The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-02-26

advice as TO the book he was 10 read, and re-
ceived the following reply:-"It is not by books
alone, nor by books chiefly, that man be-
comes in all parts man. study TO do faithfully
| whatsoever thing in your actual situation, there
| and now, you find either expressly or tacitly
laid TO your charge; that is your post; stand to
| by work much more than by reading. They are
| a growing kind of men that can wisely combine
| the two things-wisey, valiantly can do what
| is laid to them in their present sphere, and pre-
| pare themselves withal for doing other, wider
This class Of workers have brought to light
| some of the most important inventions and dis
| coveries. Hugh Miller made some OF his most
| valuable geological discoveries while laboring
| for years in a stone quarry. That quarry was TO
| him school. because he was in state of mind
| to make IL such. His eve was always charged
| With thought We have all read the story of
! Franklin, which so forcibly illustrates this
| point. While employed in candle factory and
! printing office, he not only found time to read
! books, but he was constantly educating himself
in those places. and there acquired those habits
of mind which led to the discoveries that filled
the world with his fame. Now Boston, the
hiribpisce and P5iladeinhie is probab,y nn less
proud that he was her son by adoption. When
he made the discovery of the identity of light
people asked "Of what use is lt?n Hls:apt reply
was, What is the use of child? IL may be-
i need not state what the child has Since be-
come
concerned no one should be discouraged. Nu-
meTous examples are before us, showing what
can be done under untavorable circumstances.
equal to most persons whose histories
ferred to by way Of illustration and encourage
ment, yet all may DO something, and much
more than they may at first anticipate.
William Chambers, of Scotland, the we'll
known author and publisher, in an address
delivered before an assembly of young men in
Edinburgh, thus speaks Of his own early
struggles and beginnings for their encourage
ment:-"I stand before you a self. educated
man. My education was that which is supplied
at the humble parish schools of Scotland, and
it was only when went to Edinburgh, a poor
L. devoted
labors of the day, to the cultivation of that IN
| tellect which the Almighty has given to me-
| From or O'clock in the morning till or 10
| o'clock at night was l at my business as a
| booksellers apprentice, and il was only dur
| ing hours after these, stolen from sleep, that l
| could devote myself to study. l assure you
that did not read novels my attention was
| devoted TO physical science and other useful
matters. During that period L taught myself
| French. look back to those times with great
| pleasure, and am almost sorry l have not TO
| 20 through the same troubles again. reaped
| more pleasure when l had not sixpence in
| my pocket, studying in garret in Edinburgh,
| than now hnd when sitting amidst all ele-
| gancies and comforts of a palace" The late
and lamented President Lincoln was striking
| example Of how much man can do towards
| educating himself in the midst OF great dihi-
! culties.
| improve, though lost time is gone forever. Sir
| Henry Spelman did not begin the study of
| science until he was between fifty and sixty
| years ofage. Franklin fifty before he en-
| tered upon the study of natural philosophy.
! Dryden and Scott were not known as authors
|
| learned German at an advanced age for the pur-
pose of reading Neighbour" in the original
| James Watt, when at forty, while working at
his trade an instrument maker in Glasgow,
| learned French, German, and Italian, to enable
| himself to peruse the valuable works on
| mechanical! philosophy in those languages
! Robert Hall was once found lying upon the
| floor racked with pain, learning Italian in his
| old age, to enable him to Judge of the parallel
drawn by Macaulay between Milton and Dante
l. might adduce hundreds Of other instances
T showing that it is never too late to learn.
conclude by remarking that we should make
self-culture matter of conscience We are
| responsible agents, and as such God has given
us certain faculties, which we are under moral
| obligation to cultivate according to our time
| and opportunities. We should aim to improve
| ourselves In accordance with the principles and
| spirit of Christianity. In this way the heart
as well as the intellect will be cultivated, and
we shall not only be educating ourselves to be
| more happy and useful in time, but be prepar-
lug ourselves for eternal state of bliss and
glory in the future world. We should aim to
be .men-high-toned, cultivated men. Our
| obligation to be such is increased by the fact
that in the course of Providence we are citizens
of this noble republic.
At the conclusion of the reading Of the
Essay, which was well received by the audi
ence, the question, "How can devotional meet,
ings be made most interesting and profitable
especially to unconverted young mem" wa:
brought before the meeting for discussion, anc
was engaged in by Peter B. Simons, Esq., Rev
Mr.. Moore, Mr.. Thissel, and other members O
the institution.
The Association is rapidly advancing il
numbers, and the influence exerted by it ha
been felt among many of the young men o
this city. The reading-room is open at al
hours of the day and evening to the use o
young men. 1t embraces about three thou
sand volumes