The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1858-12-30
VOL. XII.
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upon themselves. L sass therefore, next, set
apart some hours of evers. m6rning for strength
ening and tempering yorss mind by study"
By what studies, He.nsn?p
"Now, 1 am going to - cruel; you know |
told you | should-by tf2s: same studies which
have strengthened dssoolished most strong
and able minds chief S..tin, or Greek, which
is far more interesting, aa-s harder, though
the little topsy-turvy lefes< make it look so,
mathematics and history Get your friends
| should say to our imsg'nay young friend-to
find some suitable and a4sle teacher to give you
"a start at first; find two or three other agreea-
BILE girls, if you can suih6ieftly Industrious and
intelligent not to keep .yot back to wait for
them, for fellow-studentsc Ior you must faith
fully follow both of oil ; E;urtons invaluable
prescriptions for the curtsg your melancholy,
BE not solitary as We As Be not idle; J
and go to work like 81 sOl-boy. Do not do
too much for you muGs emember that you
have only that delicate fsoi a woman's mind, TO
work with, and that it 60: silly warped or bro
ken; but do not do too iii Z. Fix upon your
hours, both for recitaS =. ~ d preparation and
let nothing but some PEI tive duty interfere
with your punctuallty IN. Let your daily
question be, not whe. e. he mood for either
study has come but - n the time for it has
come. The clock nisst he your master for
some months at least, an4a you have learned
seli-mastery and reguE lty latter that, you may
safely and advantageo sly exchange your rigid
obedience TO times AID SEASONS, for q more
plant fidelity to gems raj plan of life
I" But, and but, and but Rigorous Mentor,
you have hardly left * j cath enough to pro-
test against your rigol! tut would it not be
horribly hard work y =
" Horribly SO hare IN 1t if you gave your
whole mind to it, as N5u o ,ght, and must, you
would have not one sfngie spare thought to in
form you whether you re unhappy or not,
whether you were lonely or not. or whether
you yourself, somebody else"
But would it not BE- lerribly dry?"
"Horriblyi so dry, tha23ou would no longer
find your leisure, when ) came, bore, but
luxury; but it must not me yet After your
lessons, you must have ZONE good, earnest,
hearty exercise, accorditS to your strength
riding, skating, bowling. or rowing, for in
stance, if you could obtain, suitable companions,
would be much more Likely to improve your
spirits and health than .ssaere conStitutionals.
After that, | must let yess rest. / think / see
you reclining very pretty i'll the easy chair
which you have earned s light to, with fine
bloom, and two bright e. fixed upon piece
of needle-work or an en1ertaining volume of
history, biography of sotie Christian hero or
heroine, who served Gel Nightly, in spite of
mighty difficulties, or ot.e work of eevating
and inspiriting fctot will not deny you
even that. You will ei "a. it but you will not
enjoy it long. You ar .9hscious Of feeling
little drowsy; and thet somebody says, Con
stance, my love- or Fatss,' or Miss shan't
you burn your hair?' With surprise, you find
that yonr Dyes are sl3.t You uncl0se them
Just long enough to sa Qur prayers and make
your preparations for. 5e night, and drop
asleep again the nome your cheek touches
YOUR pillow Healthily eircshed after healthy
fatigue, you rise early Sc next morning, to
find your learned labC - sobably less dry; and
after while, it may will caase to find
them dry at all. Tl% i become transfg
ured before you. In 4.as lasscal studies you
will see yourself goins<tor he same school, as it
were, and sitting >on IS same benches, with
the greatest philosopher Sand statesmen of an
cent and modern time ssand the mathematics
viii unroll for your insl ,4ction the architecture
al plans of the Creators, ,:ae laws which are the
skeleton Of the univel . AT any rate, you
have got rid of your leis,k'e. You have plenty
of work, wholesome if not attractive, in social
duty, study, and exercise each kind capable of
indefinite extension, according TO your need,
[ nder the first head, leave Yourself time enough
for the generous consideration and promotion
of the happiness of those Immediately about
YOU, that selfdiscipline may not degenerate
into mere selfreerence, and that your heart
may not share in the hardening process which
is going on in your intellect i0r the sympa-
thies even of those naturally the most f.stidions
and exclusive, are capable of indefinite expan.
sion; and on the other hand have felt-no-
ticed, mean-that the tendency of a wounded
soul is sometimes to close over again with a
rough and Gallons scar, Having laid out your
plan, to the best of yonr judgment; giving its
due place TO each Of these things, Try it for
three months, at least, without once asking
Yourself whether it is doing you good not,
aud. If possible, without making single alter
ation in it,
= But, dear Herman, ~oGA IL not be very
difficult To perseyere in so severe system of
se]fcpltlre, without any stimulus or object?"
4" Very dillicult, my dearest love- but no one
can lead great life WITHOUT great efforts. The
impetus which it is the privilegeof rs young men
to receive at the outset of our career, from our
elders, saiuabis ~ it is, is apt to spend itself
soon, and die ont, unless W. can keep il up, in
great measure by ourselves. Besides, though
YOU may have no human stimulus, YOU ought
to encourage and enliven yourself continually
with the hope of your heavenly Fathers appro-
baton, and the hope also, that If you arc faith
full over a few things, He will make You ruler
ovet many things. Do not parents always take
pleasure in seeing their children do well? Do
not dutiful children love 10 gee them that
pleasure? Moreover, we suppose my arduous
experiment to be tried by a girl capable Of
greatness. a gtFl Of great soul. We will sup
pose, then, that she has tried it, and tried it
with little charge Of outward circumstance for
nine or ten years. She has spent nine or ten
years, them in the diligent and judicious exer-
else ii I'll the powers of her body and soul, in
the faithful and sayigg discharge of all her
duties TO God and her ne,ghb9r. The ar
dent, but inexperienced, undeyeloped, ana pa-
occupied girl of twenty is now woman of
thirty. She has the habit of study, the habit
of attention, the habit of reflection, the habit Of
action. Throw such q person anywhere, and
she will come down on her fnet; her mind is
well furnished, scholarly, clear, and quick, and
her health probably good. She is one of those
persons of whom, those who know her will say.
the first when any good work is 10 be done, She
would be the very one to do it, if she has t,,t
too muph upon her hands already Fl
Having been forged, under God, to lay out
her path in life for herself, and having done so
thoughtfaiiy, and considerably, her every step
has been an exercise OF Judgment. A good
and experienced Judgment Is nov, therefore
added to her original ardor and enthusiasm
and good Judgment, ardor, and enthusiasm,
make up aiIaost the perfection of a ,oorking
character. She is the person of whom all who
know her say, the first when any good york is
to be done, She would be the very person to
do il, if she has not TOO much upon her hands
already. She will be-she is she has been
great in self-mastery, capacity, industry and
fidelity to God. Whether men and women do
or will call her so, she has ceased to care, if
she ever cared. Having toiled so long. with
the object of making herself not an admired
scholar or mathematician, but an accomplished
and able handmade of tha Lord abe has