The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1858-01-16
Timothy Titcomb's Letters 10 Young
Men,
NUMBER Two,
Pom the Springfield Republican,

Pom the Springfield Republican,
There u great deal Of stuff published
every year In books addressed 10 yonng men
about female society. Solt and seulimetal
young men love 10 read Il and II they can
pick up any where among this pile Of chat
a biz Of countenance for the policy Of early
marriage, they are delighted, and Immediately
begin 10 pay attention 10 dicly and doNy,
propose 10 dispose Of this matter In the
present letter | suppose that 10 every young
mans mind there exists the hope and the ox-
pcotation Of marriage, When q young man
pretcrds 10 me that be has no wish 10 marry
and that he never expects 20 marry, I always
infer one Of two things that be lies and Is
really very anxious for marriage, or that his
heart has been polluted 10y association with
unworthy women, In thousand casses We
shall not find three exceptions to this rule,
\ young man who, with any digrce Of
earnesness, declares that be intends never to
marry, is fool or a brute
Now, about female society l. there any.
thing In female society, us such, that is 50
peculiarly iuctGiug 10 masculine virtues
Suppose a man cast away on the Caunibal
Islands. and not IN sufficiently good flesh 70
excite the nppctitcs Of the gentle cpicurcaus
among whom be has fallen. Suppose him.
ia fact, to be- received into society" and
made the private secretary Of a king alike
without hrccchcs and liberal education.
siding into a state Of barburism, aud casts
around for some redecming or conservative
influence. Al this moment il occurs that in
the trunk on which he sailed ashore were a
number Of books llc l,ies 10 the trunk, aud,
in au ecstasy Of delight, discovers that among
them is volume addressed 20 Young men.
lie opens il eagerly, and finds the writer To
declare that ucAt To- the Christian religion,
there is uotla(F that will tend 50 strongly to
the elevation and publication Of young men,
as ic1palc Society. Stated preaching" being
out of the question, he ,rie. the next best
thing lie seeks the society Of women, and
drinks in the mar, cllous influences of their
presence. lie tHd, them squaytcd on their
o. launches. their heads irowzy and worse with
, a. sublime sclfdcniul Of the use Of ivory
d combs, and engaged in picking their teeth
: over the last missionary. About what year
in the popular ETA i. it supposed that he will
a-firc ri tho, degree Of perfection which viii
f., make him "a nice young man ''
Now, perhaps YOU do not perceive the
% force Of this illustration. Let us get at H.
] then. Whcu you find yo..rsclf shut our from
p yll female society except thatWhich /, beneath
p..,,, that ,r,ti7Tvt Jry uuc
. aud no rtprn good than that Of nock of
3, South Down ewes, especially il it be young
j, If, in all this society, YOU can find one old
@ woman Of sixty who has common sense
y genial good nature, experience, some reading
@ and q sympathetic heart, cherish her aS you
>. would her weight in gold, but let the young
$ Tf5Sii r''IytyJTF- ;i5rIT
+, but gossip ana nonsense, and YOU will onl,
!. ~ disgu.tcd with the world aud Yourself
l. Better q thousand tunes get an old hat anC
v pctticoat worn by your mother or your grand
mother and hang them up in your room, ana
e then read books. Inspiration to higher anS
l. purcr life always comes from above man
q hud female society can only elevate an,
& puriiy man when tits higher and pure
d than he is, la the element of purity, doub
e not that women generally arc,-operiof to men
y but it is very largely L negative or un
~ conscious element, and has not the power an,
D influence Of a positive virtuc.
{ Therefore, whenever YOU seek for fcmal
e society as an agency in the elevation of you
r tastes, the preservation Of your morals, an,
1t the Improvement OF your mind, seek for tha
p which is above you. | do not counsel yot
s. to treat with rudencss or studicdncglect suel
lc inferior female society as you are obliged Il
- come in contact with. On the contrary, yor
h owe such society duty. You should stimu
< late it, iniusc new. lie into it il possible, an,
s. do for it what you would have female socict
N do for yourself And this matter of seeking
'e female society above yourself you shoul,
10 carry still further. Never content yourself
.e with the idea of having a commonplace wife
ii You want one who will stimulate you, sti
II you up, keep moving, joke you ON your veal
t points, and make something of you. Don
n be afraid that YOU cannot get such wife
Ia | very well remember the reply which
,r gentleman who happened to combine tn
# qualities of wit and common sense, made 4
'e young man who expressed fear that
% certain young lady of great beauty and attain
- ments would dismiss him. If he should be
n come serious. my friend" said the wit
At "infnitely more beautiful and accomplished
l. women than she is, have married infnitel
le ugier and meaner men than you are" An,
Il such is the fact. If you are honest an,
&c honorable, if your character is spotless, yo,
u are cntcrprising and industrious, il you hav
some grace and fair degree of gumption
~. and if you love opprcciatingy and truly, yo,
,c can marry almost anybody worth your having
u So, to encourage Yourself carry in you
of memory the above nporism reduced 10 n form