Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1851-01-24
TIE LATE FRANCIS W. GILMER---
LETTERS or ADVICE TO A YOUNG

his viii rre,t n IRE We announce to our nu-
meruus readers hat Ne have Obtained copies Of
several le,ers addressed by this distinguished man
TO friehd On The subject Of his eariy edue1iipn-
We hare never seen, u he writings Of an one,
more beauty az STYLE. sirsngh Of thonght q sound
admpnilion. than i 70 ii f0und in these letters
Although bur youth when he died. he had been
Reporter in the higher Courts q Virginia, author
81 Sketches Of virginiS Statesmen and, q ne
time Of his death, was Professor Of Law Al ne UNI
versity He was the hro.her-in-law Of The eeienra-
ted William Wirt. with Nhom he carried on ne
extensive CORES ,ondence Published IN kennedys
Life Of that distinguished orator and statesman;
WIxcHEsrER. 4th May, 1916
DKaR. Your letter Of April Itth reached
me AZ time that was ITO much pressed oy Dusl-
ness 10 do the Justice ioit which Il deserves ! am
glad TO hear You express determination % lI-
prove your mind Without education man = l1tls
better il indeed he BE not worse than the beasts q
the field And you may Scquire more real knowl-
edge, and form more YauSble habits IN one year
al your present stage 1T lse than yo1 can IN three
times thai space 10 years, heuce VIII Always
give pleasure 10 aHDrd Fou any ald 10 inc pIos-
ecution Of your studies which my ioager experience
may enable me But rou tnnsi believe and femem-
Der from the commencement, 10 the end OF your
life that whatever is 10 be yone must De achieved
BY your own Iaborious and indefatigabie exeItlons
Fatr qtisqae fortune sag Is eoasttul saying,
because with ali our exertiofs We are often hwarted,
but with The best fnrtune irg the world unless We
employ il WELL We are only made 50 much thetnore
ridiculous by its favours. DO all you can for your
self and leave the rest to God.
The first care OF edueatit.n should be TO preserve
health for without IT, all tee learning and glory in
the world are but meckeries For this purpose, II
you are as studons as I ami glad TO hear you say
You are you should live chiefly, tho not entirelg
upon vegetable diet and usS frequent but n oderae
exercise, in riding, walking jumping and all the
sports Of the school, except re s.:ng which is apt
10 break ones bones, an1 ctstain moreover to end
in quaFrels. Me-. 10 healSh you should be most
particular in forming your manners so as 10 be a.
gTeeable 10 every person with whom you associate
Respectful to the old, tender TO the young, and
neither familiar nor anstert, but polite and good
Hnaured to all your equals. Be not too impatient
TO form opinions of any thing, and be always diff
dent and mild in your mode Of expressing them
Yon cannot be too careful Of not taking -up any
prejudice 10 the character of another, and even II
you eel, endeavor to conquer III and never unless
You are compelled from respect TO your own char
acler let him perceive it, Believe nothing merely
because you have heard another express the same
opinion, but consider The reasons upon which the
opinion is founded Be always willing TO assisl
hoys younger than yourself their difficulties, for
nothing Is better token Of ahe goodness OF ones
keart than readiness to obli9e.
|. In your conversation avoid rapid inarticulate
or slow and lazy uterance, speak distinctly, bu
NOT loud, and make yourself.heard and understood
rather by the precision of yopr. emphasis, and the
perfection of your accentua5on than bY bawling.-
Listen always to every thing which is spoken be
fore you begin 10 reply Ard never reply by mere
~ dissenting but give the reason Of the difference O
your opinion As 10 your dhty TO God lshalf leave
that to your parents. But Sever dispute with an
other about politics or religion. Give the grounds
for your own opinions, if you choose argue
against his, but never quarrsl because you canno
think alike.
AS to reading, you should commit to memory thu
most beautiful passages Of Ovid, such as the de
scripton of The Palace of hS Sun in the beginning
Of the ID Book and The certsmen between Ajax ant
| Ulysses in the 18th You should also make writer
transatons not only Of the wores but Of the spirit
and tansfuse, if You can, alEthe elegance and yigo
of the original into your own language. 4 shall ex
pect to see some of these rarsslations when visi
/ -- in the summer You should also write
/ compositions of your own upon subjects WHICH re
quire thinking and reasoning, and not merely pu
SO many words together ALMOST without any mean
| ing. Yoh should practice III Arithmetic moi only
with pencil and slate but py your head without
any pencil so as to multiply: divide, &C. with "a
| pidity and accuracy. You should begin the ele'
menis Of Geometry, and draw the figures well IRON
the beginning You must learn 10 write straight
too You may read with advantage, (but il mus
/ be done slowly and deliberately and not BY hurry
ing on to shew how quick yoii are Rollins ancien
History. Avoid the silly practice which boys have
OF running over what they read Wtnoul HeulehnoeI'
| ing III Ii is waste of time health and eve sghf -
| Rememper EnaI whatever YUu read should be SC
/ perfectly impressed upon thesmemory that you will
rarely have occasion TO look ut il again. But viii
give You fuller and more particular directions whe1
| find you have profted by these. Give my love tc
/ your Papa and Mama and all our relationships
4 write to me from time 10 time 10 any particular
/ difficulties you find. Be especially kind and atten
| tive to your cousin ---, as he is your relation
| and absent from his father and mother You should
be as afectionate 10 each other brothers if yor
disagree il is your fault because you are the older
Yours atfectionately,