Sentinel of the valley. [volume] (Woodstock, Va) 1841-1848, 1848-04-06
- There y Oist matter Of greater import .
ascc e The Human FaMsiiy than all ofh :
crs, II Is the EDUcATIOs ar the Younc.
SELF EDuCArI
BY WM. WRIT.


moral and Intellectual, Of erery MIDI
riditai, must be chiefly, his ocn mork.
There is a prevailing and fatal mistake
on this subject. Il seems TO be sup
posed that it yenng man be- sen, 10
grammar school, and then 10 college,
he must Of course become a shoIa,.
an ! the pnpilhimself, is ap'to mag
lne.that lie is to be the mere passive
recipient Of instruction, as he is II the
high, and the air which surround him
But this dream of indoItrce must be-
dissip lied, and you must be awakened
to the importan, truth, that if yon as
plre 10 excellence, YOU must become
active co operators with your teachers,
and work out your own distinction
with an ardor that cannot be quenchrd,
and perseverance tina, considers moth
ing done while anything remains TO be
done. Rely upon it, that the ancien,S
were lighl-Qaisque suae fortunoe f.
bsr--5o'h in morals and intellect, zee
give their final shape to our own char
ac'ers, and thus become, empha,ically
the architects of own fortunes. How
else should ii happen, gentlemen, tina,
young men, who have had previously
I e sa nc opportunities, should be con
,inua!ly pre- ,eniin5 us with such differ
ent results, and rushing 30 such oppo
site des:inie>' Difference Of talent " i'll
moi so,ve it. because the difference is
very often IN favor of the disappointed
candidate. You shall see issuing from
the walls of the same school nay
sometimes from the bosom of the same
family 1.-TWO young men, Of whom the
one shall be admitted TO be genius Of
high order, the other, scarcely above
The point of mediocri,y; yet you shall
see the genius sinking and perishing
in poverty, obscnrity; while, on the
other hand, you shall observe tie me
diotre Flooding his slow but sure way
up the hill! of life, gaining s'eadfas,
footing al every step, and mounting al
length to eminence and distinction,
an ornament to his family, a blessing
to his country. Now, whose work is
ihis' Manifes:ly their own. 7Aeg
are the architects of their respective
fortunes. The best seminary of learn
i"g that can open IFS portals. can dc
more than to afford the opportunity Of
instruction; bu, it must depend al least
on yourselves, whether you will be in
strnc,ed or not, or 10 what point you
vii! push your instruction. And Of
this be assured i speak from obser.
walton, certain truth: There IS no &C.
cellemce ,cithout great labor. !, is the
fiat of Fate from which no power d
Of genius can absolye you. Genius
unexer:ed, is like the poor moth that
f1utters around candle till ii scorches
itself to death. If genius be desirable
at all it is only Ct that great and mag
unanimous kind, which, hike the Condel
Of South America, pitches from the
summit Of Chimborazo above the
clouds, and sus,ains itself at pleasure
in that cmpyreal region, with an ener.
gy rather invigorated than weakened
by the effort 1t is this capacity fol
high and long continued exertion-
this vigorous power Of profound and
searching investigation-this careerine
and wide. sweeping comprt hension o
mind-and those long reaches o.
thought that
Think bright honor from the pale-faced moon,
CDR dive into the bottom Of the deep,
Where fathom line could never reach tie ground
And drag up drownded by the locks.
This is the proves, and these are tht
hardy achievements which are TO emo
our names among the great men Of the
earth.
Blu. how are you TO gain the nerve
and courage for enterprise Of this pi,t
and moment? will tell you. A:
Milton gained that hoe signo rinces,
for this must be yoar work, not tina. Of
your teachers. Be you not wanting to
yourselves, and you will accomplish
ali that your parents, fiiends, and coun-
try have right 10 expect.
-e9e-
A lawyer on eireait in Ireland, who
was pleading the cause Of an in an,
plaintiff, took the child up in his arms,
and presented ii to the jury, suffnsed
with tears. This bad. great cHrtt.--
In the cross examination, however,
the opposing counsel asked: the child,
'Whai made him cry?" The little IN
nocent's reply lost the cause, "Please
sir, he pinched me. Family, Joe
Miller.
1IIl. =, 4k4 I.44%. .. . 4.