The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1857-06-06

There is God. The intelligent admit i.
reminded Of this fact as often as he allow,
himself time to thiak This he needs moi
study to learn, for he could not avoid know
ing it if he would; surrounded, as he is, b,
so much compicacy, all uniting and actin:
in unison. Ii he has a refined taste th'
contemplation of God through his works
must be a source Of pleasure to him; ant
every thought of him as he is re!incs, puri
iies and cnnobieS the nature of man; fits
| him for the enjoyment of life, and brings
| him nearer to heaven. We know God has
| formed US as we are, living, sensitive crea-
lures; capable Of enjoying much, and suf-
tering equally; with a mind Of whose capa-
bility OF expansion we are as yet ignorant.
| We know equally well that We are not sur
rounded by these many beauties without de-
sign; that the innate principles of our ma
lures were not created to lie dormant; that
knowledge, guided by virtue, wakens, enli-
vens and enlarges all the pure and noble
principles in the mind Of man. If we neg
lect to gain the knowledge within our
means, then we lose or fail to find one true
source of pure enjoyment. Regarded in
this light only there are sufficient reasons
/ for giving time and attention to every SCI
, cnce- think may truly say that no other
i SO well calculated to develope pure love
for nature, and through her for God, as b.
tany. If so, this science certainly has a
strong claim upon our attention. No parent
has a moral right to neglect to teach it to
his child in early childhood, to limited cx-
tent; and no advanced scholar can neglect
it with shadow Of justification. If parent
woulu have his child conely, loving, and
lovable, let him teach it to see beauty in
-. 4.
beams with smiles from the appreciation Of
natures beauty, and glows with intelligence,
as it must to be able to appreciate this, ii
matters little how the features may chance to
be formed, the child is beautiful. In no
way can you teach him this as easily and so
cilcctually as by leading him into your
flower garden, that he may see and admire
as much As lis young mind Is able the beau
ty Of this picture formed by natures hond,
aided by mems llbor; or if flower garden
is not at hand and easy Of access, there is
litt!e less bcaI'y, (Such a. a child even can
love- in 4 collection Of well selected and
vel! cultivated vegetables; or even on the
wild prairie, or thc native forest. One
taught thus in early childhood vii! seldom if
ever in afteI years fail to priZc what's beau
tiful in the human mind as in nature, and TO
discard what * otherwise. The teacher has
minds more fully developed to train; and he
has medley, such o. none but a thorough
student Of human nature can understand
Some have been properly Taught, some i'm
properly, others have been entirely neglect
cd, and he must finish them up, fit them for
the stage Of active life. lis very poor
finish they often receive; they appear in the
world rather rough specimens. And the
great reason is, the teacher fails TO touch the
secret springs which lead to their refinement
and publication. he often secs little Of na-
lures beauty himself; he meets his scholars
daily at nine; bids them goodbye at five. He !
wears long face because that accOrds well
with his scholastic dignity, and also with his
feelings, for lie rtpines from night till morn
over his lot Of daily toll. Let Linn scatter to
the wind these rcpininGs, and his counte-
nance will change without effort; 50 viii his
scholars and their hea Is too. Then they
may be led by him through Gods beautiful
fields and taught to admire them for the
Lsa"ty of theIr drapory- When they are
prepared with little guidance 10 avail them
selves OF the knowledge of the learned ones
who have gone before them; to study Bota-
ny, as u science and reduce it to practice,
which, | need only add, teaches to see
things as they are, real beauty and utility
everywhere combined. PULLIE.