The freeman. (Fremont [Ohio]) 1849-1850, 1850-01-19

extravaganza. The real author ventured some
amendments. The critic lost all patience and pet
ulently exclaimed -"Hold your tongue, you are no
judge, you know nothing about it" A good COM
mentary, this, upon the power of partiality Our
fair associates will doubtless all be Franktins in
our eyes
But having thus glanced at the evidence of sue
cess, we pass to the reroards of intellectual cul-
ture
These are really so many, and have been so Of
ten adorned in all the rich tapestry which Ian
guage could furnish and genius array that it leaves
US at loss what items to select for unvarnished
citaL Perhaps we may not do better than advert
to it as source Of
True independence and strength of character" !"
If speak of intellectual independence beg 1
may not be understood to refer to that hardhood
which fancies itself ennobled because it dares to
act by the rule of contrariety He is no less a
slave, whose rule is that of opposition, than he who
takes his creed from party dogmas, or follows in
the wake of some selected master. Though blind
as Bartimeus twere easy to walk in the course
the multitude were vending. But wisdom puts in
the hand a staff on which we may firmly lean,
though pits should sink, or mounds should rise, or
contra pilgrims meet
1t is the province of stupidity to reject counsel,
but of prudence to profit by it. Yet when say
profit by advice, do not mean that our own judg-
ment is to be violated, and our own views cast
away We owe Difference to those who know
more of the subject matter than ourselves Yet
the intellectual independence which wish to rec
ommend is mighty in its own strength, having bro't
the knowledge of others into alliance, and from
the accumulated mass, culled the gold and cast
away the alloy. The man may walk safely, but the
child will be in danger of many fall. Ignorance
goes to others for opinion, but wisdom only for
counsel Cultivation should be received by the
mind as food by the stomach-to incorporate, iden-
tify and strengthen.
There are then two prominent advantages gain
ed by intellectual cultivation; the one, that it in
spires courage to adVance, though leader should
be wanting
When have seen mass together, accustomed
to intellectual dependence waiting for their master
l have been often reminded of certain fowls, (not
especially proverbial for sagacity) which fly in tri-
angle and of which the sportsman has learned that
if be capture the leader, he has the aock
I remember to have been greatly amused once
at country wedding, at the exhibition of mental
dependence The assemblage was large but rus
tic. Supper being announced, all repaired to the
festive board; and it was truly ample enough to
rouse some quams of conscience In one at all scrt1-
pulous in regard to the amount he ate. There
were turkies roast, and turkies boiled-indeed it
seemed to me tiirkies every way-save alive; at
all events enough to serve regiment A country
Squire who had sometimes been from home and
was therefore more confident and polished than The
rest took position opposite to of these ponder
Gus birds and, furnished with ponderous CAREER,
it gave him altogether caparisoned in Sunday suit
and knife uplfted the aspect of dismounted drag
oon biandishing his cutass over fallen foe, The
Squire sung out Justify to neighboring pumpkin,
/" Will you have piece of the roast turkey 90 The
Al
have been, had it been dog or poe-cat All follow
ed suit for none had mental courage to vary. The
Squire unfortunately had never learned that turkies
cooked had joints; and, therefore "wrought away
upon the outer carcass, till completely fayed, and
one were tempted to fancy himself in medical
museum of skeletons.
But yet they called, and yet the Squire served
gallantly and turned the carcass over, back again
end for end, heads up heels up, and every way till
at length, driven to respiration, he strung every
muscle, and herved his courage in convusive effort
and cut through bones at random. All this while
there were turkies untouched, which seemed to beg
for patronage. But none had courage to vary from
the rest
can scarcely conceive a more awkward di-
lemma, than for one uninformed and unaccustom-
ed to independent action, to be surprised into
position which throws him upon his own resources
and compels him to move without leader Or i
there be any thing more awkward it is for such ar
one TO be forced to decide where adverse and near
ly balanced views set up. In this predcament
the dolt is really in the unenvable attitude of hi,
namesake, famishing between equal masses Of
| food.
In the general intellectual attainment viii be
identified with promptitude to decide and act
Yet it must be owned that there have been mel
ancholy exceptions Ofthese, perhaps none more
signal than the renowned Erasmus With parts
the most brilliant and attanments the most rich,
trely neutralized by his indicsion and timidity.-
Not entirely unlike this was that of the polish
ed Melancthon; and it may be fairly doubted
whether the cause of Truth and Reform had been
carried forward in Germany, but for the iron firm
ness and indomitable energy of Luther.
Europeans tauntingIy affirm of the American
people, that they greater slaves to party lead
ers, than the subjects of despot to the I0acs
imposed. It must be confessed, that there is more
truth than cause for graduation in this. Thou
sands there are among US, who would be alarmed,
should they chance to broach an opinion, though
never so important or true, if found to be not in
perfect keeping with the views of their leaders In
religion, many clustering Peter may be found,
where there is no maid to accuse, nor mob to In
timidate. How noble the exception furnished in
the pupil of GamalieL The same intellectual de-
cision which marked his course when importuned
not to venture himself at Jerusalem, emboldened
him before Agrippa, and sustained him in chains
at the Italian metropolis