The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-02-16

MODERN MENTOR.

Will be. He IL still engaged in the tnankiess task
OF snatching the young Telemachus from perdition
and showing him the fearful pits into which he
might have fallen had he been permitted to go his
own way. We do not know that Telemachus is
particularly thankful, at any rate the modern
IL IL greatly to be feared that the youth who listens
reverentiy to gray-naired counseliors, repaying
them with noble affection and cherishing their
memories with kinding gratitude. is TOO
often pious myth, pleasing tradition
OF the Sunday school library, intended for
the ed1ncau0n OF rosy relays from the
infant class. 1t would be pleasant to believe
otherwise. II would raise ones conceptions OF
human nature ana make us think ourselves
little higher than the angels for surely no angel,
exposed TO the assaults OF the world, the mesh and
the devil, could possibly bear himself with that
perfect sweetness and sef-cOntrol which the
average human Teemachus is assumed 10 be
capable OF acquiring. We have no faith in this
ideal young man who hangs upon the lips Of
Gamaliel and Is docility ap0theOsized. He does
not exist and all attempts to model young man
upon that ideal must prove abortive. Our sympa
thies, to great extent go with the young
men. They are advised by writer's who, having
little or no practical acquaintance with
the temptations against which they warn,
are incapable OF feeling that sympathy which alone
could inspire proper treatment OF the subject
Or they are warned by man who, like the Rev. Mr.
Taimage, has no tact wherewith TO prune and
govern his energies; who lacks that grand moral
magnetism which enables q truly great teacher to
"draw all men unto" him. Every now and then
writer makes his appearance who evidently be-
lieves that by appealing to young men he shah do
something toward reforming the world. Yester-
day 1t was ''rtmothy Titcomb" advising ingenious
youths 70 allow their necktles to be the radlatng
points whence the rest OF their costume
should diverge. To-day 1t is John Stuart
Backie, with trilogy OF lectures which
he calls "a vade-mecum for young men
and students" We hardly think that many
young men and students will be as ready to be-
stow that title upon 1t as Professor Blackie,
and we will explain why we do not. Professor
Blackle is dictatOral and unsympathetic. He ex-
presses no tenderness for those faults and weak
nesses that belong to humanity, and with which
those who appoint themselves to instruct hui
mainly must deal arectionately il they deal at all
Scotch professor who does nothing but teach
Greek who devoutly believes in the study Of meta
physics, who despises "those sorry caricatures OF
humanity with which the pages of Thackeray and
other popular novelists are filed" and who has
nothing to say Of fallen women but that "they are
the most degraded and abandoned OF the human
speciesn-such q man this lacks those gen.
tie yearnings over human misery and sin
which would best qualify him to be the wise,
and strong, and generous friend OF erring
youth And in the next place, Professor BlacEie
maps out q course Of action which very few young
men could possibly follow. His system is not in
tended for students only. His book is emphati-
cally announced as q "vade- mecum for young
men" In general, as well as for students. vade-
mecum, indeed Very well, let us 60 with PROBES.
sor Blackie and see where he Will lead us.
Dvofo hi olyia
place, observe in all that he the points of like
ness and difference. He must acquire a habit OF
binding things together according to their bonds
OF natural afnnity. He must submit himself for
season, after the old Platonic recipe, to q system
Of thorough mathematical training. He must
enter upon a formal study OF logic and meta
physics, the particular use OF metaphysics being
to acquaint ourselves with the necessary limits OF
the human faculties and to make us feel ''by o
little laundering and bouncing in deep, bottom
less seas Of speculation, that the world is much
bigger place than We had imagined and our
thoughts about it OF much less significance" Pro-
lessor Blackie's young man is not to be too prone
to looking at the world in humorous light, "ior
there IS no more sure sign of o shallow mind than
the habit Of seeing always the ludcrous side OF
things" The young man, therefore, must beware
OF humorous novels and sketches 0f.character. For
relaxation he may study the fine arts as Offering a
more healthy variety than "the converse with RI
diculous sketches Of trining OF contemplate
humanity" He may play pleasant tune
on the piano or turn wise say
ing OF some ancient sage into the
terms OF Q terse English cOuplet, and he will al
ways find this a more profitable way OF unbendng
than the reading OF what are called amusing
books. This, Professor Blackie declares. is ian
occupation fitted specially for the most stagnant
moments of life and the most lazy minded Of the
lving.n II is plain that such moments ana such a
condition OF mind can never occur to the accom-
pished author OF Lectures on SenCulture."
But to proceed along the nowery pathway which
Professor Blackie has so generously strewn the
youth bent on self-culture Is given minute direc-
tons as to where he shall obtain his stores "In
politics look to Aristotle; in mathematics, to New
ton in philosophy, to LeiDnitz; in theology, to Cud
worth in poetry, to Shakespeare and in science, to
Faraday." What good old granite sound each
OF these names has 1t is the very grit Of ortho-
doxy, and we are not surprised to have Professor
Blackie In the next paragraph Ringing denunci.
atoms at Voltaire and David Hume, giving o sly
cut at Darwin and Huxley and using up the atne-
lists as remorseessly as Solomon used up FOOLS
Where physical culture Is concerned our author
comes out very strong. The young man
is especially recommended seldom or never
to sit 'Sitting, in fact, is slovenly
habit, and ought not to be INDUCED" Now
this seems to us rather hard. We would not
speak disrespectfulIy Of an author who evidently
has the well being of youth at heart; but we would
beg him to remember that every pair Of legs Is not
constructed with the same powers Of endurance,
and we can imagine nothing more prostrating
to youth Of ardent senslpilities than to be
compelled to stand during the delivery OF one Of
Professor Blackies lectures. Perhaps however,
II our authors next pit of advice is needed the
needed strength will accrue. The young man
must join volunteer corps. 'for the double pur-
pose Of brushing of all faint Of pedantry and grid.
ing the lons stoutly for the duties that belong to
citizenship and active manhood" After that, ath-
letlc games may be taken up, and here Professor
Blacke allows no excuse for any age either sex.