Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1869-01-06

Educational.

more correct 10 say, that these tacultes orlBhAlg
exist in the mind and that learning develops
them and enables us to take pleasure in their ex-
ercise. The human mind has been compared TO a
! strnged instrument, which possesses al that Is
essential for the production Of music, but which
will be far more silent, unless touched by the
skilliul hand Of the performer. IL awakens ana
develops the harmony that dwclls within, and
lust in proportion to the amount acquired, does Il
Increase its original powers, strengthens, while II
harmOnizes its tones and in world filled with
harsh discord il discovers most elegant music.
Every one possesses this instrument, and every
: one has the world for an audience TO listen to rs
strains, and every one must determine Tor himself
whether in sweetest harmony its notes shall be
borne to the admiring ears Of an attentive world,
} or whether its tones shall he SILENT or only give
forth dscordant sound The melody produced
BY this instrument is an undying music, When
the instrument shall have been broken and dc
stroyed the strains which had proceeded from il
will continue 10 re-echo through the world, fall
ing upon the ears of men perhaps in softer and
more gentle tones. but able still to animate and
encourage their hearts and awaken within them 9
kindred melody.
lift is true that learning has so important an
influence upon the mind, the value Of education,
OF mental discipline will at once be Acknowledged.
Though every person may acknowledge this in
general terms, yet the practice Of many proves
that they do not appreciate IT, Indeed there are
persons who seem 10 dstrust high order OF
education upon those engaged in the active duties
/ Of life-upOn the artisan and husbandman. For,
say they, science is proud, and development tends
u refinement, and thus they cast disgust for the
toilsome avocatons Of laborious life. If it were
true that the pursuits Of any were incompati-
BE with mental culture, his condition would, in
deed, be unfortunate. 4 w0rthier lot is his if he
will choose 10 accept IL put forth the effort nee
c-sary 10 secure it, II is easy TO show that men
tai discipline and high order Of education are
possible to nearly all classes of men. OF the va
! riOus methods by which intellectual culture can
be gained, | shall consider that only of reading
| Reading is almost the only source Of knowledge
/ remaining to US after leaving the school We
are left to our own resources for carrying on the
process Of education commenced 10 the DAYS Of
our pupilage, and if rightly used, our resources
are enough for this purpose Ii should not be
said that we have no time for reading for there is
scarcely person in any community, 80 involved
\ in business, that he cannot devote portion Of
each day 10 this exercise There are many per-
sons, it is true who may try to persuade them
selves that they have no time for this exercise
| II il easy 10 find an excuse for that which we
have no desire to do. Were we convinced that it
was a matter of the highest importance 10 store
the mind with knowledge were We sure that Our
pecuniary interests were in any way involved in
it, and if reading was considered by Us as not only
profitable but delightful exercise rs a pleas
ant pastime in the hours Of leisure, then there
Mbulu Dt ~ hluNultN III ulluluH time lur rcldlum
Unfortunately reading is not always 50 regarded
The laboring man perceiyes with difficulty the in
huence 1t can have upon his fortune neither does
he find it the source Of peculiar enjoyment, and
before he can be induced to devote to it his leis-
ure time, he must first learn 10 find in it that en-
joymcnt and satisfaction which it is capable Of
aiOrding. This every person is able TO do, and by
simple process. 1t consists merely in forming
the habit of reading
Such is the constitution Of the mind that any
exercise, however disagreeahle IL may be as fs,.
may, by the force OF habit become very es-
sential to our happiness. We need no example
TO prove that this principle is true for it has al
ways been regarded as an axiom in Philosophy
and Morals. In accordance with this principle
the way Of lite we have pursued from childhood,
is to us more pleasant than any other. The home
OF childhood is TO US more pleasant than any
other. The childhood-home and the scenes sur
rounding It, however unnteresting they may be
in themselves, arc very delightful to u.s. for here
we have spent many happy days. In childhood it
was with us the centre of the world, and as we
have grown up, to this place have we referred
many OF our interests and plans therefore it is a
place dearer N us and of kinder aspect than any
other. In accordance with this principle. the
lcelander clings with proud affection to his frozen
climate the Arab loves the desert the Indian
loves the wild and painless woods In the same
way, by the force Of habit, the most dsagreeable
exercise can assume character directly the
reverse. The yirtuous man regards with horror
the character Of vicious being, vet experience
teaches how easy is the descent from virtue to
vice, and how often the downward path is trod
All these are instances which go to show the in
huence which habit has in forming our tastes and
governing oar conduct. II should therefore be no
cause Tor discouragement, that VIC find reading
task, which we are obliged to perform with reuc-
lance We may be assured that By the persever-
ing practice of it, it will become one of the most
abundant sources of happiness
Let the family circle become a reading circle
Yet mental improvement be the watchword, that
shali call II together, and instead of disorderly
mirth and frivolous conversation II will beqon,e
the nursery of literature and the home OF science
Those, who are gathered in that circle will be pre-
pared TO enter the theater of active life, with
minds erect and strengthened for the contest that
awaits them. by reading, they become acquainted
with human life and human character Their
knowledge, like a chart spread before them. ena-
bes them TO shape their course, to calculate their
progress and to avoid the dangers, which beset
them on every side.
Mere reading not the only necessity in order to
secure the highest degree of benefit, which that
exercise is capable of ati0rding The manner, in
which we read, will determine, whether we derive
advantage from it, One object of reading is to
store the mind with useful knowledge Another,
and quite as important object is mental discipline
Reading may be 50 performed, as to dissipate in
stead of strengthening the mind Like the BODY.
the mind acquires strength BY exertion, but no
exertion is put forth as books are often read
Many persons believe that, what is laid down in a
book must therefore be true, and they scarcely
think OF bringing the sentiment or statement of
the author before the tribunal OF reason and viz
orously investigate them. Thus they are in dan
ger OF storing the mind with perncious error in
stead of valuable truth. In such process of
reading, the mind is in passive rather than in
an active state. Precisely as the brute, by means
oil Its organs OF sense, takes in impressions from
surrounding objects, 30 the minds of many men
receive impressions from what they read, but
they are like those made upon the surface of
water. They pass away and leave no trace be-
hind' by such careless manner of reading a
person receives real injury, by acquiring and
encouraging habits of mental inactivity, OF dis
trust OF Judgment and a dependence upon the
opinions of others. The mind does not grow
when its increased amount of food is not digested
and assimilated, for, in the physical BODY il il
not the amount, but the quality dgested and as
simulated, which gives strength and vigor so in
the mind. 1t is not the number of books read.
butthe amount Of precious truth which Is acquir-
cd and the mental effort put forth which strength
ems and inyigorates the intellect 1t is a vulgar
error TO suppose, that an individual must he intel
hgent because he has read many books, for, not
wthsanding extensive reading a man may Ia
poor in respect to knowledge and weak in respect
TO intellect. The secret lies in the manner in
which his reading has been performed Most
people, who read in hasty and careless manner.
deceive themselves. They pride themselves on
the volumes they have achieved, and perhaps will
display well replenished library but the
truths, contained in those volumes, are not their
own; They have not been assimilated to the
mind
We cannot too cautiously avoid this method IS
careless, thoughtless, and proftess reading. II |
IS the error Of times, and its universally is
one Of the most unhappy characteristics Of our
age. II does not exist alone among the unlearn-
cd ii has infected all classes It's influence Is |
visible upon our literature. The most elaborate
works, oil the present day, do not exhibit the |
strength and penetration of mind, which charac- |
terizes she earlier English authors We have |
enough of rhetorical flourish but too little of that
grasp Of intellect and accuracy ofjudgment, which /
are exhibited by the older writer's In the earlier |
ages books were scarce, and with difficulty OBJ |
tained, and were priced accordingly. Their CON
tents were Thoroughly studied until perfect pos
session was made Of them and the ideas, contained
in them, had become part and parcel Of the read
er's mind. Read, or rather studied in this man
ner, they could not fail to enrich the soil which
they fell upon, and the consequence was, the pro
ductions of those mighty intellects which illus.