Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1858-03-26

TloNAL POWERS
Expression seems to follow naturally upon
thought, So that in enc way or another we
all Of us and always talk We do not indeed
continually show our thoughts, or express
our feelings by words but since we cannot
live in the world and be una affected by persons
scenes and occurrences that are all the time
passing around It's, no more can we ever fiat
/ ter ourselves that we arc saving nothing.
4 The mind. during waking hours, Is never at
rest, Hnd whether we are aware oft or not,
/ we are constantly making an impression ON
others. In this sense. hv no means an unm-
| portant one, we talk but it is with convcr-
sation properly So called, the cmbodying Of
| thoughts in words, that we have now more
| particularly to do. This power distinguish
cs men from the lower animals Of the crca-
| ton, and mt the beginning was received from
| his Creator as he received reason. without
| which he could not hc man, that is social
| being, II is natural for us to tell what we
| think, to express the emotion that moves us.
and in return to receive the thoughts and
/ io'lng- Of others Life would be deprived Of
| ono "I tn" highest sources Of enjoyment voro
| this privilege denied MS, and since $50
much of our happiness depends uron
| it, it is well worth our whilo to
attend to its cultivation, and to study
| that our words, which are indeed living
powers, should be well applied. And in the
first place we are not sufficiently aware how
much meaning there is even in the words We
daily use; we neglect to study our own Ian
| guage; the depth and richness that its COM
monest words contain are unknown to us,
and We pass through life talking indeed, say
| ing much in one sense and doing not only
| hHle good, but ottentimes positive injury to
Others and not unfrequently condemning
| ourselves by the very words we make use of
| There is work now abroad, which if stud
led, would give higher ideas of words, a
greater appreciation of the power, morality.
poetry and life there is in our own language
than is generally understood. refer to The
study OF words, by Trench book that must
delight any reader and well repay by it's rich
fund of knowledge the careful study Of the
scholar and induce in him something Of the
same appreciation which the author felt
! when he said, at was something for the
children Of Israel when they came into Cana
an, to enter upon wells which they digged
not and vineyards which they had not plant
oil, and houses which they had not built but
| how much greater a boon, how much more
! glorious prerogativc, for any one genera
/ ton to enter upon the inheritance OF Ian
| guag2, which other generations by their
| truth and toll have made already receptacrc
/ OF choicest treasures, a stOrehOusc of SO much
unconscious wisdom. fit organ for express
| sing the subtlcst distinctions, the tcndcrc,t
/ sentiments, the largest thoughts and the
! lotticSt imaginations, which at any time
| the heart of man can conceive" knowledge
is excellent in itself and by some minds seems
| to be sought for the mere love of it, because
/ OF the satisfaction it brings the seeker him
! self but how much more excellent does it
appear. when after making it our own, we
are able to mpart it to others and see in
| them emotions corresponding to thos, awa-
| kencd in our own minds Here we see the
action Of the mental law; we become rich as
/ We give. aud thoughts existing only in the
/ mind before, no,o become part Of it, 1t is
no doubt Il fact that the mind that commu-
nicatcs none Of its experiences, that ex-
| presses none Of its thoughts, that impurts
none Of the knowledge 1t gains, soon has
| nothing worth communicating. Hence con-
/ vcr-atlun becomes IA necessity, and a. think
/ ing i an Intellectual rational process in
I which the ideas are connected together ly
! natural relations, follow in regular order and
/ suggest each other, 50 conversation. the me-
dunn through which the thoughts flow, must
/ follow the same law, until he who thinks
well will talk we'll Conversation i, by no
means an exclusive gift all can talk. 1t is
heilh'I masculine nor feminine IN lts'll con
sI"'rr'' ana though 50 general 50 muc'
lrnt''a'"' 'n'l, T. aSIoniShl4EIy l'''i' 9'''
| t'lNIhS Otrtalh distinctions nave grown ~
httWocn "'MdHiy ana "'anlY talk that are moi
altogether HatterlnG to our snA. 1t seem, al
most t" DE understood as necessary 1t one
Mouid interest usthat hemust introduce tota y
Inherent topics OF conversation, something
suited to our MINDS, virtually saying we can
not understand or partlcipat" in themes tha
interest and improve the other sex. And i
must be confused We have helped to form
these distinctions. The style that We have
adopted has not been elevated enough the
SUBJECTS we have suggested or IN which W.
nave been most easily Interested hav'
not been those that involved fixed at
tention, the exercise OF reason. or IN iact an,
Intellectual process at all. 1t Is often said o
us, we are more fond Of gossip than anything
else, aud though we deny this and consider i
uncompllmentary and untrue, yet pcrhap
we have given some reason for such mscon
structlon' We have preferred rather to b.
amused than profted, and have encouraged {
style of conversation that had no effect eS
cept to wear away the hour and weaken on
minds This is said to characterize Ameri
can women, aud if So whether its stigmi
rests upon us individually or not, it seem
imperative that we seek as far as possible u
remove it. We cannot deny that as women
we have an important part to perform in th
work, and we who compose this circle Ger
tainly will not be the first to say we can Dc
nothing. We can at least find out our owl
lack as individuals, and with the aids give
us by such discussions as We have to-day, cal
set ourselves assduously at the work of self
improvement. Happily for us the chance
for success are great. Education now see
onds the natural endowments with which W
are blessed. Noltairc and his imitators hay
passed away. and but few meagrc and pei
yrrtcd intcllccts can he found who satirz
the sex which he held to possess neither ,
the masculine attributes, doas or Lord'
May the time be not far distant when W
shall merit and receive pre-emincncc Tor 9th