The Camden weekly journal. [volume] (Camden, South-Carolina) 1853-1861, 1854-08-08
From GOIdsmitIl's Citizen of the
World.
LETTER LXXXIII.

You are now arrived at an age, my son, whel]
pleasure Gissuades from application but roH
not, by present qualification, all the succeeding
period of life of its happiness. Sacrifice lit|
tie pleasure at first to the expectance Of great
er. The study of few years will make tn !
rest Of life completely easy.
But instead of continuing the subject mysel
take the following instructions, borrowed fror
modern philosopher of China. He VIII
has begun his fortune by study, will certanl
confirm it by perseverance. The love Of book
damps the passion for pleasure; and when th
passion is once extingushed, life is then chea
ly supported: thus man, being possessed
more than he wants, can never be subject
great disappointments, and avoids all thos
meannesscs which indulgence sometimes uni
voidabIy produces.
There is unspeakable pleasure atendin l.
the life Of voluntary student. The first tim
read all excellent book, it is TO me just as
had gained new friend. When read owe
book have perused before, it resembles til
meeting with an old friend. We ought to la /
hold of every incident in life for improvement,
the trifling as well as the important. 1t is not
one diamond alone which gives ustre to anoth,
er; a common coarse stone is also employed
for that purpose. Thus ought to draw ad-
vantage from the insults and contempt | meet
with from worthless fellow. His brutality
ought to induce me to selfexamination, and
correct every blemieh that may give rise to his
calumny.
"Yet with all the pleasures and profits which
are generally produced by learning. parents Of
ten find it difficult to induce their children to
study. They often seem dragged to what
wears the appearance of application. Thus
being datory in the beginning, all future hopes
of eminence are entirely cut off. If they find
themselves obliged to write two lines more
polite than ordinary, their pencil then seems as
heavy as milestone, and they spend ten days
in turning two or three periods with proprlety
"These persons are most at u loss when a
banquet is almost over the plate and the dice
60 round, that the number of little verses, which
each is Obliged to repeat, may be determined
by chance. The BOBBY, when it comes to his
turn, appears quite stupid and insensble. The
company divert themselves with his confusion
and sneers, winks, and whispers, are circulated
at his expense. As for him, he opens pair Of
large, heavy eyes, stares at all about him and
even offers to join in the laugh, without ever
considering himself as the burden of all their
good humour.
I" But it is of no Importance to read much,
except you be regular in your reading, $lf it
be interrupted for any considerable time, it can
never be attended with proper Improvement
There are some who study for one day with
intense application, and repose themselves for
ten days after. But wisdom is coquette, and
must be courted with unabating assiduity.
"It was saying of the ancients, that man
never opens book without reaping some nd
vantage by it. 1 say with them, that every
book can serve to make US more expert, except
romances, and these are no better than nstru'
ments of debauchery. They are dangerous
fictions, where love is the ruling passion.
"The most indecent strokes there pass for
turns of wit; intrigue and criminal Liberties
for gallantry and politeness. Assignations, and
even vllainy, are put in such strong lights, as
may empire even grown men with the strongest
passion; how much more therefore, ought the
youth of either sex to dread them. whose rea
son is so weak, and whose hearts are so sus'
ceptble Of passion. -,
"To slip in by back door, or leap wall
are accomplishments that, when handsomely
set off, enchant young heart. 1t is true, the
plot is commonly wound up by marriage con-
cluded with the consent of parents, and adjust.