Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1850-03-16
miscellaneous.
Thoughts for a Young Nan.
BY HOY. HORACE MANN.


gels might look down upon with an ecstacy
too deep for nttnrancc, is there one fairer and
more enropturing TO the sight than that of
young man, just fresh from the Creators
hands, and with the unspent energies OF the
coming eternity wrapped up In his bosom,
surveying and recounting, in the solitude of
his closet or in the darkness Of midnight,
the mighty gifts with which he has been
endowed, and the magnificent career Of use
fhlncss aud of blesselncss which has been
opened before him; and resolving, with one
all-concentra,ing and all-hallowing vow, that
he tDiA live the 10 The nobieSt capacities Of his
being, and in obedience 10 The highest lao QfhiS
nutirel Ii aught cnn be nobler or subli-
mer than this, il is the life that fufils the
vow. Such young man rcycrences the
the divine skill and wisdom by which his
physical frame las been so iearfully and
wonderfully made; and he keeps il pure
and clean, as fit temple for the living God.
For every indulgence of appetite that would
enervate the body or dull the keen sense or
cloud tho luminous brain, he has "Get thee
behind me-" so stern and deep that the balk-
cd Satans of temptations stink from before
him, in shame aud despair. II Obliged to
earn his brend by the sweat of his brow, or
by the sweat OF his brain, he is not "sloth-
fhl in business" Fired with energy himself
he energizcs all around him. lie is n Ley
den jar always charged to n plenum; aud
whenever he comes ia contact with dead
things, or liieless men, he emits n spark so
potent that they arc electrified into CELEBRITY.
Holding punctuality among the major vir-
tues, he is ever true 10 the appointed place
and hour; aud as he goes aud comes, men
set their watches by him, as though he were
n clock-iace of the sua, and moved by solar
machinery. In selecting his vocation for
n livelihood, lie abjures every occupation,
and every profession, however lucrative
they may be, or however honorable they
may he falsely deemed, it, with his own
veal, they do not also promote the common
veal and he views the idea with deep
religious adherence, that anything can nd-
vance the well being of himself which in-
wolves the i'll being of others. However
meagre his stock in trade, if he engages in
business, lac will not seek to enlarge it by
entering conscience and honor in his books
under the head of Merchandise !" nor will
he begin the sale of goods to customers, by
selling his soul TO Satan. Ii he ever ven
lures to embark on the pcrilous sea of poll
tics, he steers his course by the eternal
lights in the skies; and not by the Willo'-
the-wisps, or by any meteor glare, which
popular lamentations, or party heats, may
engender. lie labors earnestly for all the
means of health, comfort and improvement,
hut scorns the parade and ostentatious OF
wealth shuns pomp and poverty with equal
solicitude and in u tigurative, il not in
literal sense, he avoids those streets of our
cities where cholera ragcs and fevers con-
sumo, and also those other streets of Fash
ion and Pride, where the prevailing epidem-
ic is an osstication of the heart. Holding an
affectation OF saintliness TO be the worst OF
wickedness, hc does not, like Plate take wa
ter aud wash his hands, when about to con-
summatc deed that blackens and defles
his soul. The Jocks and bolts and bars, by
which men seek TO secure their property
have no relation TO him; for, the nearer lie Is
brought into contact with another's goods or
gold, the more he is filed with an opposite
polarity and farthing mill an infinitesi-
mia, of another mans wealth, would burn
hia palms with so fierce heat, that red hot
balls would be more tolerablc. The honor
of man is holy, the chastity of woman is
thrice holy, in his keeping. When he has
acquired that golden mean of property
which carries IFS possessor ont of the temp
tations of wealth aud which as II patrinlo-
NY for his children, will nourish and not
blast the Vigor that is in then-he leaves
the money-making treadmilI, and betakes
himself 10 some walk of public usefulness
most congenia TO his taste ;-eiiher TO adorn
literature by his genius, or 10 advance sci
cnce by his studies, or TO organize charities
for supplying the privations OF sense, or re-
lieving the loss OF sanity, or to combine and
strengthen the conservative and progressive
forces OF civilization; or 10 combat, hand to
hand, with some of those terrific monsters
that inlest society; ignorance, bgotry, in
temperance, slavery or war-whlch need
some hunter mightler than Ninrod for theil
extirpation. Or, is he still continues to gath
or in the golden harvests of wealth, he open
set OF books with Heaven, becoming th'
Lords steward for mems redemption iron
suffering and crime, and laying up his treas
ures where moth, nor rust, nor thieves cal
approach them. lie is so passionate II love
of the Fine Arts, that he discovers divine
forms OF beauty, aud more celestial harmo
nies of coloring, than mortal sculptor o
painter ever dreamed Of Not a cultures
imagination alone, but reason, conscience
religion, all have taught him that the fines
and most elegant OF all the arts, earthly G
supernal, is TO paint smiles and ruby Joys VI
on the wan cheek of suffering infancy;
quench the demon-hre OF passion that bl'
zes from the eye of precoclous wantol
ness, aud kindle in its stead the serene ligl
hat radiates from iount of inward purity
o hang round and preoccupy the chamber
toftho Juvenile mind with all types and Image
of loveliuess and excellence and to build u
all the glorious faculties of the soul, as
colossal architecture, TO some nearer resen
bance to the Divine Original Reason, col
science, religion, all have taught him, that
who crowds the walls of his own dwellin
or the city's ampler galleries. with the pair
ing and statuary OF all the great master
while orphanage sink 10 ruin around hil
in default OF Christian care, and while
the hideous images of depravity aud shan
are daily and hourly frescoed into the sou
of lost, abandoned childhood, only prov
with what daubs and impostures and carrie
lures the walls of every mansion in his so
are covered. Reason, conscience religion,