The northern tribune. [volume] (Bath, Me.) 1847-1855, 1847-12-02
Improve your Evenings !

Improve your Evenings!
Young men, especially young mechanics and
working men, do not loaf away the long win
ter evenings that are coming, in the bar rooms
o, in the stores. If your business does not
demand your attention, either attend some in
structing lecture or the meetings of some So
ciety for intellectual improvement, or else re-
tire to your own homes and spend the time in
useful reading and study
But, perhaps some young mechanic may
ask, what is the use of my denying myself
amusements, and deyoting my leisure hours to
study, when l cannot expect, after all, ever to
become distinguished for my knowledge, let
me do the best l can? Why may l not just as
we'll idle away my hours of relaxation from
toll, as to follow the course you have recon-
mended? To such an one, we would say, we
do not ask you to deprive yourself of anatse-
ment, nor even entirely Of that kind which is
generally understood by the term; but we
would have you find amusement, as a general
thing, in those things that instruct while they
Danish care. You mistake, if you suppose
that an hour spent in acquiring useful knowl-
e lge, is an hour destitute of amusement You
will not make this objection to a course of
study, when you have once heartily entered
on such course. But you say you cannot
expect to gain distinction. Well, let US ask
you if distinction is the main object to be
thought of in the pursuit of knowledge? Is
not knowledge worthy of being sought for its
own sake, without reference to the distinction
it may confera Would you not rather choose
to be intelligent, even if you never was to be
heard of out of your own village, though by
becoming so you actually had to rob yourself
of amusements and submit to deprivations p
You will answer in the affirmative to this
question, we are sure, when you give it mo-
ment' 5 consideration. There is something so
degrading in the consciousness of ignorance,
that no young man of spirit will wish to feel
it. But how do you know that you may not,
by the right improvement of your leisure
hours, become distinguished, if that be so ne"
cessary to your happiness, if that forms the
only motive for studys What is there in -FOUR
situation that forms an impossible barrier be-
tween you and the temple Of fames Isityour
occupation. Has not Burns, though but a
ploughman, rivaled in song the proudest as
pirants for poetical fames Did rot Clifford,
though once poor shoemaker, become one of
the most distinguished critics and writers of
his day? Did not Franklin, who was only a
printer, immortalize himself as philosopher:
Have not the most distinguished Orators of
our own day, especially of our own land, been
those who were surrounded with difficulties
in early life Then why need you despair
but. saw YOU, these men had genius to assist
them. Perhaps SO, but we apprehend that
determined pursuance in what they under
took. together with the inspiration which the
y cry difficulties of their situation created, had
"a mich TO do with their success as any pecu-
liar natural endowments. They were exem-
,,;t;cations of the truth advanced by Young
Each man makes his statue, builds himself u
But, allowing'itt to be true that genius nat
aral, unacquired genius, was the great source