The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1870-07-07
Reading History.

It is a discouraging feature of SOcie-
ty to find so few of our young men
who are well read in History-espec-
tally so, when we consider how easy
it is to obtain a sufficient mastery over
it to make them useful and ornamental
members of society. The greatest
stumbling block young men meet
with, on entering on a course of histO-
ricaI reading, is the time and labor
necessary to be consumed in going
through with it. This is greatly eXag-
gerated, and to some is a supreme
objection to doing any thing. They
say, off we can't be well posted we
will neglect it all; we don't want to
be botches, and justly fear the effects
Of a little knowledge'-which of all
things is the most dangerous.
We undertake to say that it is not
so great an affair, after all, to become
well informed on the most important
points of history, and the great lessons
therein taught. Hon. Arson Burlin-
game, while a student at the Univer-
sity of Michigan, wrote an essay on
history, in which he expressed the
opinion that-"by close application a
young man, in one years time, can
become acquainted with the principal
events which have tTanspired since the
creation of the world, and thus GER
tainIy make himself an ornament to
society, and that therefore, it seems
strange any individual will rather
waste his time in perusing fiction,
which only leaves him cause to re
gret."
The pTe-eminent success of this man,
in dealing with foreign nations, and
creating a new life and history for
China, will eutitle his opinion to some
weight If young men can do what
he asserts they can do in one year,
what cause for dependency have
they? 1t is of the utmost Importance
to our country that its citizens should
know the nature Of the sand-bars and
rocks on which other nations have
drifted and gone down. In a few
years, cur young men must take the
helm, and pilot the nation through
and out from the dangerous breakers
which surround it.
History has minutely described eve
ry7dangerous place we must pass
Over the graves of nations that have
been submerged by corruption, she has
hoisted a bright beacon light by which
AL.,t h,v-o
been.distracted and ruined by foreign
wars leave the cause of their ruin in
history, for our instruction. The ma
tional "Iandsharks" who have con
quered States and purchased islands
without number, and have been made
to feel the ruinous effects of too much
territory, reveal the secret of their
downfall to the student Of history.
These dangers all threaten our na-
ton, and it is well for our future Tul-
ers to study them. Not a breaker
that threatens our country to-day, but
its exact counterpart can be found in
history-hanging over some other ma
ton, and finally running it. We must
steer clear Of these dangers, and the
young men of the country are to be
the pilots, and who among them, who
is worthy the name, but is willing to
devote a year, or years, to the close
study of history, in order to prepare
himself for the duties incumbent upon
craftsmanship?
Want of time is no excuse. "SpaTe
hours" were made for a purpose, and
can be moulded to this one. The less
indulgence we have in that debasing
pastime, reading novels, the better
But few novels are worth reading,
and all history is worth the time of
any man. To select the good novels
is a dangerous undertaking, for there
are so few that we are liable to con-
sumo our time on worthless ones. The
only safe plan is, to discard them al
together. Particularly is this so with
young men who have not the dis
eliminating judgment that enables
them to Gull the good from the bad.
Read history by torch-Iight, if moth
ing better is attainable, for the gems
it bestows upon the youthful mind
will gIisten just as bright under the
blaze Of the torch as the glitter of the
chandelier. Want Of time and means
are no excuse. God has given US free
Iy of both, if we will only accept the
ofering.-[E Exchange.