The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1869-09-01

w men those around you are acnleV-
ing such conquests, and signalling the
age in which you live by such glorious
triumphs of the human intellect, are
you, gentlemen, after having laid such
firm foundations for knowledge as you
have been doing here, going to fling
away study, shut your books and your
eyes to the wonders Of creation, and
live in ignorance of all fresl, knowl-
edge that your contemporaries in other
parts of the world are gathering and
recording for future generationsf
The clue which Kerchoff has placed
in our hands is bringing us, not only
to know what the lights of Heaven are
made of, and to acquaint us with its
"husbandry" but it is promising to tell
us whether this or that celestial object
may have physical conditions analo-
gous to what we have here.
Having laid your educational foun-
dations under such happy auspices,
and being about to enter upon the
great battle of life, after such training,
it is your duty to assist, each in his
way, in winning those conquests OF
mind over matter which constitute the
progress of the age, and make the i'm
provements of the day the glory OF
your own generation. What is it but
the increase and diffusion of knowledge
that has given us our arts, our scien-
ces, our manufacturers, our comforts
our luxuries, our civilization--in short
everything that raises US above the
savage, who, by his ignorance, is de.
graded to the level of the brutes with
which he herds. And from what did
this increase of knowledge arise but
from observing the operations and
studying the laws of nature?
The pursuit of knowledge and espe.
cially of this kind of knowledge, is the
noblest of all occupations that engage
the energies of man it ennohles his
mlnu ana OlSnlneS nature.
Cast your eye over the world, ant
you will see that the men who observe
and think are few. Why? Becaus,
we are all prone to incidence. One o
the thinkers of the day tells us tina
an immense majority of men. Away
remain in middle state, neither yer,
foolish nor very able; neither yer.
virtuous nor very vicious; but slum
bering ON in peaceful and decent me
diocrity, adopting without much diff
Guilty, the current opinions of the day
making no inquiry, exciting no scan
DIAL, causing no wonder; but just hold
ing themselves on level with thei
generation, and noiselessly conformin
to the standard of morals and of know
ledge common to the age and countr
in which they live" A vast majority
He means not ten, but tens Of thou
sands to one.
I take it for granted that ever
young man that is trained up as 20
have been, goes out into the worl
with aspirations for something highe
than merely to drift down the tide {
time with such as these.
Are we, them" you may ask, ct
devote our lives mainly to physical re
search, and to the observation an
study of natureq her laws p By u
means. Every one ofyon will probs
'. bly, adopt some calling or other.
may be in the arts, it may be in liters
ture, it may be in the humanities, or
may be in some branch of the apple
sciences. But, be the speciality VIII;
it may, your first aim is to master Il
calling, striving so to acquit yourse
in it as to win the confidence and e
TEEN of all with whom it may bri1
you in contact. But no one callir
satisfies the cravings Of the truly mob
mind. You are members of society
you owe duties to it, and will posse
influence upon it-some more-son
less. But every one will have, ma
you already have, influence with son
: members of it-powerful for good
+ for evil. Let it be a rule always
: use that influence for good.
b But there is time for all this, and
J, spare. To keep the mind yigorou
3 healthful, and strong, the different ia
s ulties-the different apartments of Il
| brain--like the different muscles of Il
8 body, require frequently to be broug
e into play and exercised, that they m,
/, be strengthened. Therefore give nc
e and then a moment Of relaxation fro
: the stern duties Of life, to obseryati,
: and contemplation Of such features
;, Gods handiwork as may be most CO
genial to your tastes, aspirations al
: fancies. II you have fancy for liter
t ture, poetry, or the fine arts. cultiva
s it. 1t is a gift, and, therefore, n
y without irreverence, to be despised
e neglected. Take care, gentleme,
e these gifts and advantages of yours a
: as money lent you, to be put out
d usury. They are precious talents, a.
: are not to be buried in napkin.
t Strive, also, to cultivate at lea
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