Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1913-04-29
atlisesllaneous Reaaing
BEACON LIGHTS OF HISTORY.

6EHSON LtSn 10 VI hiSiShf'
Examples Of Human Virtue That Have
Made the World Better.
/ -GUnder this heading from time to
time will be published a series of au-
thenticated extracts dealing with his
torical examples Of the good and bad
in human nature. mostly good; but all
furnishing an admirable chart Of con-
duct to be emulated or avoided: K
EDUCATION
Sentiments.
An industrious and virtuous educa-
ton Of children Is better inheritance
for them than a great estate. ITO
what purpose is It." said Crates, ito
heap up great riches and have no con-
Germ what manner Of heirs you leave
them to?
The foundation of knowledge and
virtue Is laid In our childhood, and
without an early care and attention we
are almost lost in our very cradles; for
the principles we imbioe in our youth
we carry commonly to our graves It
Is education that makes the man. To
speak all in q few words, children are
but blank paper, ready indifferently for
any impression, good or bad: for they
take all upon credit, and 1t Is much in
the power Of the first conner to write
saint or devil upon 1t, which Of the two
he pleases; so that one step out Of the
way at the beginning Is enough to poi
SON the peace and reputation of a
whole life. There Is, however in some
tempers, such a natural barrenness,
that, like the sands Of Arabia, they are
never to be cultivated or improved: /:
and some will never learn anything,
because they understand every thing
too soon. Give me-" says Quintilian,
(among his excellent rules for in
structing youth,) "a child that is sem
sible Of praise, and touched with glory,
and that will cry at tine shame Of be-
ing outdone, and will keep him to his
business by emulation; reproof will
affiict, and honour will encourage him,
and shall not fear to cure him Of his
idleness."
The magisterial severity of some
pedagogues frightens more learning
out Of children, than ever they can
whip into them. Lessons and percepts
ought to be gilt and sweetened. as we
do pills and potions, 80 a. to take of
the taste Of the remedy; for 1t holds
good, both in virtue and in health, that
we love to be instructed, as well as
physicked, with pleasure. But none can
be eminent without application and
genius.
To become an able man in any pro-
fession, three things are necesary-na-
ture, study. and practice.
1t is observed, that education Is gen.
orally the worse, in proportion to the
wealth Of the parents. Many are apt
m fpk hof 70 do l.
French, and to know how to behave
among great persons. comprehends
the whole duty Of gentleman; which
opinion is enough to destroy all the
seeds Of knowledge, honour, wisdom,
and virtue, among US. To be prudent,
honest, and good, are infinitely higher
accomplishments than the being nice,
fiorid. learned, or all that which the
world calls great scholars and fine gen.
tlemen. EaE
Agesilaus being asked what he
thought most proper for boys to learn,
answered. What they ought to do
when they come to be men,"
It Is not in the power Of every man
to provide for his children, with re-
gard to the good things Of this world,
perhaps deserve. His own circum-
stances may be too narrow to make
theirs easy; his own interest, merit, or
abilities, too small to recommend them
to powerful favour and protection. But
1t is in every mans power to form their
minds to the practice Of virtue, and
tnstil into them, as early as possible,
the principles Of religion and morality.
And as piety strengthens the bonds of
flial, as we'll as Of every other duty,
those children will always be the most
obedient, tender and affectionate, who
act from conscientious and religious
principles.
Parents there are every day found
among us, who show their power only
by the abuse Of It, who treat their chill
dren as slaves; who, yielding to every
impulse Of passion and resentment, al
ways rebuke with asperity and chas-
tise with rigour; but surely such saw
ages are a disgrace 20 human nature.
Youth hath a thousand pleas to urge
in Its favour, which the deafest ear
must listen to. There are few faults
indeed In children which are not par
donable; and half their errors should
only be attributed to experience and
inadvertency.
A more dangerous, and certainly a
much more frequent error in parents,
is an unrestrained and excessive fond
ness. The various passions and affec-
tions OF human nature begin very early
to exert and display themselves; and,
IL they are not properly restrained and
directed, will Of necessity have a fatal
and unconquerable influence over the
whole tenor Of our lives. II we give up
the reins to appetite at an age when
reason Is too weak t. guide them, and
suffer the will to rule with despotic
ou hx, i,,lo -l
unawed by parental authority, every
vice Will gain strength by habit, and
every propensity to evil will take such
deep root In the soul, as never to be
extirpated. If the child be never cor
rected, 1t is most probable that the man
will never be virtuous; and If the child
be always complied with, the man will
be always unhappy.
PITY 1t is," says the celebrated AS
cham, that commonly more care is
had, yea, and that among very wise
men, to find out cunning man
for their horse, than a cunning man for
their children. They say nay in word,
but they do in. deed; for to one they
will gladly give a stipend Of two hum
dred crowns by the year, and are 10th
to offer to the other two hundred shil-
lings. God, that sitteth in heaven,
laugheth their choice to scorn, and re-
wardeth their liberality as 1t should be.
For he suffereth them to have tame
and well-ordered horses, but wild and
unfortunate children; and, therefore, in
the end they find more pleasure in
their horse than comfort. in their
child"
Examples.
In a family where I lately spent
some days on visit, I observ-
ed a very remarkable instance of
the untoward management Of two chill
dren. Young master Is a boy of strong
ungovernable passions, Of no mean ca
pacity, and an open, liberal temper;
add to this the disadvantage that he Is
brought up to the prospect of a great
estate. The girl Is of surprising natur-
al parts, but pettish, sullen, and haugh-
ty, though not without a considerable
fund Of native goodness. Both of them
are excessively INDUCED by their par
ents. The father, who jumped into the
estate by means Of his relationship to
wealthy citizen, is a strange, ignor-
ant, unpublished creature; and having
had no education himself, has little no
ton of the Importance Of one, and is
neither anxious about theirs, nor med
II Il H. l.. l..A L. II.