The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1858-09-08

The mischevous, land truly American notion that
to enjoy respectable position, every man musttraf
fc, preach, practice hold Office, brings to
beggary and infamy many who might have lived,
under Iuster estimate of things. happily and use
fully; and cuts off from needful, and ofnamen
tai portion Of society. The necessity of laboring
for sustenance is indeed the great safeguard of the
world-the ballast without which the wild pas
sions of men would bring communities to a speedy
wreck. But man will not labor without motive
and successful accumulation the part Of the pa
rent, deprVes the of this impulse. Instead then
Of vainly contending against laws as insurmounta-
bic as those Of physics, and attempting to drive
their children into lucrative industry, why do not
men who have made themselves opulent, open their
eyes to the glaring fact, that the cause.-The cause
itself-which braced their to the strug-
gle for fortune, does not exist for their osprng?-
Tbs father has taken from his son his motive!-a
motive confessedly important to happiness and vir-
tue il the present state of things. He is bound,
therefore, by every consideration of prudence and
humanity, neither to attempt to drag him forward
without cheering, anmating principle OF action
nor recklessly to abandon him to his owl guidance
TO poison him with the love of ucre for itself;
but, under circumstances, with new prospects.
at totally different starting place from his own, to
supply other motives-dfawn from our sensibiltv to
reputation, from our natural desire to know, from
enlarged view of our capacities and enoyments and
more high and liberal estimate Of relation to
society Fearful indeed is the responsibility of leav
ing youth without mental resources, to the tenpla
tons of splendid idlenessl Men who have not con
sidered this subject, while the objects of their atfec
tion yet surround their table, with no seeds of gen
sentiments, animate them with discourse
the beauty of disinterestness the paramount value
of the mind and the dignity of that renown that is
the echo Of illustrious actions. Absorbed in
pursuit. their evening morals too often conspire to
teach single maxim, and that in direct contradic-
tion of the inculcation often and variously
pnated: cit is better to get wisdom than gold."-
Right views, careful choice of agents and the de-
legation betimes of strict authority, would insure
the object. Only let the parent feel and the son be
early taught, that, with the command of money and
leisure, to enter on manhood without having mas
tered every attalnable accomplishments, is more dis
graceful than threadbare garments and we might
have the happiness to in the inhertors of pater
breakers, and more frequently high-minded, highly
educated men, embellishing, if not called to public
trusts, private station.
With such class ornamenting the circles of our
chief cities, should see modification of
claims. The arrogance of simple wealth would
stand rebuked before the double title of those who
superadded intellectual distinction. Accomplished
minds finding the air of fashionable assemblies
respirabe, would more frequently into them.
Society might be lively, various and ntellgent--an
alliance of wit, learning, genius and fortune,
terms of just appreciation. Meanwhile, the higher
standard of public sentiment in relation to inteec-
ual pursuit. would thrill along the of litera
ture and the arts to thousands who now act in the
belief that money is the true aud only kalon.
With the juster recognition Of mental claims and
the increasing honors paid to letters, by the few,
would follow an increase Of respect in the many
Thence would rectiied perceptions to man true
aims; calmer and brighter mind and less blind
subserviency to our too besetting passions.