Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1840-12-31

Ing, and let not your children curse you i'm |
their ignorance, and bring down your gray
hairs with sorrow to the grave by their way
ward and sinful course. Then, iftoo poor to
send them TO school, you can teach them at
home-nc lessons are so impressive as those
taught by mothers lips-no example so
persuasive as that which father sets. The
kindness, genteness, love, and patience of
the one-and the frmness, authority and un-
RENTED supervision of the other, will do more
towards imbuing the infant mind with princi-
pies ofvirtue and knowledge than all the les
sons of the best instructors, enforced by con-
hnement and the ferula. Even if Your chill
dren be sent to school, you have done but
small part of your duty if you stop there.
The mothers chamber should be school
room-the family hearth an altar round which
to gather the young disciples. In vain may
the teacher eXpend words and blows, if the
labors the parentbe not ancillary-lesson
after lesson will be given, half prepared, and
recited only TO be forgotten, unless the parent
feel and show deep interest in tile progress
of his child. Ills his supervision, his con-
slant watching, his eXhortations, his frequent
and rigid examinations, his influence and ex-
ample, which alone can turn to account the
teachings ofthe INSTRUMENTATION these, tits
generally but time and money and labor vast
ed to send your children to school; while the
poor teacher has to bear all the burthen of
blame; and is not unfrequently, even in their
presence, reproached with incompetence and
inattention, when in truth the fault lies at
your own doors. But it is the example of the
I parent, which is mostimportant of all. Even
men are Initiative creatures--much more so
are children. Before they have learned 10 lisp
mothers name, every word and look and
act around them is noted down and strongly
| IMPRESSED bo tai Of L.,
and hearts-and as they grow in years, their
attention becomes more fixed, their initiative
Propensities more fully developed. They see
only their parents. their brothers and their
sisters. They love and admire and feel CRATE
iul to them, and resolve to be like them;f for in
their eyes they are thevery s.beau ideal'' of ex-
ceiience! How often, when teacher is set
ting before his young pupil some example of
greatness worthy his imitation, and striving to
lniuso into his mind spirit of emulation and
virtuous ambition, is he met with the disheart-
ening response of the li:tle urchin 81 don't
want to be any greater than my father ~
and how great is that fatherl He may be a
great drunkard, great villain, or great fool
rlgnoramus; but hundred to one he is not
a truly great and good man. How desirable
then that The parent should be worthy of imi-
tatlon, since the child SO often makes him the
model OF his own life, the bourne Of his own
aspirations after excellence!
But whether the child STRIFE to initiate his
parent or not, yet both his mind and character
must Of necessity partake largely of the col
ors constantly reflected around and before
him. AS, day by day, the industrious bee
adds &c its comb till the cells are filled with
delicious honey-little by little, the patterinp
OF the rain wears away the hardest substance
in the lapse of many years the rust eats
into and consumes the hardest ircn-and the
gathering together of thousand insignificant
streams forms in their long line majestic
river, till the meeting Of the waters swells
Into boundless ocean-just SO silently, SO
impercephbly, yet so surely is the example
OF the parent learing its impress upon the
mind and heart aG 9 }s the Ghd planting there
sweet honey and the germs of moral and in.
teiiectnal worth, till from its myriad inGuen-
ces the one whole of character is formed
hhether he witness noble or ienobie deeds.
near chaste or ungrammaticai language, ele-
fated or groveling sentiment ;-whether
thought, howlng from cultivated mind, take
a wide and mprehensive range-or, confined
TO petty objects, creep along the earth, wheth-
er the heart open up lis fountains of love and
charity, or lock its sympathies within its sell
! nsh lron-bound chambers-erer Will the eff
iects, tho perhaps invisible and insensible at
-S LINT: NC iAldue manifest III the after-llie
and conduct of the child. For it's vain at
this day, to deny the powerful influence of as
ISOLATION on both moral and intellectual char
acter, established as Its existence is alike by
inc reason and experience of all men.-That
the collision Of mind with mind of a superior
order improves the understanding and strength
ems the judgment Is so universally admitted
.nat IL has become an axiom in plysics-and
! us no less true, no less an axiom in morals.
that the communion of heart with heart and
spi;it with spirit, the interchange of thought
ana leeiing, and the union of soul with soul
IN the bonds OF love and sympathy, exerts
powerful, however imperceptible influence o.
! yer moral character, assimilating it by slow
| yet sure degrees to that with which il is as
sOclated.
True, there may be found, here and there.
one whose mind and virtues will shine gem
IKE IRON the midst of ignorance and vice,
| heightened In beauty and !ustre by the con-
"as'-or whose innate propensity to dullness
ana evil, refuses to yield to the teachings Of
elevated thought and feeling, illustrated and
enforced by example. Yet the rule is gen
eFG"y' II not unieerSahy, true; and it there
lore ochooves parents, elder brothers and SIS
'ers to remember that they hold in their hands
not only their own destinies, but those of o.
| thefs near and dear 10 theu-and that
heavy weight ofresponsibiity must rest upon
Their consciences, if, through their default, the
minds and hearts of these dependent beings
DC lett to the desolatiCn Of vice and ignorance.
could wish to address few words ex-
ciuslvely to the female part Of my audience:
out have spoken Of their influence, duty.
auo responsibility III former lecture the
sr.-