Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1851-06-28
Communication.
THE IMPORTANCE OF MENTAL CULTURE.

THE IMPORTANCE OF MENTAL CULTURE.
From considering the age in which we
live, its exercises and its indispensable
claims; il is the duty and should be the set
tied determination of every one, TO endeavor
to cultivate his intellect.
To establish this point, we have only 10
look a, what has already been accomplished
by this; (men,al culture,) as an agent and
consider its effects upon man directly and
through him indirectly upon the appearance
OF the world.
The importance of mental culture and dis
cipline will appear from contrasting the pre-
sent state of affairs with that Of a by gone
age; when the mass of the people were TO
a very grea, extent living in the darkness OF
superstition, ignorance and idoatry. The
arts and sciences were then in their infancy.
But happily that time is past, and now by
the means of mental culture, the light of sci
ence and cultivation beams upon US, she'd
ding its genial warmth upon all.
Hence there has been striking change
within the last half century, among the diff
ferent nations Of the world the public have
been aroused from its stupor, impressed with
the truth of the aphorsm that "knowledge is
power" and that discipline is 10 the mind
what the chiSeI of the culptor is TO the
block of marble. Under the influence OF
this conviction the increase of knowledge
has been inconceiveab!y rapid, and has ele-
waited the present generation to a degree of
honor and fame, which our ancestors in their
most sanguine solicitude for our national ag.
grandizement never anticipated.
The stream of knowledge though not deep
er is wider than formerly, sweeping over a
broader eXpanse, enrching the luxuriant soil
of popular opinion, bringing out the latent
talent of the STARS, or better the SUNS of an
,iQuity such as "FIankin and oihers,n
which yet give light and life to all nations of
the world, and which otherwise would have
remained in obscurity for a season, and then
have sunkeu into oblivion forever.
Let us now take glance al its effects in
our own land. A few years in the past, and
what was it waste bowling Wilderness
But soon the traokless Ocean was ploughed
by the keel OF one vessel freighted with the
blessings Of oivilizaton and way opened
through which current of influences glided
rapidly along, filing this land with light and
Joy. Canals, crossing large states have been
constructed, railroads, traversing the country
in various directions have levelled or pieroed
mountains, exalted valleys, arched wide
rivers, and almost ANNInILATED SPACE. The
mighty rivers of the "NEw WoRLpo which
were formerly navigaled by the rude barks
of the savages ouly, now swell their waters
by the weight Of ten thousand steamboats,
would not the idea of these Improvements
alone if advanced one century ago. 10 say
nothing of the facilities we now possess of
converting the lightning of heaven to our use,
have been treated alike visionary, as was the
idea of CoIUMBUs of discovering the Western
Hemisphere? and how has all this been
done Surely through some agency i, did
not spring from the black art Of the astrologeT
nor is it the effect of combination of series
of magic. II is vain TO ascribe il to any other
cause than thai which we are considering
Chance fails, physical strength backed in,
stinciively from the task. The improvement
of the mind then has been the mighty engine
of power to give our nations its character, and
! the effective machinery TO keep the wheels
of civilization in motion, and as this is the
only means of our future happiness and ad-
vancement, let us apply ourselves diligen Iy
and perseyerjngly to mental culture "
PURSE GLOVES, which have a pocket in.
side to contain money, railroad tickets, s..
have been patented in England,