Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1842-12-22
NIISOIklLILAN IsOUSo
COUNCILS THE YOUNG.
BY HORACE GREEDY.

Three millions of youth, between the
ages of six and twenty. one are now rap.
IDLY coming forward, to take rank as the
future husbands and fathers, legislatorsan and
divnes, instructors and governors, politi.
clans and voters, capitalists and Iaborers,
artizans and cullivntors, Of this vast coun.
Try, whose destinies are even yet so faint
ly imagined, much less developed. Not
one is SO humble that he will not certain.
ly exert an inf1uence--it may be an i'm.
mense and imperishable influence on the
happiness and elevation of his country
and his race. The humblest cottage
maid, now toling ankluIly as the house,
mold servant OF some proud family by
whom she is regarded as no body, may
yet be the mother OF future President
or nobler still, OF some unaspiring but
God-directed man, who as a teacher of
righteousness, an Bmeiator of human
sutfarngs, successful reproyer Of wrong,
sensualty or selfshness may leave its
impress on the annals OF the world as
lover and server of his race. Nearly all
our now eminent men, poll ncally, Jack.
son, Clay, Van Buren,, etc., were not
merely of poor and humble parentage,
bu, left orphans in early life, and thus de.
prived of the support and counsel which
seems most emnently necessary to sue
cess 10 the worlds rugged ways,
In the higher walks of genuine useful
ness the proportion of those enjoying no
advantageous of family influence or he
redtary wealth, who attain the Hottest
eminence, is very great. Call to mind
the first twenty names that occur to you
of men distinguished for ability, energy
or philanthropy, or lofty achievement,
and generally three fourths of them will
be those of men born in obscurity and de-
pendence.
All literature is full of anecdotes Illus.
trntive Of these encouraging truths
single fact now occurs to me which have
never seen recorded. have often wor.
shipped in Baptis, meeting house in Yer
mont, whereon al its construction some
thirty wears since a studious and exem-
pary young man was for some time en-
ployed as carpenter who afterwards
qualified himself and entered upon the re-
sponsibilties of the chris tian Ministry
That young man was Jared Sparks,
since editor Of the North American Re-
view, of w ashlngton's volumnous Wri-
tings &c. and now recognised as one OF
the foremost scholars, historians. and crit
les in America.
propose here to set forth few impor-
tant maxms for the guidance and encour.
agemen, Of those youths who will hearkeD
to me-maxims based on my own imma.
ture experience and observation, but
which have doubtless in substance been
propounded and enforced by older and
wiser men long ago and often. Still as
they do not yet appear to have exerted
their full and proper effect on the rpen-
ing intellect of the country--as thou
sands on thousands are ioilsomely, PAIN
fully struggling forward in the race Tor
position and knowledge, in the palpable
defiance of their scope and spirit will
hope that their presentation at this time
cannot be without some effect al least on
a few expanding minds. They are as fol-
lows -
/. Avoid the common error OF esteem
ing college education necessary TO USE
lulness and eminence in life. Such an
education may be desirable and beneii-
cial--to many il is doubtless so. But
Greek and Latin are not real knowledge I;
they are only means OF acquiring such
knowledge, there have been great and
wise, and surprisingly useful men in all
ages who knew no language but their
own mother tongue. Besides, in our day
the treasures Of ancient end contempora.
ry foreign Literature are brought home to
Ievery mans door by trsnslatlons which