Wisconsin herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1846-1849, 1846-08-22


amiable, the virtuous and the benevo-
lent, but in the selfish, the ostentatious
and the inflated. Thus keen compe-
tition is kept up. not only in dress and
in dwellings, but frequently in parties,
in outdoor displays, and in fashionable
movements generally.
Laudable ambition is every way
commendable. The young and the
enterprising should pursue all legiti-
innate means Of attaining real position
and pecuniary independence. But
they should avoid deceiving themselves
and the world by attempting to appear
weather., more important or more
fashionable than they really are, and
thus sacrifice the substance for the
shadow. Look around among your
neighbors, gentle reader, and see how
few live according to their own con-
victions of prudence, of common sense,
and of right and wrong. Converse
with them, and see how few adhere to
truth, avoid selishness, exhibit due
modesty, and rejoice in generous
spirit at the welfare of friends and fell
low creatures. Sell, self will be seen
in every movement, while falsehoods
so palpable are uttered in relation to
prospects, position and society as to be
perfectly absurd from their Transparent
cy. The listeners, instead of being
astonished, are in most cases Disguised.
But the infirmity has grown from day
to day, and from year to year, and like
any other vile habit, its victims natur-
ally yield to its mastery, even when
in their better moments they recognize
its folly and sin.
The Rev. Mr.. Burnap has some
capital hints on this head in one Of his
admirable essays or lectures on Ameri-
can society. We cannot better close
this hasty article than by giving pithy
and pertinent extract =" 1t ISL he
says, I" all we'll that there should be
the strongest desire of rising in the
world. But what is rising? Here Is
ell the difficulty. Is it for the pros
porous man to move into a bigger
house, ard patronize the iailors, the
milliners and upholsterers, and give
splendid entertainments This may
be perfectly allowable and proper as
the reward and natural consequence Of
industry and frugality, but it is not
rising in the world. 1t amounts to
nothing but simply patronizing tailors,
miliners, upholsterers and cooks. The
only way to rise in the world, even for
the prosperous man, is to cultivate his
mind and manners, and educate. his
family. 1t is not to set up his carriage,
though this may be perfectly allowable
if he can afford it. 1t is not to resort
to this or that watering place, though
there is no objection to his doing that
if he pleases. 1t is to rise himself and
family in the scale of moral and intel
lectual beings. 1t is not to bring up
his sons in idleness under the prepos-
ferrous notion of making them gentle
men, and in so doing make them tops
and dandics instead of men, and thus
prepare them for squanderiug his
estate much faster than he amassed it.
1t is not to educate his daughters with
merely snowy accomplishments, and
with the expectation that this world is
to be show and life holiday. The
best symptom of rising in the world
that he can give is to despise the follies
of American society, to set at naught
the despotism of foreign fashions, to
perceive and resist the absurdity of a
business community following in the
footsteps of the idle and worthless
aristocracy of Europe. 1t would show
hopeful signs of rising above the vul-
gar, both great and small, if he should
refuse to countenance the nonsense of
turning night into day and day into
night; and as the end of society is enjoy
ment, he should perceive the ridiculous
ness of going to a party of pleasure at
his usual hour of retiring to rest. 1t
would show that he was rising if he
should bring UP his sons to some use
ful, honorable and profitable employ
mert and save them from the degrade
ton of living TO show off their persons
and fine clothes in the street,. If he
should infuse into the minds of his
daughters a strong tincture of common
sense, and teach them to look on life
as scene of elevated duty and respon-
sibility, instead of an opportunity for
the indulgenceof ambition, vanity and
selfshness. "-[Phila. Inquirer.
Indian Chief Robbed.-A young
Seneca Chief. at present sojourning at