The Columbia Democrat. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1837-1850, 1845-03-08


almost necessarily hang on the hands OF y
man of my age, propose to write to yoo
weekly, or al leas, opce a fortnight. | will
not have news enough to fill my weekly
sheet; and shall therefore try to assist YOU
| in your slud,es or attempt to give
YOU some Information in regard to morals
politics which (as ! hope may be OF use
TO You in The regulation Of your conduct III
regard TO indis siduas, aud TO society IN gen
eral Old men are not necessarily gloomy
and moroso, and so hope you will not
find my letters so grave as TO be Iorblddlng'
though trus. they will not be so lgh' as
to be ulnng.
You are now on that happy, but danger
ous hl0ck in the pathway Of human life,
from which men reiiher look on the pas
with regret, on the present with ds'asie
nor on the future with solctude. Review.
ing your life from the earliest recollecIlons
to the present, you find no dark stain, no
| irreri evable error, 10 cause you TO shrink
from the review. May you in every part
OF life be able TO look back with similar
feelings! The present does not press upon
you with multitude Of cares TO distract and
|perpex the mind, and the future, have no
doubt, appears to you like garden Of
!sweets of indefinite extent and matchless
beauty, opening to receive you. Happy is
the season of youth, and hope YOU enjoy
all its innocent pleasures; but il is neither
desirable nor possible that It's peculiar pleas
lures should last. Childhood had lis raptu>
rous delights, but they passed away gradn
IaIy, and without causing you sorrow at
their deparlure,for you lost a taste for them
You can now find no amusement in chas-
ling butteray,or in riding on iexile reed,
Though you are stronger, and better able to
bear the fatigue Of such sports row, than ID
lchildhood. In a similar manner will the
amusemenls of to day, in few years, cease
10 afford you pleasure, bu; they will be fol
lowed bv the more solid, ard sober engage
ments of middle age say this, not to
cause you to neglect and despise the pleas
lures of youth, since that would be 10 insu 1t
him who has given you the desire and abll
Iitv to enjcy them, but TO leach you, tina,
manhood Is coming, anu &nas II ~ PrUpe' ~
make some preparations for il.
Nature, while we are unable TO choose
being ignorant Of the nature, and relations
Of objects around us, kindly gives to the
most rArng objects, lhe power to charm
A straw is enough to call forth a Joyous
Iaughfrom a child yet unable to walk, and .
top, a whip or paper cap delights those a
little older. Nature takes care that we shall
be happy while we arc unable to help our
selves, out when our minds becOue able to
compare, and choose between objects she
takes ltOm butterflies, and tops ;hair power
o charm us, in order that onr happiness
may, to certain exteaI depend upon our
own choice. If you are then TO choose for
yourself, what will best promote your hap
piness, (n this word sum up all your
true interests of every kind) you perceive
it is necessary, that You know the nature
properties and relations Ct all the objects
around you, slnce without such knowledge |
your choice will be only guessing,
What field Of study is before you, per
recty uubounded! What have said is onIy
a rOund'a 5oul-way of telling you, that
knowledge is Of ine5limabIe value, and Iha
your happiness, and usefulness in life very,
much depend on what you kaolo.
The though! that SO much remains to be
learned perhaps may lrghten you, as
have known it do many others; bu: you
should rather rejoice than gri0ve. As breac
is the food of Ihe body,so knowledge is lht
food of The mind; aud as one loaf ol bread
will not su6Iai, the body long, so a small
stock of knowledge will keep the MIND
in heath and vlgour but short time
Therefore, when you see that SO much re
main, to be learned, you should rejoice to
hipk that there is rO danger Of a mental
famine, if you are disposed TO reach onr
your hand 10 ihe splendid banquet before
you. Is
Your oftCUonale Unce,
AMOS GORDON.
To JAMES BAGBY. 4 yr ----