The Illinois free trader and LaSalle County commercial advertiser. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1841-1843, 1843-05-12

der to be influential, useful, respected
or 20 state the case in its best aspect, that
you may lead an intellectual lile.-Noih-
ing of the kind is necessary-very far
from it. If your tendencies are in,ellec-
tual--if you love knowledge, wisdom,
virtue for themselves--you will grow in
them, whether you earn your bread by a
profession, trade, or by tilling the
ground. Nay, it may be doubted wheth-
er the farmer or mechanic who devotes
his leisure hours to intellectual pursuits
from a pure love of them has not some
advantages therein over the professional
man. He comes to his book at evening
with his head clear and his appetite shar-
pened by the manual labors, taxing light
ly the spirit or brain; while the lawyer,
who has been running over dry old books
for precedents, the doctor who has been
racking his wits for remedy adapted to
some new modification of disease, or the
divine who injured in his closet, has
been busy preparing of his next sermon,
may well approach the evening volume
with senses jaded and palled. There are
few men, and perhaps fewer women,
who do not spend uselessly in sleep or
play, or frivolous employments, more
time than would be required 10 render
them at thirty well versed in history, phi
losophy, ethics, as well as physical sci
ence. &c.
III. Neither is an advantageous loea-
ton essential TO the prosecution of emo
bling studies, or 10 an Intellectual life {;
on this point Misrepresentation is very
prevalent and very perncious. A youth
born in some rural or but thinly settled
district, where books are few and unfit,
and the means of intellectual culture APP
parcn,ly scanty, feels within him the spi-
rt Of inquiry, carving to acquire and
to know aspirations for an intellectual
condition above the level around him.
At once he jumps to the conclusion that
change of place is necessary to the sat-
isfaction of his desires-that he must re-
sort, if not to the university or the semi
nary, at least to the city or village. He
fancies he must alter his whole manner
of lfe-that persistence in manual la
Dor is unsuited to, if not absolutely incon-
sistent with, the aspirations awakened
within him-that he must become. if not
an author, professor, lawyer, at least
merchant, or follower Of some calling
unlike that of his fathers.
Wrapped in this delusion he betakes
himself to the city's dusty ways, where
sooner or later the nature and extent Of
his mistake preaks upon him. 1.-The finds
satisfactory employment and is prospered
in the way of life which he prefers, the
cares and demands of business almost
consiran him to reinquish those pursuits
and natural life. If he is less fortunate.
anXietics for the morrow, a constant and
| difficult struggle for the means of credi-
table subsistence, and TO avoid becoming
a burthen or detrment to others who
have trusted or endeavored to sustain
him, these crowd out of being the though,
or the hope Of mental culture and adj
yancement. Nay, more, and worse--in
the tumnliuous strife of business and mo-
nev-getting, whether successful or other
wise, The very desire Of intellectual ele.
walton is too often stined or greatly en-.
(cebled, and that death of the soul en-.
sues in which satisfaction of the physical
appetite becomes the aim of life--the mar
is sunk in the capitalist or trader, and the
gathering of shining dust made the grea
end Of his being.
But what shall the youth do who find.
his means of intellectual culture made
quaie to his wants hesitate not TO say
that he should CREATE more and bette
Just where he is. Not that would have
him reject any real opportunity or prof
Ter Of increased facilities which may oper
before him. | will not say that he shoul,
not accept university education, III,
means of studying for profession, i
such should come fairly in his way, an,
be seconded by his own inclination Blu
| do insist that nothing Of this sort is es
sential to the great end he has or shal
have in vicw-namely, selfculturc. IL
this end ii is only needful that he shoul'
put forth fully the powers within him
and rightly mould the circumstances by
which he is surrounded Are the books
within reach few and faulty 10. hin
purchase few Of the very best, and stu
dy them intently and thoroughly. III
who is truly acquainted with the writing