Republican vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1857, 1849-06-25

NO. ,|Oo
friends, and they are constantly admonishing
him to use relaxation and exercise, lest he fall,
| like Henry Kirk White, ofwhomy you have heard
so much, a victim to his ncessant lucubrations
| Now from all this peril the ider is completely
| free nor does he feel the least inward tempta-
ton to encounter it. The love Of knowledge is
a thing as unknown and unineligitle to him as
the Egyptian hieroglyphics. He can spend seven
| vars in the very temple of learning surrounded
| by the whole apparatus, of philosophy and the
volumes OF wisdom, without the slightest injury
| to his corporal system, and will bring out Of
such scene as rosy a complexion, and as burly
physiognomy as if he had not once in his life
heard of book or belheld the inside of college
| Again; the grave people are continually ex-
hortlng US to respect ourselves. presume they
do not intend we should think of ourselves more
highly than is just, for this would be priae down
right and wicked pride. Their meaning proba-
bly, is that we should strive to be easy and
quiet and contellted as possible. Now nobody
has found out the way to acquire and preserve a
reputable standing in the world without much
toll, vigilance and selfdenial and these it will
not be denied me painful things; utterly de-
structive Of ease and quiet My client there
fore iudiciousy evades The whole trouble from
the beginning. He disregards a reputation so
difficult to be won, and which would bind him
50 closely to painful diligence and a strait-la-
ced department Refusing to Chamber to a dan
gerous elevation, he has no lofty standing to
maintain, ard having his time unshackled by
mental exercises he can dedicate it without
strlction to sleep, or to any pleasing fancy in
which be may choose to indulge.
Another terrible evil stunned by the idler is,
the wound which would be inflicted upon his
modesty by literary degrees and titles. You
have seen the laborIous sons OF the college drawn
up before the venerable President and Board of
Trustees in full view OF most imposing assem-
r bly, to receive the testimonials of their merit.
When you contemplated their bushes and wit
| messed their intense emotions at such moment,
did you not pity their distress? Did YOU not re-
greet that sufterlngs so acute and overw helming
were brought upon the poor lads by their long
course OF studious eXertions! Now where was
my client all this while! Why buried peacea-
bly, in the crowd, without notice Or annoyance.
No dismal summons, no terrifying necessity,
dragged him forth to the light, to have his sensi
! bilities agonzed by the applauses of the learned
S and the wealthy and the fair He went off quiz
e city, unnamed and unregarded, oppressed by no
e grievance and needing 10 sympathy. ~
At the period too, OF his departure from the
e college, he escapes weiehty mass of sorrow
S which others have to endure He has no tender
e adieus to exchange, no heart-melting separations
5 to undergo. Does not every one know that you
: remove perfectly at your ease from place where
you nave ITO anu tldl
o the parting of those who are mutually and warm
attached is among the sorest affections we ever
experience? To the idler no teacher comes,
with affection like that of father towards
beloved child to bestow the last counsel and bid
: the last farewell. No classmate approaches to
grasp his hand and she'd mournful tear over the
dissolution of ties the most intimate and endear-
ing that can bind us together. The general
whisper around him is, let him go happy rid
dance; We shall do better without him he has
. been a torment and nuisance to lis and caE
!, u well be spared. With such cheering vaedic-
tons he bends his steps towards home Here, it
is soon ascertained that he has been squander-
, ing vast amount of time and money in his abb
sence: that he returns about well informed as
he went and that his habit Of Incidence is con-
firmed beyond remedy. This may give rise I
admit, to some unpleasant alterations with his
u parents or guardians, but this is short and pri
vate affair and not very pulling one to settle.
;; He has only to tell them boldly the truth, that
his ayers ion to business Is not more bis own fault
! than theirs, and that they could reasonably ex-
pect no different issue of their negligence in let
ting him play the truant AS they did in his earli-
T. est years. Meanwhile he has secured another
grand escape, as we shall clearly demonstrate.
/ 1t is notorious that when we have drudged long
and severely at cur books, our old nelghbors even
II anticipate Our arrival among them with their
e merciIess and exorbitant demands upon u.s. We
II are now imperiousy required to go on i'll the
same latiguing and endless career. which we
have begun to build up brilliant structure up
y on the foundation which has been laid; in a
o word, to make ourselves shining and useful men
It in the commonwealth. This talsis given us in
Is virtue of what is called our response bIty to the
= public, and it is enforced by the menace of wide
n spreading and ignominy, il we fail to do as
we are bid. Many there are who submit to it
a without resistance or murmur Instead OF devot-
It ing themselves to and pleasure to the end of
the chapter, they now plunge into the assiduous
preparation requisite tor professional eminence
!. and success and tanely declare of exter-
II mination against all the luxury OF ideness. How
: adrotly has my client slipped his neck out of
h this intoerable yoke of bondage4 AS none but
weak and dubious expectations were ever fownsG
respecting him, these are soon consigned TO e.
" ternal oblivion. He has simply to hea- the buzz
repeated for few days, that he is O. worthless
creature, who will never be of anyservice to HIM
self or his country. Some persons, however.
: moved by envy at the displayaf'all these sublime
privileges, may be ready tofsay if your client is
dead 10 every call of duty and destitute of every
generous principle Of action, still how is he to e.
lude the fangs of poverty! If behave fortune
it will be likely to leave him with speed, sslike
chaff before the wind )" if he have not, he will
e be constrained to grappe at once with want a
|, hideous and formidable adversary Now this
: looks plausible enough and may be deemed all
u unanswerable objection to my plea; but be n6t
! too hasty in your decision. Let the objector
y collect how many resources are open to the man
a of mete, who would rather subsist upon his
: wits than his industry! For instance, there is
: the gaming table there are the dens of secrecy
: and the implements for counterfeiting The rag
e currency of the nation; there is the highway,
!, where the traveller and the mail may be disbur.
S dened of their Treasures and fhereis tie ocean,
that magnificent theatre OF piratcal aepreiations-
Idleness is undoubtedlya prime inotigator to
] these and sinqilarplans OF living and we know
how fashionable they have become in this moral
and enlightened age ofours; yet as they are atten-
: ded with some eventual Inconvenience, such as
tines :nenr entia ries and oihhets | admit. that