Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1842-12-30
VERMONT PHOENIX.
WINTER EVENINGS.

WINTER EVENINGS.
We make in another column some remarks on the
Intellectual Advantages ofthe and the great mis-
improvement of those advantages. We have n
word to say to our readers-especOlly the younger
portion of them-on the importance of improving
their leisure time, particularly these long winter
evenings in acquiring knowledge. Mankind are
the most prodigal of time of any thing ese and yet
nothing can atone for the loss of it. When once
past no effort can recall it, Our only course then,
is wisely to improve the passing hour, and never
suffer procrastinaton TO steal away any fragment of
time, but improve each moment to the best possible
advantage. Minutes make hours, hours make days
and days weeks, months, &c, and if we are care
less of minutes shall squander longer portions Of
time, until we may be called complete spcndlhrns
Of that by which we can acquire every thing else
This season of the year offers great advantages TO
those who seek to acquire knowledge especially in
farming community, where the regular avocations
of the farmer cannot be pursued in the evening
There three hours at least, every evening, that
may be devoted to reading Just apply the rules of
arithmetic for a moment, and it will be seen that
in the course of the winter there will be time suf-
fcent to store the mind with large amount OF
valuable niormation-furnish it with a stock of
ideas that may amuse and accompany it in solitude
and afford food for thought when books may not be
at hand Too many of our young men spend the
winter evenings in idle amusements-at the tavern,
or some for the idle and vicious where moth
ing be learned but the stale, vulgar jokes of the
unprncipled, and prefer TO listen to the gossip OF
the town rather than to engage their minds in read
ing some valuable book. This course may serve to
"kill time" possibly amuse for the moment but
wherein does it proft' Spendthrih habits are
acquired not unrequently looseness of morals, and
an entire disrelish for those pursuits which they
ought to follow.
The time will not always last, when improvement
can be made The important season of youth mus
pass away. Old age, like DEATH comes unexpect
edly on the unthinking and unprepared, although
It's approach be visible and its arrival certain. The
winter evenings that the young now enjoys
must ere long give place to the winter of life. We
know that those who neglect in summer TO provide
for winter, suffer want and ptivaton, and often
burdensome to others. Those, also, who in the
earlier part of life neglect to furnish their minds
with ideas, to fortify them by contemplation
and regulate them by reflection, when they see the
season of youth and vigor irrecovcrably past it
pleasing scenes annihilated, without the possibility
Of return and feeling at the time the irressta
BILE encroachments ofage, are surprised and dlscon
certed by change for which they had made nj
preparations. Without the resources Of philosophy
having no fund OF knowledge upon which to draw
they are unacquainted with any agreeable methot
of filling up the vacuity left in their minds by thi
necessary recess from the active of life. Al
this is in consequence of not improving, in the day
of youth, the opportunities afforded to acqur
knowledge. The man oflearning, when compare
with the unlearned exhibits nearly the con
trast as that which exists between blind man am
one that can see and if we consider how much Iii
erature enlarges the mind, and places its possesso
beyond the reach OF those trhng vexations and dis
quieudes which continually harrass and perple
those who have no resources within themselves
we cannot but be sensible of its Importance. 1t
to person almost an additional sense, when over
taken by the nfrmties of age. The man who has
knowledge of the works of creation, the immens
system of the material and intellectual world, in hi
versng with-his own mind. We urge, therefore
upon the young, the importance of cultlvating tn
mind, Of storing it with something that is valuable
Improve these winter evenings for that purpose
and in after life you will reap rich reward. Yo
will reflect with more pleasure upon one evenin
spent IN learning something useful, than upon
thousand spent idly, or devoted TO triiing amust
ments.