ah, how soon y with you be gone for.
ever. When few more rolling years shall
have sped their flight, the vigor of manhood
will nerve your muscles, und the duties Of
manhood will call you away to far other
scenes aud pursuits than those which now
engage your attention. While, then, in the
kind providence OF God. the opportunity il