The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1893-08-16
shall; so persevered and now / can
Jump right out of bed with mamma"


WE feel like copying a great deal
more from these simple, honest and
affectionate letters; but our object is
merely to show how fast and easily
children will learn when intelligently
led along and helped, not too much,
but just enough to keep up courage
and interest. We have some teachers
even in our country school-houses, who
can interest and stimulate their pupils;
but far too many of them are put there
to draw their pay that they may save
their parents the cost of their clothing,
if they are girls; and to help them
along to academy and college, if young
men. 1t is all temporary matter with
them, and not worth considering as
real work, or duty. Such te achers
deaden the intellects of their pupils
rather than stimulate them, and the
dedication " obtained under them
amounts to very little indeed.
SOMETIMES we feel forced to think
that there is quite as much of what is
called aristocracy here in New England,
as there ever was in old England, but
of a meaner sort-as is necessary, per-
haps, under the circumstances. This
aristocracy sometimes manifests
itself very queerly, as is illustrated by
the following extract from a letter
written to us by now deceased presi-
dent of New England college. 81
write to thank you for your letter.
The chief objection that was urged
against me when l came up for the
presidency was that was social
RADICAL and it was instanced as one of
the proofs of it that in certain instance
l allowed workman in my garden to
dine with gentleman at my table,
the latter being greatly aggrieved at the
insult, and, what was worse, passed
to the laborer the first and fullest plate
of food"
Now we could not and cannot see
anything whatever in this anecdote
from which to infer the social senti-
ments of our correspondent. He may
have been the proudest of aristocrats,
or as pure democrat as Thomas JEFF
ferson, or Abraham Lincoln. 1t is not
what a man does in his intercourse
with his fellowmen, but how he feels
in his heart that marks him as dis
piser of his fellows, or as brother
man. Many proud men are fond of
showing themselves to be "condescend-
ing" especially to those whom they
think very much beneath them.
THE "decay of Words" which goes
on in all languages, is illustrated by
the present accepted meaning of the
word "aristocrat." 1t is now univer-
sally taken in the sense given to it by
Burke, "a naughty, overbearing per-
son. But originally "aristocracy" de-
noted government of what we should
now call our best people, without nee
essary reference to their pecuniary
wealth, or their social standing, other
than that freely awarded to them by
their fellow citizens. Yet we must
take words, as well as things and peo-
pie, as we find them; and an aristocrat,
nowadays, is man who sincerely
think that he "condescends" when he
he is frank and friendly with people of
little note in the world. Aristocracy
of this sort is not necessarily pride;
FOR pride, however reprehensible, may
have real basis, which our aristocracy
lacks.
On the whole, however, this is not
an aristocratic country. The fault of
most Americans is rather the other
way. The majority of our people do
not think enough of themselves. That
is the real American feeling,-not ex-
actly modesty, or humility, but some
thing more akin to lazy Indifference,
and base satisfaction with things as
they are, when they might easily be
bettered. We lack that noble discon-
tent" without which anything great or
good is scarcely to be hoped for. We
heartily wish that the American people
were more disconnected in this right |
way; and especially is it to be desired
our farmers. Without discon-
tent there is little hope of advancement,
and very little hope for the future of
our posterity. -
OUR friend, Mr.. Timothy Wheeler,
writes to us in reference to the ques-
ton of the location of life " in tree,
as discussed by Meehan'S Monthly. |
He accepts the view of the subject as