The Camden weekly journal. [volume] (Camden, South-Carolina) 1853-1861, 1853-06-14

views or lie, ana more earnsSG ues'ie III an
things to do Justly and love mercy? Of this
class of books there are great many. The
novels and tales of Miss Edgworth, Miss Bre-
mer, Mrs. Howitt and Mrs. Opie, are good and
may be read not only with pleasure but profit,
BY every young lady. The time spent in read.
ing them will not be lost. Indeed some por.
ton of the time occupied in reading just such
books, is necessary to well balanced mind.
In reading history we sympathze only with
masses of people, or admire some powerful
leader Books of philosophy lift the miud up
into an abstract region of thought; and poetry
warns, inspires, and delights the imagination
and refnes the tastes. All these are necessa-
ry to right intellectual culture; they form the
very groundwork, solid walls, and inward gar
nture of a well.educated mind. But if read
ing be confined to these alone, there is danger
ofbecoming cold and unsympathising'- of liv.
ing in an intellectual world, more than in real
world Of people, with like thoughts aud like
affections with ourselves. 1t is here that we'll
wrought fctonscome in with humanizng
tendency; giving to man a love for his fellow
man, and inspiring him with wish to do good.
In history, travels, and biography, we see a
man on the outside, as it were, and regard him
at distance, as thinking and effective being;
but in fiction, we perceive that he is fashioned
in all things, as we are; that he has like hopes
and fears, joys and sorrows, and like aspira-
tions after the good and the true, and we are
gradually led to feel with and for him as a
brother-we hold him by the hand, we lookin-
to his face, we see the very pulsaticns of his
heart All this is good-all this is necessary
to the true formation of character.
But for a young lady to limi, her reading to
this order of books, or even spend large por
ton of the time allowed to reading to their pc
rusa will hinder her advancement in lnental
improvement. She will be very apt, also, to
sink into the mere waste of sympathy towards
ideal personages, without seeing in them types
of real classes that are in the world, and all
around her.
All right Improvement of the mind will de-
pend upon the leading motive which Il young
lady has in view, when she reads, thinks, or OBJ
serves, with a caretuley what passes around
her If her end be to acquire the power of
coNersing intelligently on various topics, and
of exhibiting an acquaintance with books, in
order to appear well in society, or to gain the
read woman, her advancement will not be as
real as she supposes. All knowledge has its
appropriate sphere of action, and that is the
doing of something useful; and until it comes
into this, its true sphere, it never rises into in
telligeuce. II, therefore, a woman reads and
thinks merely to be thought wise, she never be.
comes more than Il mere pedant, who betrayS,
on all occasions. the shalowneSs of her preten-
sions but if she use the truth she acquires in
seeking to advance the cause of truth for the
sake of the power it gives to do good, then is
she in the way Of becoming intelligent and wise.
A woman of true intelligence is blessing
at home, i'll her circle of friends, and in socie-
ty. Wherever she goes she carries with her
health giving influence There is beauti.
ful harmony about her character that at once
inspires Il respect which soon warns into love.
The influence OF such Il woman upon society
is Of the most salutatorv kind. She strength.
ems right principles in the viriuous, incites the
selfish and indifferent to good actions, and gives
to even tie light end frivolous taste for food
more substantial than the frothy gossip with
which they seek to recreate their minds.
TO give particular rules for selfimprove,
ment, and to specify the books to be read, and
the order Of reading them, is thing not easily
done. Indeed, what would be a right order for
one to pursue, would not suit another, and
therefore we shall not attempt to lay down any
rules on this subject. Extensive reading is all
very good but rig ghl thinking on what we read,
even if the amount be smaller, is far better
The only sound advice we arc prepared to give
is, for young lady to suffer herself to be at
tractcd towards the class Of intelligent persons
which she will always find in society, and to
which we have alluded in this chapter. If she
permits herself to become interested in the sub.
jccts that interest them, and be guided by what
they mainly approve, she will find no difficulty
in the choice of books And if she seeks i'm.
provemeut more from love Of truth than to
be thought intelligent, she will soon be able to
see truth so clearly in the light of her own un.
dcrstanding, as 10 be at no loss in making right
determinations on nearly all subjects that are
presented to he- mnd.-Adyice to Young La
dies on their Duties and Conduct in Life.
----GO-A
AMBIrIors PlG.-Every one has heard of
ovcrgrown pigs, and loud-squealing pigs, and
not few may remember something of stri-
ped pig which once had its day among u.s.
But we will venture the assertion that no one
ever knew, or heard, or dreamed of an ambi.
tiou> pig. Such an one, nevertheless we have
upon our cottage tarm-a pig Of most decided
aspirations lie is Il little fat fellow, some six
months old, belongs to il class usually demon.
mated slloats." He has been without father
or mother for some time, and has thus heen
thrown, at IN early age, upon his own resour-
ces. which fact may account for the eccentrici.
ty Of his present habits. He sleeps in the COW
pen, generally, near the bell COW. In the NOR
ming he rises at the mlk-maid's approach, aud
stands with as much gravity and Indifference