The Illinois free trader. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1840-1841, 1840-07-17

wisdom and power, of majesty and love,
which the Creator has inscribed upon it,
all is to them sealed book, and they pass
through the world none the wiser for all
the wonders of creative power and good
ness by which they are surrounded.
A taste for useful reading is an eflectual
preservation from vice. Next to the fear
of God, implanted in the heart, nothing is
better safeguard to the character than
the love of good books. They are hand
maids of virtue ard religion. They
quicken our sense of duty, unfold our
responsibilities, strengthen our principles,
confirm our habits, inspire in us the love
of what is right and useful, and teach us
to look with disgust upon what is low,
and grovelling, and vicious. 1t is with
good books as it is with prayer; the use
of them will either make us leave off sim
ming, or leave off reading them. No
vicious man has fondness for reading
and no man who has fondness for this
exercise is in much danger of becoming
vicious. He is secured from thousand
temptations to which he would otherwise
be exposed.-He has no inducement to
squander away his time in vain amuse-
ments, in the haunts of dissipation, or in
the corrupting intercourse of bad compa-
ny. He has higher and nobler source Of
enjoyment to which he can have access.
He can be happy alone - and is indeed
never less alone than when alone. Then
he enjoys the sweetest, the purest, and
most improving society, the society of
the wise, the great and good and while
he holds delightful converse with these,
his companions and friends, he grows
into likeness of them, and learns to look
down as from an eminence Of purity and
light, upon the low born pleasures of the
dissipated and the profligate.
The high value of mental cultivation is
another weighty motive for giving atten-
dance to reading. What is it that mainly
distinguishes a man from brute? Know
ledge. What makes the vast difference
then between men, as they appear in the
same society! knowledge. What rails
ed Franklin from the humble station of
printers boy to the first honors of the
country! knowledge. What took Sher-
man from his shoemaker's bench, gave
him seat in congress, and there made
his voice to be heard among the wisest
and best of his compeers knowledge.
What raised Simpson from the weaver's
loom TO place among the first of mathe-
matcians and Hcrshel from being a
poor ffer's boy in the atmy, to station
among the first of astronomers Know
ledge. knowledge is power. 1t is the
philosophers stone the true alchemy
that turns every thing it touches into gold.
1t is the sceptre that gives us our donin-
ion over nature; the key that unlocks the
store houses of creation, and opens to us
the treasures of the universe.
And suppose you that her last victory
has been won, - the utmost limits of her
dominion reached! Nay, my friends,
she has but commenced her march. Her
most splendid riumphs are yet future.
What new honors she has to bestow on
her followers, into what new fields of
conquest and of glory she will lead them,
no one can tell. Her voice to all is, to
rally around her standard and 90 forward
and aid her victories, and share in honor
of her achievements. None are excluded
from this privilege. Her rewards are
prollered to all, and all, tho in different
measures, may share in her distinctions,
her blessings, and hopes.
The circumstances in which you are
placed, as members of free and intelli.
; gent community, demand of you care
full improvement of the means of know
ledge you enjoy. You live in an age Of
great mental excitement. The public
mind is awake, and society in general is
fast rising in the scale Of improvement
AT the same time the means of knowledge
are most abundant They exist every
where, and in the richest variety. MOI
Z, were stronger inducements ever held on
: to engage all classes Of people in the
d diligent use Of these means. Usefu
: talents of every kind are in great demand
6 The field of enterprise is widening ant
; spreading around you: the road to honor
a to wealth, to usefulness is open to all
:, and all who will, may enter upon it will
If the most certain prospect Of success. Ii
+ this free community there are no privileg
it ed orders. Every man finds his level
n If he has talents he will be known ant