The Abbeville banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1847-1869, 1856-04-17
EARLY MENTAL ACTIVITY.

monstratcd that Of any number of children
of equal intellectual power, those who re.
ccivc no particular care in childhood, and
who do not learn to read and write until
Tie constitution begins to be consolidated
but who enjoy the benefit Of Il good ply
sical education, very soon surpass in their
studies those who commence earlier, and
read numerous books when very young
The mind ought never 20 be cultivated at
the expense Of the body; and physical
education, ought to preccde that of the
intellect, and then proceed simultaneously
with it, without cultivating one faculty to
the neglect Of others for hoaltli is the
base, and instruction the ornament Of clu-
cation"
Let parents, then. check, rather than cx-
cite, in their children, this early disposi-
tion to mental activity, Or, rather, let them
coun,erbaIance it by due proportion of
physical and gymnastic exercises; for it is
not so much the intensity rs the continuity
Of the mental action, which is injurious to
constitution. Let them not cause the age
of clcerfulncss to hc spent in the midst of
tears and in slavery let them not change
the sunny days of childhood into a meIan-
choly gloom, which can, at best, only be IL
source Of misery and bitter recollection in
malurcr years.
PHYSICAL exercises and the cultivation of
the pcrccp,ivc faculties should, with the
reading of moral and instructive hooks,
form the principal occupations Of children
Their cXpcnd!n~ frame requires the inviwo
ratin" stimulus Of fresh air; their awaken
ing organs seek for external objects Of
sense; their dawning intellect necessarily
calls for the action of their observant pow
crs. This is the great law of Nature
She has given to the child that rcstlcs ac-
tivitv, tl,a: buoyancy of animal spirits, that
praying inIuisitivcncss, which makes him
delight in constant motion aud in the Oh
servation Of new objects. If these intcn-
,ions Of Providence not frustrated II lie
he allowed to give himself up the sportive
feelings Of his age, lie will acquire healthy
constitution, and physical and perccptive
development, Which are the best prcpar;.-
ton for mental labor.
OF the men who have conferred benefit
on society, and have been the admiration
Of the world, the greater nambcr are those
who, from various causes. have in early lie
been kept from school or from serious study.
They have, l'y energetic an' wcll-drcctel
efforts, at II period when the train was
ready for the task acquired knowledge,
and displayed abilities which have raisic'l
tn III to the highest c,niucncc in the differ
cnt walks in litc, in literature. the arts and
sciences: in the army, the senate, the church,
anil even on the throne. The history of
the most distinguished among those who
have received an early classical education,
sufficiently proves that it is not to their
scholastic instruction, but to scf.cducation
after the period Of school, that they chiefly
owed their superiority.
David, the sublime author Of the Psalms,
followed in his early occupations the die
ta,cs Of nature; he had, in youth, muscu-
lar power to tear asundcr the mouth of Il
lion, to resist the grasp Of il bear, and to
impart to a pebble velocity sufficient to
slay a giant. Napoleon, when in the
school Of Bricnnc, was noted in the quar-
terly reports o. that institution as enjoying
good health; no mention WAS ever male Of
his possessing shy mental superiority but.
in physical exercises, he was always fore
most. Sir Isaac Newton, according to his
own statement, was inattcntive, and ranked
very low in the school, which he had not
entered until after the age Of twelve. The
mother Of Sheridan long regarded as one
of the duIlest of her children. Adam
Clarke was called "a gricvous Ounce" by
his first teacher; and young Liebig IL
body" by his employer. Shakespeare,
Molierc, Gibbon, Nicbuhr, Byron, Hum
plrey Davy, Porson, and many others,
were III like manner un'ii,tingulslcd for
early application to study, and. for the
most part, indul god in those wholesome
bodily exercises and that of freedom of
mind, which contributed so much TO their
future excellence Marcel
nut
Barber Poles.-7heir Origin..-The
origin of the BARRIERS pole is to he traced
to the period when the BARRIERS were also
surgeons and practiccl phlcbotomy. To
assist this operation, it being necessity for
the patient to grasp staff, a stick or a
pole was always kept by the barbcr-surgeon,
together with fi'let Or bandaging he used
for tying the patients arm. When the
pole was not in use, the tape was tied to it,
that they might be both together when
wanted. On a person coming in to be