Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1861-11-08

There can be no estimate made of whata single in
genious and Industrious man can do, when cut of
from all assistance of others, and thrown wholly
upon his own resources for support and subsis'
tence. Examples are abundant in our country Of
individuals, who have started out in the pathway
of life and unaided by pecuniary resources, family
influence. or even the tendsr sympathy of friend.
ship, have won their way to the leadership of the
nation, 70 high distinction in some art or profes-
sion, or TO afauence and position. Such was HENRY
C1AY, of Kentucky. Such was BENJAMIN FRANKLIN
Such was 1AEDsEw JACKSON, and such was JoHS
JAooB AsroR.
DEFoE, the writer Of fiction, has drawn the strong
est and most interesting sketch of strong and &C,
t1ve-minded man, struggling against fate and tri
umphiDg over the solitary wilderness that our lit
aerture furnishes. His life of ROBINSON CRUsOE ha
been pored over, with wonder and delight, BY
every youth in the land. Is wonderful descrip
tons, mingled with the strange position in which
the hero is placed together with the energy perse
veranee and tact he displayed in overcoming the
difficulties with which he was environed, present
charming attraction for the mind that absorbs every
faculty of the youthful reader, AMI makes the mar
ratiYe personal to himself OF all the books that
ever have been written there is none that conveys
go excellent lesson to the young, in such forci
bic and engaging manner, as this charming work
Youth are taught, by simple and absorbing
narrative, never to despair, under the most dis
couraging circumstances. They are instructed,
even when deprived of the simplest appliances of
labor, when surrounded by the most trying circum
stances and debarred from all support, assistance
opI aava hat ftb a O,,ni oIo &c,
keep brave heart, buoyant spirits and firm de-
termination, to create resources tax their utmost
ingenuity and work with unceasing perseverance,;
and that they will and must succeed.
CRUSOE was shipwrecked upon an uninhabited
island, far removed from the tracks of commerce
Accustomed to all the comforts of life and to ge
nisl companionship, and thus suddenly cut of from
human aid and society, from the resources of art
and industry, he was compelled to create from the
rude material around him, implements Of husband
~, clothing, household utensils, shelter ard
food and to invent such mental assistants as
would save him from the enHui of solitude and
employ his mind with pleasant and active thought.
How well he succeeded and how be surrounded
his wilderness home with the culture of one busy
intellect and with almost the comforts of civiizs-
ton,wil be remembered by the readers of the fiction
HIS was an example CT complete and efficient
blockade. He was blockaded from human society
from Interchange of the commodities Of labor from
the knowledge acquired by intercourse and from
every thing enjoyed BY the masses in civilized
community. Yet he lived and prOspered, and was
fed and clothed in comfort, and had abun
dant reason to thank the Giver of every
good gift, for the many comforts and enjoy
ingenuity was sharpened, his Industry stimulated,
his gratitude awakened his religion confirmed, his
mental aud moral faculties educated to the right
standard his character strengthened and perfected,
by the severe ordeal through which he successfully
passed. There was never an opportunity presented
to him to S1Ruggie within his small domain, any of
the implements or conveniencies which be so much
needed. These lie was compelled to faSricate from
the stones, timber skins of beasts coceanus,
leaves feathers and remnants left in the wrecked
vessel on the beach. Even the weapons, with which
to defend himself and hun: the wild beasts he con-
trived to construct from the rude snd urshapen ma
terial around him.
If solitary individual, thrown by misfortune
upon lone island of tie ocean and surrounded by
wilderness, could thus carve out a comparative
degree of comfort and enjoyment for himself, how
much more capable are the inhabitants of the Con-
federate States, numbering nine millions InhSbitng
the most genial climate and varied and productive
latitude of the earth, having an abundance CT arti-
fcers, laborers and implements, possessing all the
ordnance stores for defence and Boosting of all the
highest characteristics of free, brave, en-
Ightened people-how much more capscitated
are they to defy partial blockade of their coast to
manufacture au the necsssaries of life, either for
food or clothing, to fabricste all their arms and
matsriel of war, and in fine to render themselves
not only independent of external assistance and to
rely upon their own superintendent resources, but
TO gather from the trial, renewed strength, energy
and power thus drawing from their privatiOns fu-
ture wealth and higher and stronger character,
and extracting from adversely the sweets of real
sindenendence and sslf,reliance?