Columbus Democrat. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 18??-18??, 1852-11-13
The Pursuit of Knowledge.

There are certain suhjects,--and he who reflect.
on the matter viii concede that their number 4
/ by no means small, which have been written and
rewritten upon, until, 10 use common express.
ION, they are hirly "8ritten OUT To nroduca
any valuable idea rpon them which has not long
been stereotyped, Is utterly impossible.
but there are other topics to which this n,e
VIII notapply, though there may have been an
equal. or even larger amount Of brain work ey
pended upon them. Such an one IA the pursuit
OF knowledge. Though much has been written
upon IT. the subject is SO vast in extent. and 90
inneasurabe IN the ground 1t covers. that tho
nnd IN contemplation of ii Is no more confined
by bounds and limits, than when il is soaring far
away IN the unexplored fields of imagination.
lhe pursuit of knowledgei Is one Of the most
digntying and ennobling objects that can actu.
ate TIE mind Of man. 1t offers inducements alika
10 wealthy and poor; to exalted and humble. 10
Old and young. The fresh and vigorous mind ~
youth, strong and active though Il NAV be- "a
rendered ardent and enthusiastic by want ~
young and bounding blood. 10 such The pursuit
Of knowledge is what the mental organization
requires II IS just that indispensable which Il
properly TO discipline the mind and the heart. and
TO NJ them for high and noble contest in life.
The aged have spent life in this pursuit: for
the mental and moral organization of man is such
that he must be constantly gaining knowledge
whether he will or no; aud when the time Of
"the sere and yellow leaf" comes on there Is leis.
ure afforded to calmly arrange and digest the ideas
that were hastily received when the arm was
strong, and the hand was active in the pursuits
of the prime of life
The poor man has in this possession TIM,
places him above the wealthy and the proud inst
so far as mind is superior to matter. lie can 20.
cure that wealth Of mind and of heart between
which and the wealth for which the masses Of
men strive there can be no comparison.
The enjoyments that gold can procure ara
pleasant for a time; the pomp of circumst,pces
and of outward show may, at least while tb,,
charm of novelty is upon them, afford satisfaction
though they never can bring genuine happiness.
but mat enjoyment sprlnging from the pursuit Of
knowledge ensures the expansion of the faculties.
ana power OF the soul, and continually grows pur.
er, and purer, and higher aud higher
In the words of one whose name il synonv.
nous with noble thoughts and correct ideas
Pleasure Is u shadow wealth is vanity and pow
erpageani but knowledge is ecstatc in enjoyment
--perennialin fame-unlimited in space, and inf.
mite IN duration. In the performance Of It's sacred
offices, II fears no danger--spares no expences---
looks into the yocanoes--dives into the ocoan--
perforates the earth--wings its flight into the
skes--enriches the globe--explores sea and land
--contemplates the distant--examines the min
the great-ascends to the sub.
lime; no place too remote for its grasp--no heay.
ems too exalted for its reach.
When the spirit is freed from its tenement Of
clay, and no longer clogged by its earthly prison
house, we have full reason to believe that the soul
will still love all that elevated and ennobed il on
earth and ever expanding, ever progressing.
through the ages of thatspace which we compre.
hend not, but call eternity, will still, while rising
higher and higher, ever continue in thepursuit Of
knowledge.