Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1852-11-24


views of life and society, erect for them
and in the pursuit they avoid the real
How few of our daughters are educated
with view to all the responsibilities of
their sex, and all cares and anxieties of
the future. Too many are taught to in
dulge in fancies which fade away with the
passing years. And thus they discover,
when too late, and by the sad agency of
experience, that the visions of youth are
often gay, heeting and unsubstantial. Not
many years since, an active tradesman of
this city became favorably impressed with
the personal and mental attractions of a
young lady, sought and obtained an intro
ductlon, and called more than once at the
residence of her parents. .-..-.-
He was well to do in the world, was in
good and thriving business, and desired to
form matrimonial connection. He was,
however, cautious and prudent, and there
fore unwilling to enter upon any course of
life, calculated to involve difficulty. And
this, he discovered, would be inevitable,
should he pursue the object of his esteem
and regard. She had been taught to look
for splendid establishment as one of the
first fruits of marriage-an establishment
that would cost an annual expenditure of
several thousand dollars, with a prospect
of constant additions. He approached the
subject delicately-but found that nothing
less would suit. Affection, comfort and
independence, as weighed in the scale with
empty splendor and false pride, were re-
garded either with real or affected con-
tempt, and the result was that the young
merchant speedily abandoned the field.
and he would not rush headlong to de-
struction. A year or two afterwards, he
met with a young lady whose notions were
more moderate, and is now happy hus-
band and prosperous merchant. The
first fair object of his admiration is still
in the enjoyment of her visions of splen-
dor, which, strange as it may appear,
seem to increase as her chances of their
realization diminish. A few years ago,
we heard young man of very moderate
abilities, and little reputation either for
intelligence or industry, express an ear
nest desire to obtain situation in some
line OF business. We questioned him as
to his qualifications, and found that they
were extremely limited, and then asked
what post he expected to obtain He
said he Vas determined to be merchant,
and would only consent to become con-
nected with a large commission house?'
He had been in one or two establishments,
but they were too exacting, and not suffi
ciently genteel! The truth simply was
he was empty headed, idle and conceited,
with just enough of false pride to render
l.
After changing aboul for one or two years,
finding himself as far from position and
character as when he commenced, he was
very glad to be taken by the hand by
friend who knew his weakness, and who,
as matter of charity, determined to at
tempt his cure. The pride of honesty, of
perseverance, of skill, of integrity and of
genius, is every way commendable. But
the individual who congratulates himself
upon the fact that the outside of his head
is particularly attractive, while the in
side is remarkably barren, labors under a
sad delusion; while the miserable preten-
der assumes to what he is not, and who
sacrifices truth, integrity, and self-respect
in an effort to deceive, is fit object of ri
dicule and of censure. The folly, too, of
false pride is, that in a great majority of
cases it is seen through at glance. 1t
misleads nobody. 1t moreover prevents
all commisseration in the event of misfor-
tune, for the unfeeling yet observing world
is ever ready to exclaim in such instances,
that 'Epride goeth before fall Inde-
pendence, manliness and frmness are no.
BILE and commendable traits of human
character They cannot be too carefully
cultivated. But they differ widely from
that shallow and gaudy system which ap-
peals to the eye rather than to the under
standing-to the hollow world without,
rather than to the convictions of truth
within.