Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1853-12-03
Great Men not born in Cities.

Great Men not born in Cities.
Men who have made fortunes in our cities
begin now to appreciate the value Of countr,
life, however ayerse or unsui;ed to it they ma
have been rendered by habit. The common
guide book of Paris, which is put into ever,
travellers hand, has this note under the heaC
OF population: Families constantly residin.
in Paris, soon become extinct. Ihe effects O
this mortality are observed TO be more acly,
upon males than females" What is true o
/ Paris, is true OF every other city in the world
There is not, probably, a man in London, Par
( Is New York or Philadephi who can sa,
that his great grandfather, his grandfather anc
his father, succossivcly, lived and died in th,
city Of his residence. There is no such thing
as survivor of three generations that have
undergone the decomposng power OF Il city
atmosphere, assisted by city pursuits. a c
| ty, then, may be said to die out once in
hundred and Fifty years, so far as regard,
those rooted generations that live and move
and have being only with city's precincts
Whoey r, then would have succession in hi,
fimiIy-that desires to transmit his name and
wealth by perpetrating his race-should at
some period of his life take his leave of walls
and pavcments, and crowded thorougfares
and fix his abode in the midst Of rusting fOali
age, green fields, clear streams and sweet air.
untalnted by stagnation in the walled streets,
and alleys, and sewers.
There is another observation in regard to
cities which induces thoughtful men, who take
pride in their posterity, to remove from them
when they have accomplished the objects for
which they were sought How many millions
Of children educated in cities with the utmost
care, have passed away without reaching dis
tinction among Their countrymen. 1t is re-
markabIe that children born and bred in cti-
es generally exhibit prococious talents, they
have the easiest access TO every species OF
learning; they are stimulated TO eXertion in
the schools by the number of competitors, and
by that parental pride, vigilance, and solitude,
which is spirited up by the stirring society
around they have the advantage ofimbbing
an early knowledge of the world. and have the
infancy, the manners the IDEAS, and the self
possession polished society.
But although the great cities of the Old
World and OF the New world send forth prob
ably one hundred of these fully educated
youths, to test their strength in the high pur-
suits OF life, for one country advenurer, yet it
is found that almost all the distinguished men
who shine in the service of the country, or in
the liberal profession are country born and
bred The hot beds of cities bring forward
their ilants more ra, ily but those springn ;
from the native soil and Drawing the rude sea
sons and rongh culture Of the country, are
found to have the best stamina. Look over
the list Of great men, who figured in our rev
olution, and it will be found that almost to a
man they were couutry born and bred
Search the annals Of the revolution in Eng
land, from the reign OF the first Charles to
third William. Those were the times chat
tried the souls of men in the mother coun ry.
Scarce name appears that does not owe
Its celebrity to faculties grown in the country
The French revolution filled Paris with innu-
merabe great men; the offspring of The prov
nces. live sean our own quiet times. whnce
come the illustyious men that have filed the
chief magstracy and given tame to our Cong
rrss and our State legislatures? | do not
know one that has not made his way from
some rural district to the high places Of the
republi;. And SO, too, it has been with our
great merchants and mechanics who have
t1urished in cities. Trace them and you will
lind that the impulse that gives them his
lead brought them from the fields or some
village 20 try their fortunes in the cily-The
men who thus build themselves up in the
marts # business have generally the sagacity
to see that life in the country is the natural
slate-lhat in the city an artificial existence; /;
and if not too much possessed with the spirit
of getting; which gain is too apt to engcnder,
they retire to scenes from which they emer-
ged. This is particularly marked in public
men, who almost invariably seek to close their
career at some homestead which they would
make their monument From this feeling we
have our Mount Vernon, Monticello, Montpe
lier, the Hermitage, Ashland, Maishirld, and
Fort Hill; and how natural the wish with
every independent nature TO have a home-a
little domain where its offspring may have
space to gov to Gul stature, where the NOR
al character may he formed on its cherished
principles. where the age and intirmity of the
declining head may have the required priva
cy and repose, and where the prospect of the
grave itself is softened by the sense that i'll
would often be viewed by fond and kindred
eyes! The idea of hereditary patriarchial
home brings thousand endearng associations
with it both to parents and children. and the
affections which grow up in it become part !
If it,-A sense Of this makes the possessor
abor to improve ito impress his own char
'eter upon ito adorn it with taste-to en-
ch it with fruit, and 10 hand down his mem
,ry in every permanent ediice he may build |
md every noble tree he may plant; and, with |
he consciousness that he will be blended in
he thoughts of his children. who are 10 sue
ced him in the enjoyment of the blessings
e thus prepares for them, he will seem TO en-
1y them himself through long futurly.-
:. p. Blair.