The Abbeville banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1847-1869, 1858-02-11
HISTORY.

good education. He may lavish immense
sums upon the youth, l'ut unless there is Il
knowledge Of right and wrong previously
inculcated, the latter may eventually prove
mere cyphcr in the world Of wisdom
There arc numerous cases where men op-
pressed 10y poverty aud wanting common
advantages have become prodigics of learn
ing. In most cases, we find this thirst for
education originating in the pcrusal Of his
tory. 1t is but natural that When VIC read
OF those remarkable individuals who stand
as great lights in the word of science, aud
who lave ruled nations with rcsis,lcss ann,
we should wish to know something of those
sciences in which they slime pre- eminent.
y pcruSal of the life Of Napoleon, that en-.
incnt chicf, at once the CORY and the slamc
Of France, leads us to wish to know some.
thing Of military science. When we
find that our own Washington first attract
ed Importance us Il surveyor, we wonder
why such Il science could cngross his atten-
ton, and almost mechanically, we proceed
to It's Investigation. Tie efforts of Franklin
TO gain knowledge OF the effects OF tighten
ing, lead lis 10 inquire what there is i'll that
MYSTERIOUS power so strange and so towering
as to attract the attention of Amcrica's
talented son. Inquiry is the entering
wciy sc to knowledge" and us soon us it is
awakened, the result is certain. 10 stimu.
late inquiry lh:rc is no force SO powerful,
no study SO sure, as that Of pure history
We say pure history, for we mean not that
less useful, thought more interesting, brancl,
known as historical romance. The latter,
on account Of lis attractive from, generally
leads to such an ardent love for its reading,
that the more useful branches of natural
scicnce are totally neglected. Pure history
however, aw;kcus i'll us a spirit Of cmula-
ton, and aral,<cs all our ambition.
When We find an Aris,dcs, patriotic
amid the scctls of m ungralc(ul country
u EomuIus rising from the position of IL
poor rustic t" Il seat with kngs-a Cincn,
natus, throwing aside the implements OF
husbandry and vanIuishing his country's
tocs-we wish to initiate them. Every
spark Of ambition which we possess is call
ed into action, and we resolve to win a
dcatlilcss name or die in the atlrmrt.-
History, as Mr.. Ahbott trutltully SAYS, is
our heaven. appointed guide. By the ex-
pcricnce of those who have gone before us
must we steer our course, and if We arc
wise, we will avoid the rocks upon which
they were shipwrcckcd. History tells us
that merit will arise despite the opposition
Of poverty; that the cause Of justice has al
ways prevailed over that Of tyranny; that
those nations who adore idols in preference
to the one true God eventually tottcr; and
that, though had rulers exercise their
sway for a limited period, the cause of the
people will finally flourish. History, there
fore, occupies rank second in Importance
only to the revealed Word. While the lat
ter guides us to an ctcinul home above, the
former serves to render our progress through
lilc free fiom the snarcs which have cntan-
g'cd SO many Of our predecessors
History, then, is more important than all
other studies, and he who spends lifetime
in bringing from obscurily tho deeds of ages
long since passed away, performs Il service
uncquaiIcd by any otl:er man. lie who
would consign the historian to an obscure
grave, and limit him to the petty bound
aries Of a lonely garrct, lacks the spirit
which animatcs patriot. Let the faithful
historian who stoops not to party, and who
is unprcjudiccd 10y opinion, be raised to that
station which he cmncntly merits as bene-
factor of mankind. Let his name be hon
ored as long as his work remains in exis-
tence. Let his bones. bc sacred when death
removes him from earth. May his name be
set efore our children rs one who has served
his country and blessed his age.-Iiigh
School Jou,nul.