Orangeburg times. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1872-1875, 1873-04-17

characters or lmpresses, which are to be
substituted in their stead by the correc7
tive hand of science.
Your mind, my dear sir, again resem-
bles that same parchment, which we will
supposed little hardened by time and dis
use. We may apply the characters; but
are We sure the ink will sink?
You are in the condition of a traveller,
that has all his journey to begin. And
again, you are worse off thar the travel
les which I have supposed-for you have
aiaeady lost your way.
You have much to learn; which you
have never been taught; and more, I
fear, to unlearn, which you have been
taught enormously. You have hitherto,
I dare say, imagined, that the sun moves
round the earth. When you shall have
mastered the true solar system, you will
have quite q different theory upon thot
point, l assure y"u. / mention but this
instance. Your own experience, as
knowledge advances will furnish you with
nishy perallels.
2 can scarcely approve ofthe intention,
which Mr.. c. informs me you had
contemplated, of entering yourself at a
colnmon seminary, and working your
way up from the lower to the higher
forms with the children. I see more to
admire in the modesty, than in the ex-
pediency, Of such resolution. l own 1
canpot reconcile myself to the spectacle
of q gentleman at your time of life seated,
as must be your case at first, below
Tysosof four or five--for at that early
agefthe rudiments Of education usually
commence in this country. doubt
whether more might not be lost in the
point of fitness than would be gained in
the advantages which you propose to
yo,Eself by this scheme. S
lou say. you stand in need of emula
ton; that this Indictment is no where to
beasad sbptat public school; that you
should be more sensible of your progress
by comparing it with the daily progress
of those around you. But have you con-
sidered the nature of emulation; and
how it is sustained at those teuder years
which you would have to come in compe-
tition with? am afraid you are dream
ing Of academic prizes and distinctions.
Alas! in the university. for. which you
are preparing, the highest medal would
be silver penny, and you must graduate
in nuts and oranges.
know that Peter, the great Car, or
Emperor, of Moscovy, submitted himself
to the discipline of dock-yard, at Dept
ford, that he might learn, and convey to
his countrymen, the noble axt of ship
building. You are old enough to rcmem-
Der him, ur at least the talk about him.
l call to mind other great princes, who
to instruct themselves in the theory and
practice of var, and set an example of
subordination to their subjects, have con-
descended TO enrol themselves az private
soldiers; passing through the successive
ranks of corporal, quarter master, and
the rest, have served their way up to the
station, at which most princes are willing
enough to set ont-of General and Com
mandcr-in-chief over their own forces.
But-besides that there is oftentimes
great sham and ,prstonce IN their snow of
mock hnmility-the competition which
they stopped to was with their co-evals,
however inferior to them in birth. Be-
tween ages SO very disparate, as those
which you contemplate, fear there can
no salutary emulation subsist
Again, in the other alternative, could
you submit to the ordinary reproofs and
discipline of a day-schod Could you
bear to be corrected for yourfaults.? OR
how would it look to see you put to
stand, as must be the case sometimes, in
a corner?
ain afraid the idea of public school
in your circumstances must be given up.
But is it impossible, my dear sir, to
find some person ofyour own age-if of
the other sex, the more agreeable per-
haps-whose information, like your own,
has rather Jagged behind their years,