Holly Springs gazette., 1842-11-25

tthucHCitS are IutSHeCludl-H you love
knowledge wisdom virtue, for themselves /
you will grow inthem. whether you earn i
your bread by profession. a trade, or by /
tiliing the ground. Nay, It may be doubted |
whether the farmer or mechanic VINO de- |
votes his leisure hours 10 intellectual pursuits |
from pure love of them has not some ad |
vantages. therein over he professional man. l
He comes to his book at evening with his |
head clear and his mental appetite sharpen !
ed bY the manual labors, taxing highly the !
spirit or brain; while the lawyer, who has
been running over dry old books for prece-
dents, the doctor, who has been racking his 4
wits for remedy adapted 10 some new mod
iticatIon Of disease, or the divine who, i'm
INJURED in his closet, has been busy pyepar-
ing his next Sermon may we'll approach the
evening volume with senses jaded and palled.
There are few men, and perhaps fewer wo-
men, who do not spend uselessly in sleep, or
play, or frivolous emplovments, more time
than would be required to render them at
thirty we'll vcrsed in history, philosophy,
ethics, as we'll as physical sciences. &c. !
8 Neither is an advantageous location
essential to the prosecution of ennobIing
studies or to an intellectual life; on this
point misapprehension is very prevalent and
very pernicious A youth born in some ru-
raj or but thinly settled district, where books
are few and unfit, and the means of intellec-
tual culture apparently scanty, feels within
him the strings Of a spirit OF inquiry, era
wing to acquire and to know aspirations for
an Intellectual condition above the dead lev
ell around him At once he jumps to the
conclusion that change OF place Is neceSSa-
ry to the satisfaction of his desires that lie
must resort, if not 10 the university or the
seminary, at least TO the city or the village.
He fancies he must alter his whole manIier
of life--that persistence In manual labor IS
unSuited TO. If not absolutely inconsistent with,
the aspirations awakened within him-that
! he must become. If not an author, proies
sor, lawyer, at least a merchant or follow
er Of some calling unlike that of his fathers
Wrapped in this deIusion, he betalles him
self to the city's dusty ways. where sooner
or later the nature and extent Of his mistake
breaks upon him. Ii ne finds satisfactory en-
ployment and is prospered in the way of life
which he prefers. the cares and demands of
business almost constrain him to relinquish
those pursuits for which he abandoned his
more quiet and natural If he is less fortu-
difficult struggle for the means of creditable
subsistence and to avoid becoming a burden
or detriment to others who have trusted or
endeavored to sustain him. these crowd out
of being the thought of the hope of mental
culture and advancement. Nay, more, and
are worse-in the tumultuous strife of busi-
ness and money getting. whether successful
or otherwise, the very desire of intellectual
elevation is too often stihed or greatly enfee-
bled, and that death of the soul ensues in
which the satisfaction of the physical appe-
tite becomes the aim of lIfe-the man is
sunk IN the capitalist or trader, and the gath
ering Of shining dust made the grea. end of
his being.
But what shall the youth do who finds
his means Of intellectual culture inadequate
to his wants2 | hesitate not to say that he
should create more and better just where he
Is. Not that | would have him reject any
real opportunity or proffer of increased ia
cIlities which may open before him. will
not say that he should not accept universl-
ty education, the means of studying for a
profession, ii such should come fairly in his
way, and be seconded by his own inclination
But do insist that nothing of this sort Is es-
SeHtlat 10 the great end he has or should
have in view-namely. seltculture. To
this end 1t is only needful that he should put
forth fully the powers within him and right
y mould the circumstances by which he is
surrounded Are the books within reach
few and faulty2 Let HIM purchase few of
the very best and study them intently and tho
roughly. He who is truly acquainted with
the writings of few of the worlds master
spirits can never after be deemed ignorant or
undeveloped. To know intimately the Bible
and Shakespeare, and the elements of history
and the physical sciences, is to have imbibed
the substance of all human knowledge
That knowledge may be presented in thou
sand varied. graceful and attractive forms,
and the variations may be highly agreeable
and useful-nay. they are so. But. though
they may improve. refine and fertafize [so
to speak, they do not make the man If he
has the elements within him, no further hour
Of solitude can be lonely. or tiresome. or
profitless The mild moon and the calm
high stars are companionship and instruc-
tioE, eloquent of deep significance, and more
impressive than the profoundest volames-
But grant that greater or more varied
means of culture than the individuals mar
row means can supply are desirable. has he
not still modes of procuring them2 Is he
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