The voice of freedom. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1839-1848, 1846-05-28
J. HOLCOMB, Editor h Publisher.

studying, for her common conversation il
in the spiri. of inquiry /; so that it is pos
sible her physical health has suffered from
it. She will not admit that she is un
well indeed, she probably conceals from
+ herself the fac, hat she IS so. But, from
t whatever cause her present indispositlon
has arisen, every effort will be made to
T remove it. She has already learned to
: ride on horseback, and takes gentle exer%
else in this way, every day, upon a pony,
which, of course, has to be guided by a
seeing person.
Her mind has developed itself during
the last year in a remarkable manner, as
will be seen 10 the specimens of her writ
ing and conversation. 1t is very forlu-
ate that | was able to obtain as a sue
cessor of Miss Swift, her former able and
excellent teacher" a young lady fully
equal 10 the difficult task of conducting her
education. Indeed, to Miss Swift and to
Miss Wright belong, far more than to
any other persons, the pure satisfaction of
having been instrumental in the beautiful
development Of Laura's character.
The last year, especially, has been n
of great difficulty and great danger; for
the period has arrived when the natural
tendency of every human soul 10 separate
and independent %individualism becomes
very strong that critical period when
there is often a severe and sometimes a ia
lal struggle between the conservative spir.
it OF the old, who would stunt the growth
of the young and keep them in the depend
ence of childhood, and The aspiring spirit
Of the young, which irresistibIy impeIs
them TO independence.
| have always looked forward to this
period of Laura's life with great anxiety.
She is now passing through it; and it is
not given me 10 conceive any wiser course
than her present teacher has followed
Indeed. | believe that no one has conceiv-
ed so high an idea of woman's patience,
devotion, tenderness, and capacity, that it
would not be raised, if he could see as
minutely as / have seen the whole of them
exemplifed in the daily intercourse be.
tween Miss Wright and L1ura. Any
praise of this kind bestowed by one person
upon another, who is in any way con-
nected with him, is usually in bad taste,
TO say the least. But I attn constrained 10
give it in this case because | feel, that,
unless | do so, | shall receive what does
not belong 10 me-lhe credit of another's
good works.
There have been a few moments during
the wear, when, either from the Develop
ing tendency to independent individualism
above alluded 10 or from constitutional ir-
ritabilily, or both, Laura has manifested
a spirit which threatened violent eXplo>
sions of temper. am certain, that, if at
such times she had been treated with the
slightest sternness, or even with coldaess
and ind ference, the effect would have
been most %unfavorable. But her teacher,
never for a moment losing her temper,
never ceasing 10 manifes! the tenderest in.
terest in her pupil, yet not obtruding IL
upon her, or making ii the pretext for
overriding her will, has succeeded in
making Laura Judge and condemn her.
self so that, without being accused, she
has perceived her fault, and, Without be-
ing punished, she has come out Of the tri-
al stronger and better than before. This
| hold to be a rare attainment in the ar,
of teaching;-it is more,-it is the best
kind of moral training.
It will be seen by the extracts which
will follow, that Laura has acquired much
greater facility aud copiousness of expires"
sion than before; nevertheless, a great
potion of the year has been spent in
teaching her the use of language. 1t is
often said, that, in order 10 have precision
of language, there must be precision of
thought; but the converse is equally true,
in order to have precision of thought
lover a great range OF objects. there must
be precision OF language. Hence appears
the grea. importance of storing the mind
abundantIy with words to which a precise
meaning is attached, during that period OF
which nature clearly points out as The
only one well fitted for the task. namely,
the period Of childhood and early youth.
II may be proper here to remark. that,
whenever any expression of hers is quoted
10 the Reports concerning her, it IS done
with sense Of the importance of a scru.
adherence TO the exact form which
she used; no change and no correction is {
ever made, not even of the orlhography.
| shall endeavor to make The extracts /
illustrate the mode Of teaching her, as well s
as her wi course of thoughts /
One day, her teacher had remarked to !
her that the first settlers Of this country /
had difficulty in procuring
to eat; whereupon she asked, sud- |
1enIy, 4" What repast did one man ea,2'
She explained herself by adding, " When t
here was but one man on earth" The t
answer was, thatthere were fruit and ber- +
ries. "But,'' said she, when he was 5
very small %. She paused awhile, and I
hen added, 81 guess God took care OF =,