The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1874-05-02
uA..the Source of Strength.

To
c,S r S,vss at The recent dinner IL w"
yn,L Of the Alumni of the University o'
VIRGINIA. that gentleman remarked upon tue
;,,nor,anee of physical strength in deter.
icing the status Of men in the pursuits OF
life. and he adopted the philosophy OF HER
pxpr SPENCER. that the best foundation .of
Success in life "is to be a gooa d"'"ao''
This is very true; and what IS lhi'oi'sn'
for the individual is also important ''' 'n'
Stale. Luxury and ease sap the suens'"
Of nation and dcpreciatc us Puo'I' VA
tues.
~, H,vns urged the importance OF out
soor cvsrcisc in training youth for TIC re-
>;bj,i;ics of manhood, and commented
III, examples OF the English schools ana
universities. He gave his preference to
r,x;nc as the best Of the various means OIL
uhysical exercise.
Mr. H,vss, whose youthful paths, and
whose education. sarc,ify in his memory the
rcoion about Charlottesville, thinks that the
E;vanno is tit for rcgatta. He conceived
tho notion that stretch OF water on that
either subducd and shallow or tuTeid anu
r,pid stream could be rendered suitable lor
: rowing match q mile long, aud he offered
subscription of thousand dollars 10 assist
in removing any obstacle in the way OF
channel of such length in the struggle OF
Two boats crews for the prize. A feeling 50
natural as that displayed By Mr.. RIvEs should
bc ora,ified. But we fear that regatta on
rho Riyauua would be attended with dith
cul,ies. 1t may answer finely; but for our
Virginia colleges, save those in Richmond OF
on the sea, We would better look TO the gym
nasjum. thc .'fox and hounds" the five:
battery, and the foot-race. These all give
ample means Of physical development, and
cannot fail to inspire generous ambition
and Undue the body with the strength ana
endurance which are so Invaluable III Inc
trials and contests Of life.
There isa yet better exercise than al! these,
and that is p,ougbing. There is more vigor
and there is better health in the arts OF hls-
bandry than n any other of the pursuits OF in
dus,ry. Whatever be the discipline for de-
yeloping and cherisbing muscle and man.
hood in The schools, the labor Of tillaee is the
best in the world for those who are at coun-
try homes. And one of the worst features in
the southern social system before the war
was the degradation of labor by leaving it to
slaves. 1t Has sad day for this country when
urge numbers Of an inferior race were i'm
ported to labor in the fields. 1t tended to
degrade labor, and to exclude too many cf
our own race from the blessings Of good
hard. honest industry Of the healthieSt and
best kind. The social position Of the inferior
race is now altered, but that race still stands
in he way 8 stumbling. block TO the best dis. |
cpiine for the Lest race Of men III the |
country.
so in our national economy we should !
study 10 maintain The dignity Of labor as we'll |
IS It's blessings. In tie doom OF man to labor |
and eat his bread in the sweat Of his face, |
Providence has, with a grand bencticeDce,
made labor the source of our chic:est joys:
good digestion, sound rest, health, and con.
tent.
Manly industry and manly sports Undue
men with stamina and spirit, and give them
Advantage in the battle Of life. Such disci-
zine inyigorates q nation aud fills it with
p uck and energy in the time Of trial. The
Greeks understood the great benefits Of THIS
sort Of discipline, and by their games and
prizes for excellence brought themselves to 4
point of heroSm and endurance that the
world will never cease to admire.
Nevertheless, let US bear in mind that the
greatest ard most successful men in The land
We're raised at the plough-tail. They are
first in the professions, first in the walks of
first in craftsmanship and in war.
And let Us cherish industryat home and fos-
ter manly sports in schools. Thus may we
strengthen the individual for the pursuits of
life, and thus may we preserve alike the
public virtues and the manhood of this na-
ton.
The higher walks Of life, so called. like the
5 eds and animals, must he replenished from
the original stock. They must return to
fl st principles forreiavigoratior. The fine
IL cultivated Blooded animals wane and lose
their force after a time, so seeds decay alter
a course of high tillage, and it is only by
S .eking again the original source OF race ana
kind that either can be restored to health anu
yisor. So man must go back to the school
of labor 10 recover the stamina and energy
which period of wealth and luxury RODS
him OF. The Divine judgment which makes
l.bor his very soul and life, must be obeyed.
Nature demands it. Man cannot be lnde
pendent of her laws. To her temple he must
make his pilgrimage, and at her altar must
he relume his dim torch which no other
ire can relight. No other source of life and
heat can impart the electric principle, with
out which there can be no true, no trium-
plant physical energy.
The policy of society, the practice Of the
schools and colleges, should ever lie to foster
manly energies and activity, and to make
man, besides being good and virtuous, ga
good antmdl."
IL