Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1859-12-23
DUTIES OF WINTER.

stern as they seem, they are the friends oil
wisdom, the patrons Of. literature, the nurses
Of vigorous patient, inquisitive and untiring
intellect. To some, indeed, they come par
ticularly associated, when not with gloom,
with various gay scenes Of amusement, with
lighted halls, lively music, and a few (hund-
red) friends. To others, the dearest scene
which they present. is the cheerful freside.
instructive books, studious and industrious
children. and those friends, whether many or
few, whom the heart and experience acknowl-
edge to be such Society has claims social
intercourse is profitable as well as pleasant
amusements are naturally sought for by the
young and such as are innocent they may
well partake Of but it may be asked, wheth-
er, when amusements run into excess, they
do not leave their innocence behind them in
the career whether light social intercourse,
when it takes up great deal Of time, has
anything valuable to pay in return for that
time and whether the claims Of society can
in any way be better satisfied than by the
intelligence, the sobriety and the pesceable-
ness Of its members; Such qualities and
habits must be acquired at home and not by
idleness even there, but by study The win
ter evenings seem to be given to us, not ex-
clusively. but chiefly, for instruction. They
4 invite us to instruct ourselves, to instruct
proper means Of instruction.
We must instruct ourselves. Whatever
our age, condition, or occupation may be, this
is a duty which we cannot safely neglect, and
for the performance of which the season af
fords abundant opportunity. To know what
other minds have DONE is not the work of
moments and it is only to be known from the
records which they have left Of themselves, or
/ from what has been recorded Of them. To
instruct ourselves is necessarily our own
work; but we cannot well instruct ourselves
/ without learning from others The stores o!
our own minds it is for ourselves to use for
the best effects and to the greatest advantage
but if we do not acquire with diligence, from
external sources, there would be very few Of
us who would have any store to use. Let no
one undervalue intellectual means. who wishes
to effect intellectual ends. The best work
man will generally want the best tools, and
the best assortment of them.
We must instruct others. This duty be-
longs most especially to parents. All whu
have children, have pupils. The winter even
ing is the chosen time to instruct them, when
they have past the tenderest years of their
childhood Those who have school-tasks to
learn should not be left to toll in solitude
but should be encouraged by the presence.
aided by the superior knowledge of their par
ents, whose pleasure as well as duty it should
be to lend them helping hand along tho
road. not always easy, of learning. While
the child is leaning over his book, the father
and the mother should be nigh, that when he
looks up in WEAKNESS or perplexity, he may
find, at least, the assistance of sympathy
They need not to be absolutely tied to the
study-table, but they should not often hesitate
between the calls of amusement abroad, and
the demands for parental example, guidance
and companionship at home. They will lose
no happiness by denying themselves many
pleasures, and will find that the most brilliant
of lustres are their own domestic lamp, and
the cheerful and intelligent eyes of their
children.
But all have not children; and the children
Of some are too young to be permitted to re-
main with their parents beyond the earliest
hours Of evening; and the children of others
are old enough to accompany their parents
abroad For all those who think they could
pleasantly and proftably received instruction
of public nature, and for this purpose spend
an hour or two away from their homes, there
is. happily, plenty Of instruction provided
Winter is the very season for public instruc-
ton and it must be said to their honor,
that our citizens have excellently improved
it as such Opportunities of gaining usefu!
knowledge have been provided, and they have
not been neglected by those for whom the
provision has been made. The fountains of
waters have been opened, and the thirsty have
been refreshed The me-instruction is to
be placed at the head of all instruction, yet
their are numbers who have not instruction
at home, and numbers who have none at home
to whom they may communicate instruction;
and there are numbers who find it convenient
and useful to mingle public and domestic
instruction together, or alternate the one with
the other. And when it is considered that
the public lectures referred to are charged
with little expence to the hearers that they
are delivered by the best and abest men
among us that hundreds Of youth resort to
them many of whom are in all probability
saved from dleness, and somo from vice and
crime and that to all who may attend them
they afford a rational employment of time, we
may look to the continuance Of such means
of knowledge and virtue as one of the most
nestimable Of benefits.
come now to the second great duty of vim
ter, that of charity. Winter is the peculiar
season of charity. The sun, tho generous
friend of the poor, is summoned to withdraw
his heat, and seems to say to us, that we must
keep our hearts the warmer towards them till
he returns with it again. The piercing cold
finds an easy entrance through the broken
panes and wide seams of the day-laborer's
room or hoye, and little fire on his hearth TO
tame its severity. The price of fuel is high.
The children fall sick, from cold, and scanti-
ness of clothing, and insufficient food; and by
and by the father or mother is obliged to give
up labor and lie down on the bed OF pain
This is the season for charity. If they who
are in plenty think not now and act for those
who are destitute | believe that they will one
day rue their insensibility. know that
difficulties surround this whole subject.
know that the benevolent are frequently i'm
posed upon hy the most outrageous ialsehoods
know that improyidcnce. in:emperanre and
multiford vices arc tile prolific cause of pau
perisn and misery. know all this we'll, be-
cause have seen II. | know that ii we give
ever so cautiously, we shall sometimes give
TO the undeserying. | have been imposed
upon myself and perhaps laughed at by the
objects Of my pity Every one has been i'm
posed upon who has listened to the sugges-
tons Of his heart; and if he has not been inn
posed upon at all. believe that he has great
ly imposed upon himself | would rather be