The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1858-02-18
Longevity Of Mental vigor.

VI
We have an illustration Of the vigor of in
tellect which may be retained in old age, in
the Prime Minister Of England, and in the
President and Secretary of this Republic
Lord Palmerston is now seventy-two wears Of
age, and still he bears up bravely under the
immense responsibilities of his station. Pres
ident Buchanan is sixty-eight, and yet full Of
vigor. Mr.. Cass is seventy-four, and is es-
teemsd worthy to fill the laborious Office Of
Secretary Of State. These men have been &C.
tive, thinking men all their lives. They have
not allowed their minds to rust by Incidence
but while their bodily strength has failed from
weight Of years, the mind has retained its
Wgor.
1t is the experience Of men in all genera.
tions, that mental discipline and active service
are the best and almost sure preservatives of
intellectual vigor in old age. This shows the
importance Of mental culture and active SER
vice; and the folly Of retiring from business
and seeking release from the responsibilities Of
life. Every man should study never to cons der
himself too old to learn, and never fear to COM
mence the mastery Of new fields Of knowledge
The very activity that constant study and re-
search keep up, adds immensely to the volume
Of actual life. Socrates learned to play on
musical instruments when he was old. Cato
studied the Greek language when he was
eighty Plutarch studied Latin when about
the same age; Theophrastus began one Of his
most valuable works at ninety DR. Johnson
studied Dutch when he was near seventy years
of age; franklin did not begin his philosoph-
ical pursuits until he was about fifty years old;
Sir Christopher Wren retired from public life
at the age Of eighty-six, and after that spent
FIVE years in scientific and literary pursuits.
Let those who have neglected the culture Of
their minds in early life not despair, and by all
means let them not delay longer, though
they may not wholly redeem that which 10 to
come. Ministers Of the Gospel especially
should double their diligence in study as the
years pass away, and their youthful fire sub
sides. They must rely more and more upon
the strength and fruitfulness of their minds,
and if they fail here, their usefulness will
suffer. Many men who are laid aside at the
age Of forty or ffty, might continue to do
good service, with no danger Of being sup
planted by younger men, if they would study.
But men who were popular and successful
when the spirit Of youth flowed freely and
strong, are very SIRE to lose their power Just
when they ought to be the strongest, because
they will not train the intellect to work with-
out the inspiration of passion. The church
greatly needs wise, strong meL Of age, but can
never have them unless they will tax their
minds to work. When we find men forty, and
fifty, and sixty, beginning the study of Greek.
church history, philosophy, or other sciences,
we may be sure of strong men Ut seventy, who
shall be leaders in Zion.
WEssTER's REPoRrs.-One evening, not
many years ago, while the Supreme Court
was holling its session in Somerset county,
down in the State Of Maine, some Of the legal
bretheren were warming their legs before .
blazing fire in a rural tavern, and conve rising
upon various matters pertaining to the profess
sion, B. J. Bacon, whose long silence indica-
ted that his mind was ir travail with some
great thought, broke out by asking il any OF
his brethren could relieve him from his trou.
Bile.
ssIwish," said he, ssto commence an action
against boy who was caught stealing apples.
find no case of the kind in any Of our Re-
ports, and am at loss for a precedent"
The landlord overheard the question, and
informed the yer liant youth that he knew caSs
just in point.
eAhp said Bacon, Sin whose Reports shall
l find it?"
SIN Webster's," said the landlord, gravely.
"Webster's Reports!" replied Bacon,-
"Well, now you speak Of it, think do re-
member something like it there. Do you
know the volume 2"
eyes. do; I have copy in the house, Il
you would like to see it.''
"Iwould be greatly obliged to you for II, %
I left niue at home."
The landlord stepped out, and soon return
ed with Webster's Spelling Bookl and, turning
to the story, ssAn old man found a rude boy
on one Of his trees, stealing apples," passed
the book to his legal friend, who threw it into
the FIRE, in the MIDST OF roars Of laughter, and
speedily made his disappearance.
A TEXT FOR You've MEN.-A better SUBJ
jec for young men to discourse about and 70
mediate upon, was never written .han the fol-
lowing by Swift: sNo man ever made an iii
figure who understood his own talents, nor
good one who mistook them" Young men do
not fail in the pursuits Of life because they
lack ability to succeed, half as often as from .
misdirection Of talerts. A right use of = mod
crate capacity will accomplish more than .
wrong application OF the most brilliant quali6-
catizens. Study therefore yourselves. Aim to
find out the actual talents you possess, and
then endeavor to make the best possible use Of
them, and you can hardly come short Of ma
king good figure In the world, and what il
more, being one among those who lived not in
vain.
ca A Chinese woman, surprised By her
husband, had just time to hide her gallant in .
sack, and set il up against the wall. The good
man coming in asked: s.What is there in that
sack?" The woman was confused, and hesi-