The Port Gibson reveille. (Port Gibson, Miss.) 185?-1857, 1854-07-26

good habits, without any hackers. struggle
Win youth aud pleasure. The painful COM
oat oiten lasts for months. The stern reprooi
ot iather's love; the tear, half in anger halt
10 sorrow, Of wounded mother her enconr-
aging well done :" her trembling. warning
voice The sleepless eye Of the family circle
watching his progress. exulting in each sue
cess. sharing each failure, were then thou
SAND times more potent spells 10 uphold bis
iSlterlng steps. than all the praises. houors.
warnings. suspensions and expulsions that ev-
er college Faculty offered or threatened
Would they see him in the maudIin reckless
ness OF bis frat revel7 Think you they
would fecognize him and not rush to bis res
cue They alone can save him. but they.
alas are long, long miles away. dreaming Of
their iDdefatigaable student bdrning the mid.
nig1t OIL. and laying up rich stores to gid
their declining days. To their stead is the
stern rule Of college discipline. that cam OF
pause on its iron track to pick up and reclaim
the weak offender. 1t sweeps him from its
path, or, BY It's unbending rigor, chafes him
70 still higher aud more daring transgressions.
In fact. it is rarely so lyux.eyed as to detect
the beginning Of his career IL seldom lays
its hand on him until he has gone far down
the road to ruin so far. that he il no longer
the corrupted. but the coryilpteT Of his fellow
students. Perhaps, through mistaken indul-
gence OF favoritism, or for the interests Of the
college. or by escaping detection. he Is suf-
fered TO linger through the college course,
constantly dwindling in health, heart and
mind, and returns home. where they are fond
ly expecting to welcome a scholar and a
gentleman. What a startling disappoint-
ment is awaiting them They sent forth a
sprightly. innocent boy they welcome back
fullgrown reveller. a debauchee. a libertine.
He went forth child Of prayers; be returns
freethinker
Bot all do not thus disreputably fall.
Some, left to their own guidance, slight the
more manly studies. aud give up their golden
hours of college life to the dreamy idleness Of
light literature. Manhood oyertakes them.
mere idlers, butterflies in the rich harvest
field. Ennui POSSESSES them all their days
driving them from useful occupations, aud
they sink at last into imbecilitY amid a thou
sand halEexecuted plans Of reform. Surely,
these are not the sons we want. Some. By
long absence at the North. lose their acclima-
ton, and the first or second season after their
return, fall victims 10 our climate. Others
not a few, are struck there by the unerring
archer. and the sudden tidings lay PROSTATE
the aching hearts at home-hearts that will
not be comforted. for their loved Que died
among strangers, raving in his lat delifium
Of kome. and signing to be there.
Now aud then one will return, like Noah's
faithful dove, true TO bis mission. laden with
all the learning and accomplishments that the
generous rivalry. the liberal appointments,
and the able teachers Of the great university
can confer. But home seldom realizes liis
expectations. Its pursuits seem joylcss and
insipid. and its inmates perhaps strike him as
little Racouth. Many things jar against
bis fastidious tastes. A settled disgust often
embitters the first years Of his return. lie
feels like the free steed Of the prairie chained
TO the plough II innate good sense finally
ovbrcomes these difficulties. and be bends his
proud back TO tho burthen, he presents the
nobest specimen of man. One successful
adveuturer to California, lures thousands TO
perish miserably in tho mines. Southern
parents, will you hazard 50 much on so doubt
fal chance? Wise men do not take such
risks in their business transactions. The
well being Of those you bold most DEAR IS the
stake for which you play. with the chances
most desperately against you.
If it was bis only hope for good education,
you might fairly shut your eyes to the risk,
and venture the experiment, as the mariner
runs his laundering bark into an unknown
barbor. rather than 90 down outside amid the
bowling storm. But thisis not your case
When YOU send your sons of North for an
education. you initiate the wisdom Of a certain
old gentleman earnestly inqairing for his spec
tacles. which all the while are comfortably
uercbed on bis own nose We have colleges
Al home. But the fact that they are 10 Mis-
sissippi, seems argument enough to satisfy
some men It is no place for their sons. IL IS
not respectable, it is not fashionable, 1t will
not enable him tr cut figure becoming the
family pride or wealth. To such men and
such argument | have nothing to reply
Verify, 70 have your reward when your idle,
unerateful, worthless progeny returns from his
Measure trip, man Of fashion, but a
Shame and grief to all bis kindred.
Do you tell me you wish to send him where
be NAV have selection Of studies, and where,
invited BY extensive Libraries, complete aPPa-
ratus and renowned instructors, be may pur-
,ue the bent of his intellect Will nobody
do 10 teach the young tyro Greek, but Por-
son Must he study Latin under Bentley,
natural science under Cuvier and astronomy
under Herschel? Would you send him to
the writing. master before he has learned his
letters or bewilder him amid the abstruse
calculations Of Lebuitz before be has studied
College is q gymnasium. where the wrest-
ler in lifes great games. by every species Of
exercise brings all the faculties of his mind
into foil play and vigor. The mere facts and
me information be there acquires are nothing
They are rapidly blctted out BY the great pro- |
cess of obliteration constantly going on 10
,he buman mind All Of US have forgotten
''sors ~ eban we know. II is not so important
,r5ot bow learns. as hoi0 be learns IT,
Ths aim and eud Of college course is to
r. oood soorkina machine. thai