網頁圖片
PDF
ePub 版

I rely confidently on your indulgence, in passing by any deficiency in diction, or elegance of style, but for any lack of correctness of expression, and purity of sentiment, for the sake of the cause, deal out your criticisms in strict justice, with an unsparing hand.

Without further preface, allow me to commence at once the examination of my subject: The importance of training the whole man, physically, intellectually, and morally. By training, I include both the theory and the practice.

It is not my intention to enumerate all the causes, which may combine to waste man's energies and shorten his days; nor is it any part of my design to name the various diseases which affect mankind, and point out a specific remedy for each; but it is more particularly to call the attention of an intelligent community to those laws of nature, which, if strictly observed, from the morning of our existence, would lead to vigorous youth, energetic manhood, and a comfortable and happy old

age.

[ocr errors]

The three most important elements which tend to invigorate the body, and continue a sound and healthy state, are, pure air, active exercise and wholesome food. Every body knows this but what if they do? - Do they pay any attention to it? If we judge by the effects, we must conclude that they regard it only in theory, and bid defiance to all prescribed rules. How many live, or rather drag out, a painful existence in damp, unventilated rooms, breathing the same air over and over again, thereby contracting disease, which terminates only in death. We all know this fact, and yet the practice is continued from genera

tion to generation, entailing evils upon our race, too numerous to mention. It is not an uncommon thing to crowd many children into one room for instruction, and confine them for hours, while the means of ventilation could not supply pure air for one fourth of their number. As the inevitable result of this, we often find them restless, peevish, and extremely uncomfortable.

Nor are we less in fault in regard to exercise. The weak and emaciated frames of our children bear ample testimony to their inactivity. Pale-faced and sallow, for want of pure air, their muscles have just power enough to give them the appearance of moving skeleInstead of robust, well-formed limbs, able to perform the active duties of life, and endure the hardships inseparable from our very existence, they draw their feeble extremities, in solemn mockery of the octogenarian.

tons.

And as to their food, one might well suppose they were trying the experiment, to ascertain whether their stomachs could not digest all sorts of substances, or even resist the most deadly poisons. Witness the daily consumption of alcoholic drinks, and the vast quantities of that most filthy weed, tobacco.

My friends, we have not convened for the purpose of instructing physicians, whose profound knowledge of allopathy, homeopathy, hydropathy, and all other pathys, will render their names illustrious through all coming time; but it is to induce the people to learn and practise such things as experience has demonstrated to be good for them. To instruct them so to arrange their dwellings, their school-rooms, and their public edifices, that they may breathe the pure air of heaven. To

induce them to adopt such modes of life, as will insure sufficient exercise of their muscular powers, to give vigor and activity to every part of the human system. To direct them in the choice of their food, so that they will eat such only as will nourish each member of the body, without producing the cause of disease and premature death.

It is not too much to assert that if all this could be done, the nation would save more than the expense of the general government, and we should soon be tending to patriarchal longevity. Can we believe for a moment that it is in accordance with the wisdom and goodness of our all-wise Creator, that more than one half of the human family should die before they had lived one short year. Would infinite power create so many millions, seemingly for no other purpose than to die. Let us not rashly arraign that just and holy Being, whose wisdom shines through all his works; but let us choose rather to inquire what ignorance, what mismanagement on our part is the procuring cause of all the physical evils to which erring mortals are now subjected.

Having said thus much, let us pass to the second part of our subject, namely, the intellectual.

We do not propose to enter into a metaphysical discussion of the various faculties of the mind, but by confining our remarks within certain limits, point out a plain path, leading directly to that field, in which lie hid all the treasures of knowledge.

The field indeed is ample, but we cannot expect to interest those who have explored every hidden recess, and satiated themselves from its immense storehouse; but to the hungry soul, every bitter thing is sweet. To

such we say, fair science beckons you, invites you to her universal feast. The book of nature wide open stands, and bids you read.

"All ideas," says Locke, "are derived from sensation;" here then we have the real starting point. The first idea a child has of number, is of a single unit, then two, then three, and so on. Knowing this fact well, why do teachers depart from the simple mode which nature has clearly indicated? There is a point in every science, adapted precisely to the human capacity; otherwise man can never understand that science. Why do they not commence at that point, and advance just so fast, (and no faster,) as the mind can clearly comprehend.

What would be thought of the nurse, who should attempt to fill the stomach of an infant a month old, with half a pound of beef-steak! Would not her stupid ignorance be manifest to all? And yet is that more absurd than to cram into the mind of a child such a quantity, as to overload it entirely, and thus greatly weaken, if not completely destroy its powers? This subject requires much more attention than it receives.

What I have said of numbers, holds true in regard to space, quantity and size. All that we know, says Watts, is by comparison. The ingenious teacher, availing himself of all the suitable materials within his reach, will soon prove the truth of this doctrine, and perceive the happy effect it has, by calling into action all the reflecting powers of the mind. Then commences the expanding process, which affords the strongest stimulants that it can receive. The fear of punishment and the promise of reward sink into utter insigni

ficance, when compared with the pleasure derived from the acquisition of truth. The ancient philosopher felt not more real joy, when he had discovered the solution of his favorite problem, than does the tyro, when some new truth breaks in upon his mind. Once accustomed to the natural mode, no other will satisfy the ever curious investigator, and at every step of his progress, fuel is added to the fire of his zeal, until at length no obstacle seems insurmountable.

Thus is furnished an explanation to those otherwise incomprehensible phenomena - men spending their whole lives, to bring to light, without fee or reward, for the benefit of mankind, some hidden truth, of which they had some vague notion —just enough to fan the flame. These, the greatest benefactors of our race, can only be rewarded by posterity, and in that world where true merit is estimated by unerring Wisdom.

How pleasing is it to trace the youthful mind, expanding, extending, and finally becoming that beautiful, harmonious whole. How we love to review nature's admirable museum, the memory; every thing arranged in perfect order, ready for future use.

The sober judgment, weighing everything in its true balance, decides according to the evidence given by all the faculties of the mind. Limited as we are in our sphere of observation, and as this alone furnishes the aliment of thought or reflection, it is manifest that the quality of the mind must partake of the ideas so obtained, and hence the necessity to present to the minds of our children such objects only as will excite those of purity and pleasure.

Thoughts may be transmitted from one to another,

« 上一頁繼續 »