Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1842-11-24

INV '"uCt w Wv nnIuNIllldt, use
tui. rrpecied--or, TO slate ,he case in its
best aspect, ,ha, ym may Head an intel
leciual life.--Nnlhins III the thing is
nrcrssary very Far from Il. II your
irndenc'rs are in,eii,~tUs, If you love
kuOalrdgr, wisdom, virtue for them.
se'ves-you will gWw in them, whether
ym earn yonr bread by a profession, a
trade, or by tilling The ground. Nay,
u may he doubted whether the farmer,
merhanic or merchant who devotes his
'e,snre 10 intellectual pursuits from u
pure love of them has not some advania-
pps, therein, over the professional man
lie comes TO his book nj evening with
his head clear and his mental ap2eii,.
sharpened by 'hs manual labors, taxing
lightly the spirit oi brain while the law
Yer, who has been running over dry old
books for precrdenis, the doctor who has
been rack,ng his wits ('r remedy adapt.
ed to some new modification Of disease,
or the divine who, immured in his closet
has been busy preparing his next sermon,
may well approach the evening volume
with senses jaded aud palled. There
are lew men, and perhaps fewer women,
Who do not spend uselcssly in sleep, or
play, or frivolous employ more
time than would render them at thirty
we'll versed in History, Philosophy,
Ethics, as well as Ply steal sciences, Sc.
3. Neither is an advantageous location
essential to the prosecution OF ennubling
studies, or Ia an intellectual life on this
point mlsapprhension is very prevalent
aud very pernicious. A youth born in
s"n'e rural or but thinly settled district,
where books are few aud unfit and the
means Of intellectual culture apparently
scanIy feels within him The STRINGS OF a
spirit "i inquiry, craving to acquire and
To Know, aspirations for an intellectual
condition above the dead level around
hun. AT once he Jumps to the concIu-
sion that change Of place is nee essary
Ia the satisfaction Ot his desires that he.
must resort II not 10 The university or the
srtnlnary, al least to The city or the vii
lage. lie iancies he must alter his whole
manner of hie--ihat "a persisiance IN
manual labor Is unsuiicd To, II not abso.
luiely inconsistent with the aspirations
awakened within him-ihat he must be-
come II not an author, professor, u law
yer, at lra>t merchant or iolluwer of
some calling unlike that OF his fathers
Wrapped 10 this dclusion, he betakes
himself to the Ciiy's dusty ways, where
s"oncr-or later the nature and extent OF
his mistake breaks upon him. Il he finds
satisfactory employment and is prospe,ed
IN The way oI lie which he prefers, The
cares and demands Of business almost
c"n.irain him TO relinquish those pursuits
Tor which he abandoned his more 1uie,
and natural life. II he is less fortunate.
anxieties Tor The morrow, IA constant and
difficult struggle for the means OF edita-
BILE substance, and to avoid becoming
u burihen or deirlment TO others who
have trusted or endeavorcd TO sustain him,
these crowd out Of being the thought or
The hope Of mental culture or advance
ment. Nay, moie, and vet worse-inI
the tumuliuous strife OF business and
tn"nry getting, whether successful or
otherwise, The very desire of intellectual
elevation Is too often stuffed or greatly |
enieehled, and that death oflhe soul en-
sues in which satisfaction of the physical |
appetite becomes the aim of life the |
man is sunk in The capitalist or trader,
and the gathering OF shining dust made
the gical end OF his being.
But what shall the youth do who finds
his means of intellectual culture made
quate Ia his wants hesitate not to say
that he should creoie more aud better Just
" here he is. Not that would have
HIM reject any real opportunity or protfer
oi increased facilities winch may open
before him. will not say that he should
not accept university education, the
means at study my for a profession, -, If such |
should come iarly IN his way, aud be |
seconded by his own inclination. But | /
do insist that nothing oi this sort is essen
iinl to the great end he has, or should
have ~ view namely, Sell Culture.
10 lhls end II is only ncedlul that he
should put forth fully the powers within
nm and lightly mould the circumstances
by which he Is surrounded. Are the \
books within reach lew and faulty let II
nm purchase few of the very best, and
study them intrnIb and thoroughly. lie
Who is truly acquainted with the writings
II n very lew ol the worlds master spir-
l., can never after be- deemed ignorant
" nnde,rloprd To know Intimately
he Elblo and Shakespeare, aud the ee-
nenls oi HISTORY and The ph, seal scien-
'es, Is To have inblbed the substance OF
III human knowledge. That knowledge
nay be presented in q thousand varied.
graceful aud attractive forms, and the
'srialIons may be highly agreeable and
lseiul-nay, they are so. But, though
hey may improve, refine and ferillze,
so to speak, they do not make the
NAN. IL he has the elements within
Iln, no future hour Of solitude can be
onely, or ilresome, or profitless. The
mid moon and the calm high stars are
"@pnnionship and instruction, eloquent
II deep significance, aud more impress
ave than the proloundest volumes.
But grant that greater or more varied
means Of culture than the individuals
arrow means can supply are desirable,
a. he n"i s,IlI modes of procuring them
: he solitary and our goodly land his
slr al Jnai. Errnandpz Are there moi II