Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1867-06-27

From the Little Corporal.
COUNCIL TO BOYS.
BY HORACE GREELEY.

pcctedly appeared, one day, in my fathers
humble farmhouse, the clergyman, doctor
lawyer, and perhaps one or two other
magnates of our New England rural town
ship, who addressed my parents to this eff
| feet:
"Your older son is so promising a stu
dent, so easy and rapid a learner, that we
think he should have q better education
than our common school can give him
We propose, therefore, that he be sent to
Phillips Academy, and thence to college;
and we offer, should you choose to entrusi
him to us, to see that he is thoroughly
schooled, without expense to you"
NV poor but proud parents responded
with thanks, but decided that they would
give their children all the schooling they
could fairly afford, and that this must suf-
fee them.
And among the many things for which /
have cause for filial gratitude. | accord a
high place to this decision. True, had they
accepted the generous proffer, should have
learned much that still urgently need to
know; for / never was, even for a day, a
pupil in any seminary higher or other than
very common school; but prize the in
dependence thus secured far above the
Learning which il would have dearly pur-
chased. would like to read Homer and
lEschylus, Plato and Demosthenes, In their
native tongue; but not at the cost of owing
my ability so to read them to the bounty
of some sect or education society, who
would reasonably expect of me the cham
pionship of its dogmas in return. would
not be bound, even by the silken ligaments
] of gratitude to what seems to me the truth
of to-day, if were thereby 10 be rendered
even disinclined to accept and welcome the
deeper truth that may down on my appre-
hension tomorrow.
The prevalent laxity of fiber on this
point is one of our gravest perils. 1t indi-
Gates a serious, and [ fear growing, defect
of national character. Every one wishes
to rise-which is natural, and perhaps laud-
able; but the great majority aspire TO rise
not by natural elasticity, nor yet by arduous
personal effort, but by clnging to the skirts
of some one else. Some rich uncle OIL
generous brother, some wealthy friend oil
free-handcd philsnthropist, is expected, OF
at least desired, to initiate the balloon
whereby the fond aspirant hopes to be
floated over the heads Of the multitude
into an elysinm of wealth or power Our
youth are generally ambitious but the crown
ofsimple leaves which so richly rewarded
the long preparation, the abstinence and
thorough training, of the victor in tho
Grecian games, would have attraction in
their eyes. They aspire rather to clutch
quickly and easily those material advanta
ges which are blessings to those only who
have worthily, laboriously achieved them
They covet the sudden though doubtful
gains Of speculation, rather than the slow
but sure reward Of useful industry. They
aspire to be wealthy first, and useful I'll
ever afterward: they mistakenly fancy that
if an unearned fortune were somehow
showered upon them, they would excite
Gods astonished admiration by devotine
a 1.-THE of it to some unselfish, beneficent
use. Give them the fortune to day, and
they would soon conclude that 1.-THE Of 9
1.-THE is all thew could spare for any philan-
thopic aim; and they would grudgc even
that
We all know men who 'began the world
with nothing" and have now all that heart
could wish We know sons of such who
beginning with everything. 1--WE say,) soor
run it down to nothing. But we harshly
misjudge them They did not begin witt
everything. The handspring OF a noble
periences were directly calculted to Undue
|
of life to eat and drink iuxuriously, dress
sumptously, and ride, sail or dance abund
sntly; that is mans chief end to crafty hi.
I ,,,hysical appetites and revcl in sensual de
lights. Thus blinded and miseducated
t6ev were in.,om childhood impelled on the
road to ruin, AID many largely blamed
their infatuated pareIts or guardians fol
their swift descent to perdition.
The first great truth to be impressed OF
every unfolding mind, is the inexoraSilit1
of retribution. Drive nature out with .
pitchfork, they say, and she will come in
again; butretribution will not be driven out
Like to like; so much for so much: pain and
woe the inevitable shadow of evil-doing-
such is the elementary law fthe universe
as vital and operative to-day, on this earth
in our homes, as ever on any planet tina
has revolyed, any sun that ever shone
There are suffering which result from othel
sins than those of the present sufferer; bu
no one eyer did wrong, and escaped o.
evaded the penalty. ain the day thor
eatest thereof, thou shalt surely die;'
which does not, by any means, imply tina
you shall be alive and well on the morrow
'But may no one ever seek aid from 9th
ers?"
Yea, verify, If you are ignorant seel
knowledge; if unskilled and inefficient
seek ability and dexterity in whateyel
sphere Of useful effort shall seem to yor
most inviting. But seek these, with every
other good, as equivalents for service rem
dered, not as aims. Say TO the teacher
the craftsman, "you have wisdom that
need; but have young elastic sinews, ths
may be useful to you. propose to give
and take on terms OF mutual advantage
what shall they be?'' What you need i.
not Charity, but Opportunity; and il this i.
not afforded on terms of reciprocal benefi
in one direction, resolve to seek it in an
other. Better live and die an independan
cobbler than any great mans satellite.
The darkest day In any mans earthly ca
reer, is that wherein he first fancies tina
there is some easier way of gaining dol
lar than by squ.rely earning it. No matte
whether he acquire it by beggary or theft
or any fashion of gambling, that man il
fearfully demoraiized, who, looking at tn,
dollar in his hands, says THAT came more
easily than il had earned 1t by honest la
bor." He has lost the clue to his way
through this mortal labyrinth, and mus
henceforth wander as chance may dictate
To his distorted apprehension, the universe
has oecOne a gaming table, anu success
sion Of ventures on the red or on the black
His prospects Of winning thereat, in the
long run, are miserable enough.
am panied to hear any one say of the
wisest and best man living, IL pin my
faith to him. / am sure he can never &c
wrong" My friend! you have right &c
repose implicit faith in God alonel Man
is frail, at best; and he who was upright
and noble yesterday, may prove false and
justice, though all the world should deseri
and decry them. Give your conscience
eyes, and never fear that it will mislead you
Others may be richer in knowledge and
wisdom than you; but pure and lofty soul
has no earthly superior, and should recog-
nize none. Hold fast to whatsoever Il
righteous; and whatever clouds may fol
the moment enwrap you, and intercept the