Independent Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1842-1844, 1842-11-26

| ~ 'oP VII WHICH inc temple Oh lame
stands, it will not do to stand still, look
ing, admiring, and wishing you were there.
You must grid up your oins, and 90 to
work with all the indomitable energy of
Hannibal scaling the Alps. Laborious
study, and diligent observation of the
world, are both indispensable to the at
tanment of eminence. BY the former.
you must make yourself master of all
that is known of science and letters: by
The latter, you must know man, at large,
an5J 9ar'0wli- cbuntrymen. You must cul-
tivale assiduously the habits of reading,
thinking and observing. Understand your
own language, dramatically, critically,
thoroughly: leu.ning its origin, or rather
various origins, which you may learn
from Johnson's or Webster's prefaces TO
their large dictionaries. Learn all that
is delicate and beautiful, as well as strong,
in the language, and master all its stores
of opulence. You will find rich mine
of instruction in the splendid language of
Burke. His diction is frequently magni-
ticent; sometimes too gorgeous, ] think,
| for a chaste and correct taste; bat he will
show you all The wealth Of your language.
You must, by ardent study and practice,
acquire for yourself mastery CT the Ian
guage, and be able both to speak and to
write ii, promptly, easily, elegantly, and
with that variety of style which different
sub ects, different hearers, and different
readers, are continually requiring. You
must have such a command of it as to be
able TO adapt yourself, with intutiye quick
ness and ease, to every situation in which
you may chance to be placed-and You
will find no great difficulty in this, if You
have the cOpia rerborum, and a correct
tas e. With this study of the language
you must take care to unite the habits al
ready men,ioned-lhe diligent observa
ton, of all that is passing around you, and
dciire, close, and useful thinking. II you
have access to Franklin's works, read
them carefully, particularly his third vo-
lume, and you will know what mean by
the habits of observing and thinking. -
We cannot all be Franklins, 1t is true !;
but, by initiating his mental habits and
unwearied industry, we may reach an en-
inence we should never otherwise attain.
Nor would he have been the Franklin he
was, if he had permitted himself to be dis
couraged by the reflection that we cannot
all be Neutons. 1t is our business to
make the most of our own talents and OPP
portunitIes, and instead of discouraging
ourselves by comparisons and imaginary
imposslbiIIies, to believe all things posi-
BILE, as indeed almost all things are, to
spirit bravely and firmly resolved. Frank
lin was fine model Of practical man as
contradistinguished from Customary heo-
riSt, as men of genius are very apt to be.
He was great in that greatest Of all good
qualities, sound, strong, common sense. A
mere book-worm is miserable driveller;
and mere genius, thing of gossamer.
fit only for the winds to sport with. Di-
rect your intellectual efforts principally to
the cultivation of the strong masculine
qualities of the mind. Learn Il repeat
iD to ttink-tiink deeply, comprehensirely,
poDerfully-and learn the simple nervous
language which is appropriate to that kind
of thinking. Read the legal and political
arguments of Chief Justice Marshall, and
those of Alexander Hamilton, which are
coming out. Read them, study them; and
observe with what an omnipotent sweep
of thought they range over the whole
field of every subject they take in hand
and that with scythe SO ample, and so
keen, that not straw is left standing be-
hind them. Brace yourself up to these
great efforts. Strike for this giant char
acter of mind, and leave prettiness and
frivolity for triflers. There is nothing in
your letter that suggests the necessity of
this admonition; | make it merely with
reference to that tendency to eihorescence
which have occasionally heard charged
to Southern genius. 1t is perfectly con-
sistent with these herculean habits of
thinking, TO be laborious student, and to
know all that books can teach. This ex-
tensive acquisition is necessary, not only
to teach you how far science has advanc-
ed in every direction, and where the ter
rG mcognitd begins, into which genius is
to direct lis future discoveries, but to teach
you also the strength and the weakness
of the human lntellect--how far it is per-
mltted us TO g., and where the penetra-
ton of man is forced, by its own impo-
tence and the nature of the subject, to
give up the pursuit and when you have
mastered all the past conquests of science
YOU viii understand what Socrates meant
by saying, that he knew only enough to
be sure thut he kne'O nothing-nothing.
compared NTH that HIimitable tract that
lies beyond the reach Of our faculties.--
You must never be satisfied with the sur
face of things: probe them to the bottom,
aud let nothing go till YOU Understand IL
as thoroughly as your powers viii enable
YOU Seize the moment Of excited curl
L.. 1 .