The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1851-02-14

full misd and body. and slevating the intellect
OF the learner then the reasoning powers would
be developed, and hcta and beautiful and true
anaogies would Oil The mind, instead Of musty
rules and words oflen az unintelligible TO the
teacher as to the learner
Successfully to impart knowledge, the elo-
quenfe OF the voice, the eye, the countenaace Of
an intellectual teacher, who loves his subject
and his pupil--and above all. who remembers
the workings Of his youthful mind, and has not
forgotten that dark period Of his own life when
he was condemned to the miserable punishment
Of standing before an ignorant automaton, with
lash or ferule in his hand (his young heart
burning for sympathy and knowledge, aud filled
with rage against his persecutor) I'll ut is neces-
sary, that is electrical in It's effect But alas
that would require educated and accomplished
instructors who fully appreciate their glourious
calling, and above all. parents to appreciate and
honor them. That method with hourly relaxa-
ton, during which the mind could be deIigl ted
and elevated by experiments in natural phi, sio
logy, music and drawing, that would cultivate
memory, reason, Judgment and taste, that would
refine the intellect and improve the heart.
When the young girl enters society, too FREE
quently at her sixteenth year even If she have,
10 appearance, escaped the bodily evils we have
enumerated, she is often hurled into scene of
dissipation that speedily makes them evident, or
she seals her fate by premature marriage and
the cares Of family, before either her mind or
body are fitted for her own preservation, much
less the guidance Of children She follows the
attendance of some ill-educated or designing
but diplomed quack, and she is taught to believe
that his senseess prescriptions will cure her.
without amending her habits Of life; thus she
settles down for life into nervous invalid
All this we often hear imputed to our climate,
Look at our revolutionary grandmothers, nay,
our mothers for many of them are yet here :
| We honestly believe, on the honor of our man.
hood and what little knowledge we have, that
there is comparatively nothing in our climate to
bring about the condition Of our young women
nor even any defect in the original constitution
OF one-half the victims Of early disease, that
might not be overcome, were it not for the errors
OF their early education, their early introduction
into society, and the fulsome adulations of our
own SEX Society in our country is composed
Of boys and girls; not men and women. The
senseless and degrading flattery with which their
ears are constantly filled, pre-occupies the mind
OF the poor girl in the whir Of fashion and dis
sipation, and robs her of the benefit of that keer
instinct and delicate perception abe derives from
her finer and more delicate organization but Of
this We deprive her by the errors of her earl,
training. The fault is ours, not hers-but full
sadly does she suffer for it.
4 But we might rrotract this subject indefinite
ly-aye even to the filling Of voiume--and al
we could say would 60 to prove, that, as ma
ton, we live too fast we educate our children
too specifically, and their nervous system a
the expense OF their intellect Our great master
John Hunter, has told us, that "increasad actor
is followed by diminished power" and this is a.
applicable to the arteries Of human being, n.
to the hose of an engine There is a regular
series of changes from the earliest infancy. tt
that period when we pay back the debt 0
nature, that show by the UNMARRIED sequence i,
such as die in advanced age, that the intention
of nature was that we should not be resolve,
into our original elements, until the gradual dc
cay of our faculties rendered US of little else t,
those who surroud US.
Not only other animals, but the vegetable
kingdom, afford ample analogical pro of, that
healthy maturity and natural decay await thos
only who have not been forced to a prcmatur
development. The majestic oak that strikes it
roots deep into the earth, or losses its gan
arms from the stormy promontory." and derive
Increasing strength from the storms of heave
the lordly and ponderous elephant that tramp
over the plains of lndia--the eagle that " sail
athwart the skies and DER the rolling deep
and that mighty monster that sports amid tn,
pillows, and whose vast bulk is nourshed will
hecatombs of. living creatures, all derive length
OF days, majesty and power, from following ths
simple and natural dictates of our ~ r. watc,fu
but memorable mother. Man alone, with hi.
lofty powers Of reason, from the influence o.
unrestrained passion and disobedience to he,
laws, is subject, by infinite Odds to far greater
number of casualties, that break the brittle
thread of his existence and cause him to wate
the earth with his tears, than any of the superior
tribes of animals.
We look with con parative calmncss upor
4 the face OF the aged and virtuous parent, as il
lies shronded in the dignity ofdeath; our hearts
may bleed, but we feel no shock reflection
tells US. all the resources of Joy and .mirth are
exhausted ; the hIe-spark has passed into the
survivors; in the beautiful language of scripture
"being dead, it yet speaketh" The body is
about TO "mingle with the atmosphere and ear tn
whence it originated" and the spirit to return
to its God But oh when death comes to
them arrayed in the hideousness of disease, rack
ing the bones, wasting the flesh, sending fever
through the blood, and playing its dreadful ex-
perments upon the fragile form of loneliness,
which the kindness Of parent, brother friend,
"has scarce suffered the winds Of heaven TO
visit too roughly" tearing them from enrth, its
prospects Of bliss, and the convulsise grasp of
affection, then indeed we have cause to shudder
at the consequences of our departure from the
benefcent laws of our Creator.
The Silver orays and the Sewardites.
Oh flesh how art thou Fish-i6ed
II will ho ramoo, harod hy ,,nn, ,c A. -.l