Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1859-08-12
The Professor at tho Break
fast Table.

am satisfied, that, as We grow older,
We learn to look upon our bodies more
ard more as temporary possession, and
less aud less as identified with ourselves.
In early years, while the child feels its
life IN every limb" it lives in the body
and for the body to a very great extent.
Il ought to be so. Thee have been
many very interesting children who have
shown wonderful Indifference to the
things Of earth and an extraordinary de-
.aln rnnent nf tho sp;ritual natnrp There
is :, perfect literature Of their biogra-
phies, all alike in their essentials; the
same "disinclinaton to the usual amuse.
ments Of CHILDHOOD the same remarka-
Bile sensibility; the same docilty; the
same consc entiousness; in short, an al
most uniform character, marked by beau
tiful traits, which We look at with pain
ful admiration. 1t will te found that
most oft these children are the subjects
of some constitutional unftness for liv-
ing, the most frequent Of which | need
not mention. They arc like the beauti-
ful, blushing, halfgrown fruit that falls
before its time because its core is gnaw.
ed out. They have their meaning
they do not live in vain.-but they are
windfalls. l am convinced that many
healthy children are injured morally by
being forced to read too much about
these little meek sufferers, and their
spiritual exercises. Here is boy that
loves to run, swim, kick football, turn
somersets. make faces, whittle, fish, tear
his clothes. coast, skate, fire crackers.
blow squash "tootcrs." cut his name on
fences, read about Robinson Crusoe and
Sinbad the Sailor, eat the widest t-anglei
slices OF pie and untold cakes and cam
dies, crack nuts with his back teeth and
bite out the better part of another boys
apple with his front ones, turn up cop
pers, "stick' knives, call names, throw
stones, knock off hats, set mousctraps,
chalk doorsteps, "cut behind" anything
on wheels or runners, whistle through
his teeth, holler' Fire! on sli ght evil
dence, run after soldiers, ,patroniza an en-
gine company, or, in his own words,
"blow for tub No. III" or whatever it
may be; isn't that a pretty nice sort of a
boy, though he has not got anything the
matter with him that takes the taste of
this world out: Now. when you put
into such hot -blooded, hard.fsted.
round checked little rogue's hand sad
looking volume or pamphlet. with the
portrait of thin, white-faced child,
whose life is really as much a training
for death as the last month OF con-
demncd criminals existence, what does
he find in common between his own
over.fowng and exulting sense Of vitali-
~ and the experiences of the doomed
offspring of invalid parents The time
comes WHEN we have learned to under
stand the music Of sorrow. the beauty OF
resigned suffering, the holy light that
PLAYS over the pillow Of those who die
before their time, in humble hope and
trust. But it is not until lie has work
ed his way through the period of honest,
hearty, animal existence, which every
robust child should make the most Of
not until he has learned the use OF his
various faculties, which is his first duty,
that boy of courage and animal Wig
or is in proper state to read these tear
full records of premature decay. | have
20 doubt that disgust is implanted IN
the minds Of many healthy children by
early surfcits of pathological piety. |
do verify believe that He who took chill
drcn in His arms and blessed them loved
the healthiest and most playful of them
Just as well as those who were the rich
est in the tubelculous virtues. | know
what am talking about. and there are
more parents in this country who will
be willing to listen to what l say than
there are fools to pick a quarrel with
me. In the sensibility and the sanctity
which often accompany premature decay
| see one Of the most beautiful instan-
ces Of the principle of compensation
which marks the Divine benevolepce.
But to get the spiritual hygiene Of ro-
bust natares out Of the exceptional yesi.