The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1858-07-21
A FATHERS LETTER To A pAUGH
TER RETURNED FROM THE
YOUNG LADIES' ACADEMY.

uated from Mrs. D. s seminary. I con-
gratuiate you upon the event ane that
you are now a daughter at home with
the father who loves you, and the moth
or whose heart rejoices in you; and
with the brothers and sisters who have
welcomed your return. Accept few
brief counsels, now, from your father,
relative to the future. .-.. s...
Do not. my dear girl, think your ed
ucation completed. Your course of ac-
ademical study is, but not the culture
of your mind: that is only begun. You
have now the basis for self-education to
be in progress still. Education COM
pleted !" No, nor will it be till your
life closes. Mind the counsel of Paul,
applicable to the education of the uu.
derstanding, zs we'll as to the religion
of the heart. mon to think more highly
Of yourself than you ought to think,
but to think soberly." You have made
creditable attaiuments in the seminary
course; do not forget them. Your pow
ers of mind have received good impulses;
keep them up. Take heed against a
rusty mind against inactive mental
habits. Love book next to father,
mother, brothers, and sisters; not any
book and every sort of book, however,
but such as will increase your stock of
useful knowledge, help mental discipline,
elevate and refine your tastes, enlarge
your understanding, and do your heart
good, morally and religiously. Let
your reading be select, with strict aud
conscientious regard to the objects jus,
specified. eets7Ee aa
Guard against d desire TO live in the
circles of fashion. Do not, for the
world, be willing to be belle, a butter
fly of fashion aud frippery. What are
the paraphernalia of fashion ? rich, ex-
pensive, elegant dresses, and other
things to adorn the person and attract
the admiration of the fashionable =
Gentlemen and ladies whose good opiu-
ion and respect are worth possessing,
will tell you that their sober judgment
is always in favor of the young lady
who is neither first in the fashion, nor
last out of it; who shuns its extremes,
and studies for the union of good taste
with simple elegance; and who never
appears to think so much of the fash
ions as of the worthy clements of char
acter; nor of personal appearance SO
much as of mental endowments, virtue
and religion.
/ Do not be romantic. Avoid the dan
ger of what sensible young lady once
called "dying in the dear delusions of
the mind" If you act on the advice
already given you on books and reading,
you will be in the way to avoid this dan
ger. The romantic as faul: in mind
and character, is fostered by the iudis-
criminate reading of the trash which is
thrown off, in avaIanches, from the press,
in the shape of works of fiction. You
can cultivate all the just and proper af-
fections and sensibilities of your heart,
and the powers of your imagination,
without being what is called romantic
girl" Let the booksellers and libra
riaus and dealers in fashionable periodi-
Gals, who pander to the diseased taste of
these days for fiction, never see you be-
ore their counters. Respect yourself,
your education, your parentags. and
your Christian profession too much, for
this. " 31s
Do not be in haste to be married. .-1
Be willing to stay yet awhile under
your fathers root, in the home where
you are loved as tenderly as you ever
will be by any heart IN the world
Think more of home privileg 8, employ
ments, enjoyments, books, progress in
self cultivation, than of a husband
The Lord give you, in his own good
time, good husband; but be willing
to wait awhile, and to make yourself f
as much worthier of good husband
than you now are, as you can become in
the years from the age of nineteen to
twenty five.
Look to your good influence upon
your brothers and your young gentlemen
as young lady of mind,
education, tas:e, solid character. l have
been a young man myself, and can as
sure you, that young lady who has
cultivated and well Informed mind, and
lives in the intellectual as we'll as the
social world, and who knows how to
bring dashing young gentleman to his
bearings as occasion may require, about
books and subjects for thought and just
Judgment, may do much to influence
those who seek her society, to self eul-
ture and the attainment Of useful knowl-
edge. An intelligent young lady from
the country, several yea's since, whose
reading had interested her in the events
and affairs of British India, said 81 /
met young gentleman in New York,
who did not know who HJdcr- Ali was,
and I did not think much of his fine
broad. cloth, and gold watch. and elegant
carriage, as accompanied by such ignor-
anee." eF+ a 9 aa rz
% Not to mako my letter too long,
ouly add, aim to be thinking, sober