The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1876-11-30

menss number OF books have been pro-
yided, some Of them excellent, some mere
trash or worse, but scarcely any are now
read which are not Of recent date. The
question is often asked, What books had
they 10 read 70 or so years since? They
had books, and some Of great merit.
There was stanford and Merton and
Little jack" there was "Robinson Cru.
soep with lis variations, aThe Swiss
Family Robinson" and sThe New Robin.
son Crusoe," there was Mrs. Trimmer's
knowledge, Of NAture,n aud Berquin's
likely narratives and sketches translated
from the French; there was "Philip
Quaril," and Watts @Poems for Chill.
dren,p and Bunyans "Pllgrlm's Progress"
and MrS. Barbauld's writings, and the
"MiscellaneouS Poems" Of Cowper, La.
ter, we had Mrs. Edgeworth's "PArehtS
Assistant and Evenings at Home" All
these, II not numerous, were at least often
read, and the frequent reading Of few
good books Is thought to be at least as
improving-as useful In storing the mind
and teaching one to think-as the more
cursory reading OF many. OF elementary
books there was no lack, nor, as have
already intimated, any scarcity Of private
instructors, principally clergymen, edu.
Gated at the colleges.
l have here set down such particulars
as now occur 10 me Of the employments,
the amusements and the studies amidst
which the boys OF my time grew up and
were trained for tho duties OF manhood.
OF those who set cut with me in life there
are few now remaining; they are like old
trees in a young wood, waiting for high
wind TO snap their aged trunks and level
them with the ground.
They became dispersed to different
parts OF the country, particularly the
new States OF the West, whose institu.
tons they have helped to form. They
had grown up, in the main, a conscien.
tious generation-laborious enterprising,
strict in the performance Of duty, and
obedient to the laws; and on this account |
they we're the very men 10 whom the task |
OF forming new communities might be
most adyantageously committed. A few
OF them became distinguished above
their fellows. One Of them became an
eminent orientalist, and settled at
Athens, in Greece. Another, with whom
/ used 10 contend in the foot
race, became one Of the millionaires Of
New York, and died, not long since, full
Of days. leaving an honored memory. A
third, my school.fellow in preparing for
college, retired from a prosperous mer.
camille career to become a lecturer on
political economy and the author OF valu.
able works on that since. One, with
whom I had series Of written disputa.
tions, migrated to Indiana and became
one Of It's legislators. 0ne was afterward
the founder Of the American tract society
and now, In the calm evening OF n long
life, employs himself'in writing its his
tory. Two went to the East as mission
aries, and in the midst OF their labors laid
down their lives before the approach Of
old age. 81
Wha,eve. may have been the merits or
the shor: comings Of the generation to
which these men Belonged, they are now
with the past, and 1t ia yet to be seen
whether the different systems now adopt.
I'd in training the youth OF our country
will give it Il betterclas OF citizens. Il