Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1844-03-21
For the Stanton Spectator.
TO the President and Members cf the Voyking.


mems Literary association Of Staunion.--No..2 =.
1t is maxim founded, not only in theory, but
In universal experience, that nothing great be
accomplished without labor. Nor is this more
true OF the body than Of the mind. Indeed the
faculties Of tho mind and body bear close re-
semblance to each other in their manner of acqu-
ring health and strength. The muscles become
hrm and strong, only by means of continual exer-
else. And the hardest and most active laborers
become usually the strongest men. But il is a
truth evident to the weakest minds, that without
exercise the body never be healthy You
may feed 1t with the richest dain,ies; but if they
be not accompanied with exercise, they will pro-
duce sickness rather than health, weakness rather
| than strength. Now this may be said with equal
truth OF the mind 1t will never become strong
and healthy--t will make no progress i'm INTEL
lectuai attainments without the earnest, persever-
ing exercise of its faculties. do not mean mere
reading, for if have not been misinform cd, this
! Is not The best way to gain strength of mind. A
| gentleman of considerable learning told me the
other day that 'a man might read all the LIGHT and
miscellaneous reading of the present day, and
yet continue 20 be wcak-minded man,
While thinking of this remark could not but
fee convinced OF the useless, if not injurious ten
! denotes oil most of our periodicals. They seem
TO me to bear about the relation to the mind
that sweet-meas and such like delcacies do TO
the body. They serve to crafty, not to profit
to divert not to strengthen. They afford but an
excuse Tor mental Incidence and inactivity, while
they impart no knowledge and give no permanent
pleasure. Indeed cannot help thinking them on
Tho whole, far more. pernicious Than useful. They
take the place ofo other and infinitely more profitable
reading and study, and cheat the mind out of real
literary enjoyment.
Now, these are the thoughts Of plain, common
sense and, ! believe, it we could get tho opinion
of The most useful practical men of our country,
we would find it to be the same. If this opinion
be correct II follows that, in order 10 become in
teiectuai and strong minded men, must do
something more than merely read books aud pc
rlodcais. We NEST read men and things. What !
we hear In lectures in the society," and what we !
find in sound books, we must study and under
stand, and bring into practical use. We must |
Try To detect the strong and weak points in the |
various subjects that will be brought before u.s.
we must not trust TO the mere 'say-so" of the |
lecturer, or of the book we read. We must di- |
gest and understand the and effect Of things
Thus we shall soon find ourselves advancing in
knowledge and becoming better able to make up
solid Judgment, and to decide promptly and cor
recty on all practical subjects which may be
brought before US. Our education will then be-
come part OF on. business, man of counsel i'm
the time of pecuniary danger, and strong weapon
which we may WELD in the fierce struggle of This
world Tor wealth. honor and power
But you will ask show is it possible for us to
do more than merely listen TO lecture one night
IN each week, or read few pages each night in
We cannot add any thing to the day, and at yht
we cannot escape WEAKNESS and sleep. We have
been busly employed in our shops and our stores,
or in the field, all the day, and must nave rest at
night
TO all this would say, there are very few harder
working or more nsy men i'm our town than the
writer OF these articles; yet by rising early, and
sometimes retiring late, but more particularly by
economlZng and systematizing his time, and try.
ing 10 MI up every hour with something that will
! be profitable, he is enabled 10 combine with his
| appropriate occupation, reading, and meditation
and even considerable recreation. Did he not
think 1t indicate 10 speak of himself, he would
Tor your encouragement, tell you what he has
read, and what he has gained in year or two in |
this way. 1t is enough for him to say that his |
own experience has taught him that no man !
should be deferred from searching after know- |
edge on the ground that he is busy and hard !
working man. This remarl, may be strengthened |
by an appeal to facts. The other day as | was |
passing down street accidentally Tell in with !
gentleman who is reading man, and not a little |
Interested In the prosperity of our Society. He |
spoke IN terms Of high appreciation Of our effort 10
improve the morals and literature of Tie town |
and said, "you working linen have some of the
brightest examples of learning the world has ev-
er known Tor your encouragement. "'There" said
he 's Newton, who mingled his studies OF AS
tronomy with his busy and constant duties of
master OF the mint. There is Charles Lamb, one
OF the sweetest writer's and most accomplished
scholars, who was constantly engaged at the
desk OF common clerk. There is Milton, one of
the greatest masters Of English literature, who
was tor many years Il mere school-master. There
is Roscoe, the historian of Leo Y, who was
most actively and extensively occupied as a mer-
chant. There is benjamin franklin, the wisest
man o. his age, who spent his early fife as mere
printers boy. There is Sherman and many 9TH
ers, who have risen 10 eminence as statesmen
from the still humber occupation Of making
SHOES And there is in our land black
smltii-the most learned man in the United States
who, in acquiring his knowledge. exercised
himself daily at the anvil" The history of these
men proves the folly Of the objection am now
combating, and ought to stimulate Us to unwea-
/ ryDe perseverance.
But can any worEing-man in Stanton honest
| y say that he can give no time 10 the cultivation
! Of his mind? That he is so constantly employ
ed III business that he cannot snatch even little
portion OF time for reading and Study Why,
how does this agree with the fact that so many
seem 10 be idle-sIahding on the street., or sitting
in the shops and stores, and others constantly
complaining that business is du---lhat their time
hangs heavy on their handsl My fellow-work-
men, nothing is more true, than that the idle man
is the very one who complains most Of The want.
OF Time, and is the last 20 accomplish " hat is giv-
en- him to do. He is the one who will always put
oil his duties TO the last moment, and VIXEN called
on TO give an account of them will complain of
the press OF business. wien he had slept late
then stood on Tie sireet--then idled away his
time. No j am sure il is not the want of time
which debArs us from reading and study. 1T is
the want Of settled convictions of the Importance
and value OF education, and The habit Of employ
ing our faculties so as TO acquire il. Ii is the ma
ture o! man to do as little as possible; so that
the less you give him 10 do; the less he will do
ana u TIE necessity OF labor were entirely remo-