The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-07-19
MACON'S ADVICE TO A YOUNG
MAN,

When a man begins to grow old is the
| time to put to the test the principles by
which he thinks men should be governed.
Enthusiasm and ambition in early man
hood and prudence and selfishness in ma
ture years are apt to warp his judgment.
But in old age he looks upon things as
they are. The wisest admontion that any
young man can receive comes from the
old man whose life has been successful.
The best letters the worlds great men
have written have been letters to their
sons or relatives or some ambitious youth
in whose welfare the writer has felt a
deep interest.
In the North Carolina Hall of History,
in collection of letters written by emf
nent North Carolnians is a letter written
by Nathaniel Macon-the foremost man
North Carolina in its entire history has
produced-to a young relative, Mr. Frank
A. Thompson. 1t was written in Wash
ington city, and is dated October 10th.
1914, and is as follows.
Il could not, were | to try, tell you how
much / have been pleased with reading
your letter. Go on Iii your good deter
mination and make yourself an honor to
your parents and an ornament to the
country. | am so pleased with your let
ter that / shall send it to your mother
unless you object to it. | feel no hesita-
ton in saying to you that / approve your
determination to study Law, In prefer
ence to Physics; besides this, / think it
right in all persons, whether parents or
guardians, to consult the inclination of
young persons az to the learned profess
sion they wish to study. If you Should
hereafter change your opinion and wish
to practice, the law is quite as profitable
as medicine, and as you prefer the law let
me advise you, while you are young, to
make yourself perfectly acquainted with
the history of England. When reading it
pay particular attention to the changes
made in the Judiciary and observe well
the causes which induced the Parliament
to pass the laws which made the change;
you viii also notice with attention the
anxiety of Mr.. Hume to excuse the kings
al CNCiy ~ dCts 4sCAbt DC NGil DC
quainted VITA the history of our own
country; we ought to be well acquainted
with the history of England, because our
laws and customs are in very great meas
ure derived from her. The history of
Charles the Fifth contains the best ac-
count that / ever saw of the feudal sys
tenn, and is well worth reading. The study
OF Physic, if the lectures in any large city
are attended, is much more costly than
the study of law and without attending
the lectures no great advantage can be
derived from the study. / repeat to you
that / approve your choice. 1t is true,
as you state, that the law is the road to
eminence in the United States and it is
equally true that man must be well ac-
quainted with the laws in any other
country to make a figure in it in public
life. After reading the before mentioned
books / would advise you to read the
histories of Greece and Rome, and do not
forget the Bible and Testament With
them every one ought to be well acquaint-
ed. A very good plan to improve your
self would be to read a paper in the Spec
tator or Guardian, and then write one as
near like it as you can. After writing
compare yours and the original together.
This is the plan which Doctor Franklin,
when young, adopted to improve himself
and his style, and no man has written In,
more easy and elegant style than the
Doctor The reading recommended ought
not to interfere in your school studies,
when you begin Euclid. Be assured that
it will always give me great pleasure to
render you any service in my power and
believe that am your friend, and that no
one, not even your dear mother. is more
anxious for you to do well and to make
yourself man of first-rate talents and
responsibility than / am, and that you
may be so is the sincere wish of
"Yr friend & relation.
"NATH. MACON"
Almost a century has passed since Mr..
Macon wrote that letter, but time has not
dimmed or age stalled it's wise counsel
Young men Of this day will do well to
read it and re-read it, and adopt its sensi-
BILE suggestions. Wise fathers might pro-
fitably place it in the hands OF ambitious
sons.