Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1917-01-26
FRIDAY, JANUARY 20, 1917.
A SILAS WRIGHT LETTER.

The Watertown IN. W Times pub
fishes a very interesting letter Of Silas
Wright to his younger brother Pliny
advising him as to his studies in the
Addison County Grammar School, the
precursor of the Middlebury High
School. The letter contains not only
the views of the great man on the sub
iect of education, but also some frank
confessions as to his own studies. When
this letter was written Silas Wright
was practing law in Canton, N. y, and
the following year he began his brilliant
political career by service in the New
York State Senate. Pliny Wright was
born in Weybridge in 1905, graduated
from Middlebury College in 1927, and
later studied law with his brother,
The letter follows;
Canton, Is May, 1922.
Dear Brother:- You have at length
commenced your course of studies.
The first virtue can recommend to
you is patience in the commencement
of your long apprenticeship. You be-
gin the Latin, presume, and nothing
is more discouraging. You must not
let an anxiety to progress fast dis
courage you. Be sure to read the
first Latin well, though it takes you a
long time, and you will then read the
last easy. Your instructor will, if
good, attend to that, but | wish you to
believe it necessary. Do not depend
upon any other DICTATOR, but make 1t
your merit to get your lessons as
well, if not as long, as the best. The
length of the first lesson is not so
important. Bring your mind to make
your studies your only business, and
attend to them regularly, but not in a
hurry. You cannot hasten the time
and you will have time enough in the
necessary Term Of Collegiate Course,
if well and moderately improved.
You must be careful not to injure
your health by sitting too much, or
studying too hard. Exercise often and
let your exercise be lively and vigor-
Gus. Temper your Latin after you
get a little started by reading, but
not much until you have got some
hold of it. Read History mostly, but
not let it get the upper hand Of your
classics. Be modest and unassum-
ing in your manners and make friends
of all that are worthy of being your
friends. Be honest and frank with
your friends and never undertake to
deceive them in the most minute par
ticular. In the choice of your com
panions be very particular.
Choose those who are frank and
liberal in their feelings, who are mild
in their passions, and particularly
those who are good scholars and you
will be a good scholar yourself.
Guard against often being in pas
sion or letting your temper swallow
up your reason, but never tamely
pocket an intended insult. Yet, if
you are insulted or abused, resent it
in a manly way, not passionately, but
firmly. Think yourself as good as
any one, but do not talk so, nor show
your good opinion of yourself. Do
well and let others tell of it. These,
my brother, are my opinions, and
those from which you will, have no
doubt, be benefited, if rightly fol-
lowed. AS to my progress, | cannot
tell you. Twas never swift scholar.
Nor was my diligence so great as it
might have been without injury. |
supported kind of mediocrity from
which | hope you will rise. In the
Latin was well drilled in the Gram
mar before attempted to read, which
| always found benefit. | am told you
have a good instructor and you will
find it for your advantage to be
friendly with him. A respect and at
tachment is a much better inducement
to good application than fear.
You will find the greatest embar-
rassment in speaking and compo-
sition, two of your most useful ex-
ercises. In these you must summon
all your resolution and faithfulness,
and never evade them, unless for the
best reasons. | pursued a contrary
course and hardly ever recovered
what lost in one year of negligence.
You must keep pace with those who
commence with you, or the mortif-
cation will eventually be greater.
And you will never learn to write or
speak except from practice, which in
short time will render both easy.
You must write letters as an assistance