Year: 1876

children whose minds are so
strong and whose intellects
are so vigorous that l. is ne
cessary to withhold books un-
til the nerve tissue of the
brain becomes more mature.
1t being a recognized fact
that the more we exercise the
mind the stronger it becomes
up to a certain poiat, just as
the muscles Of the arm of a
blacksmith will be stronger
than those of a person en-
gagged in a more effeminate
calling, or sedantary employ
ment. 1t does not follow
because a boy is slow to learn
that he will be a dull man.,
out it can almost be certain
ly stated to be quite to the
contrary. Every teacher or
instructor of youth will bear
me out in the assertion that
such a child, when It does
learn anything, will have it
safely stored in the reoesses
of the mind and will be slow
to lose it.


1t is said that the mother
OF Sir Isaac Newton, because
of his luilness when a child,
remarked that eff it should
please God to deprive NC Of
any one of my children, |
pray that it may be Isaac"
A precious child requires
constant watching, and fond
mothers and doting fathers
should be very careful how
they attempt to force such an
one, and should not be un-
mindful of the Latin phrase,
Cito omaturun,, ,cito putridum -
"soon ripe, soon rotten" A
mind that is forced into ma
turity at an early age has
often been known to decay
as rapidly, or the physical
system will give way and the
subject is never known to
enjoy a single day of that
greatest of blessings, good
health.


BIaise Pascal, pel'aps the
most brilliant intellect ever
known, apart from inspired
persons, did not live to be
forty years old, and from the
time he was Is never knew
the blessing of good health,
| non al hour Of freedom from
bodily pain. Every effort was


made to keep him back
When only II years old he
had mastered Euclid's ele
ments as far as the 32d pro
position. The books neces-
sary to enable him to make
such progress were incau-
tiously left within his reach,
and a life that might have
been preserved was lost to
the world forever. Many
other Instances of a like char
acter might be named.


This apparent DEPRESSION is
made to illustrate the fact
that Judgment and caution
are necessary in training the
mind of outh, and to show
thai if "a little learning is a
dangerous thing too great
an anxiety to obtain it and
intense study consequent up
on that desire. may be fraught
with the most disastrous con-
sequences, Or may entail pain
and suffering through life.


The life of a farmer and
physical labor are not incor-
sistent with a high order Of
mental capacity, bnt quite to
the contrary. In the c"untry
we may find relaxation from
mental labor of a character
far more inviting than else
where, and will find the pure
atmosphere of the rural dis.
| tricts conducive to a health
ier condition of both mind
and body. Tbs farmer should
have few of the trials known
to those Who occupy the busy
marts of the world,a ,and should
have more time for mental
improvement. Elihu lSurritt,
the learned blacksmith, fur
nisbes one evidence of what
can be attained by one whose
employment was physical la
Dor, he being able to speak
33 languages. Many of the
greatest minds of the world
have found relaxation from
the wearing duties of public
life in the quiet and peaceful
enjoynents Of a farmers