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The world was made so various that the mind of desultory man, studious of change and pleased with novelty, might be indulged, Cowrn RALEIGH, N. C. SATURDAY, DECEMBER 22, 1838. Vol. 1. No. 30. ii PUBLISHED, WEEKLY. Br Master LEONID AS B. LEMAY. .-. - ti at$l ? 50 pec aunum. ' AdrertisemettU' inserted at the usual rate.' '3lV 1 : i FOR THE microcosm. LETTERS ON EDUCATION. r . - ' '! No. VI. - -; By attention I mean the power of applying the mind to the object before it, exclusive of all others. On this depends the? succession the whole course of studies. It is the grand hinge on whichg the "portals of ? knowledge tarn. VY lttiout ix nquuug -uc .uuiiciin languages, sciences or arts' The great' se cret of application is the mastery which we . obtain over our wills and ascendant inclina tions." Any child who chooses can acquire it, Locke says with great truth in his con duct of the understanding," "That we are born with faculties and powers capable al- most of any thing, such at least as would carry us fartberOhan can be easily imagin t ed: but it is only the exercise of those pow- ers which "give us ability and skill in any thing and lead 3 towards perfection Most of those 'excellencies fwhich are look ted upon as, natural endowments, will be found to 1 be the'-product of exercise. . The difference iiimen dndtrstondings does .not anscSsopiuchroTxihel fiaturaijucultirsf as acquired habjlsJ VkxJn is the Jbaoda-v tidft ofTneniofy7atl5h basis of correct judgment If-theref' be any peculiar faculty which can ensure success more than all oth ers in the events; of life, it is certainly this, and where Fortune or the decress of Hea-. ven do not thwart our designs, attention must' command the success of our labors. V. What is there which attention cannot accomplish? The Philosopher ; quoted - above elsewhere says "There is scarce. ahy thincr more tor the improvement of knowledge, for the ease of .life, and the despatch of business than' for a jraan to be able to dispose of - his own thoughts." : i. . ' - Like thu? Tortoise in; the Fable applica t'on wilt outstrip genius; though 'slowjn its progress, itis true fi its end. "Age quod amy is a weil ! known preVerh? similar to" onft ot our own: "on ounce or tnausirv ts oew ter than ro poui'ffilwUyiaiieard the greatest men whom l ever knew ascribe tneir oesi actions anftucce5s uuv w uieir talents but to their indusfryjrid I believe them sincere. Napoleon is said to have dic tated to seven secretaries at a time, certainly a vast stretch ol attention; but men know not the extent ot their powers until they try them. The enemies of attention are sloth' and love of amusement. To oveircome sloth, when the student is very young, authority may suffice, but sometimes corporal severi ty is needed for the older pupil, until reason and reflection come to the preceptor's aid. - t he love ot duty is pernapg the most pow erful incitement to attention, fit is useful to remove all external causes of interruption, but assiduity and industry may be the result If affection which an instructor s patient .sat ana oenevuieui n iues way- awa&o tu hf -jrateful hearts of youth," -as he teaches W to quell the storms of infant passion, son s the wandering desiresof childish i-T.ti or discard the love of boyish sports h fa tpira of emulation, crlisterf in the A: of irinw genius, and to. . ".Make the rouh paths of peevish nature e?en . 'And opea in each heart a little heaven. By participating in the feelings of youth, by sympathising m their Jittle cares, by re joicing in their harmless glee, by liberally heightening their enjoyments, by contribut ing to their sports, by descendinsr ..to f their capacities and Ideas; by blending theirheai in harmony With hisownbyspeakinar ala& , guage in unison with theirs, by being acces sible to their wants and by winning their art-? Jess irieindship," an open,- frank, kind hearted arid generous instructor may easily gain the .warm affections of guileless youth, and then ! would his displeasure become their greatest disgrace, his gratification their delight, and -his-praise' the sweetest reward of their meW it. .This might "be easy if the hand Which indicates the paths of virtue, and science were ne ver to be the instrument of pai i; arid if the lips which impart the precepts c f wis- uum ncicuciH u ub uo cnannei oi. sarcas tic invective. ' v ; , ii To : conquer -the love of amusement we must convert studies and PTeroiol ; sources of amusement, and excite thft intr est. of emulation by inspiring ambition tC ex- ce, ana wnat was once a pain, will sooh be. come a pleasure. To effect such a chjansfe. man ann.J III.-- w L , ' . ' 1, O ,. -VtT?1 7u:t rvwwef. out experience! wiij give i tin reamy of truth. ,1 havelseen iweteTgtefflet&bfatik lovers; ofJearrting, and habitual Iters changed Into truth-tel lers, of honor. Jtfh necessary to convfneo the pupils, however, that their real benefit u s the omeci spagnt, mat it is truly for their stood,! alien they may betauffht to command thW. jselves; that he, who ruleth his sniriV is mignuer man me taker t of cities;" that the juimuicui, vi uuviea is ine source of real sat- isiacuon; tnat no Teliance can be placed the instability of human pleasures, and tha "Virtue alone is haminess below AN OLD FIEUD TEACHER. FOR THS M3CBOCOSX. . NOT TO BE READ! : Dear Leonidasl offer you for publication, the following document, which ho one, as may be seen by the caption, is permitted to read; and pow 11 came into my possession, no one need trouble himself to inquire: J Dear Sir You wish me to tell you why the people in this part of are so fond of horse-racing! A. few Weeks ao, observing in our public prints a good many jockey club ad vertisements, I proposed to a neighbor of mine, who loves pacing, the ;: Bame question 'yoti have proposed to me. His answer was there is ve ry great pleasure in the business, (assure yon; but it is a pleasure which I don't suppose I am able to make you Understand.' Now, does this answer satisfy you! I daresay, it does riot for it does not satisfy me. Like oil thrown into the fire, it inflamed my curiosity more 'than ever. Indeed, I baye often observed, that when any subject of inquiry assumes an appearance of r mystery, the inquirer, instead of giving it up at once, becomes the more eager to get at the bot tom of it Having, therefore, studied the racing system as deeply as I could, and sought informa tion from every quarter within my reach, I wilt gave you, with all simplicity, th.3 result of my lucubrations. 'm'y ' The whole system of horso-racing appears to bo lu It on these two principles viz:. The plea mreof one horti run falter than anoth- er fivre&hS--'th profit of' taking at much money at you can out of your neighbor1 pock eti BKCACSK onehorte runt fatter than another horte. 11 tbere be any other pillar which fc- to support this grand fabric, I confess It hitherto escaped my knowledge, and 1 1! -t rejoice to be better informed. ' You must know that the patrons of ratL. ." form themselres ioto societies, called jockey Clubs, each of Which is officered with a Presi dent, Treasurer, Secretary and '.so on. Each member pays an annual or semi-annaal bub. : scription; and the aggregate of these subscrip- tions becomes the deserved prizav of him whos horse runs faster than all the other horsesv jTe cloDmeet'roarUtni;to..i9rii. to frame its laws. . arid transact iu affairs, with " all the formality --of a Senate. And its records are preserved as carefully as the archives of empires. So that, ' whosoever chaoses, may easily inform himself whether, at any given time since the institution of the club, the bay horte ran fatter than the tirreU or the torrel than the bay; pr -whether ' the trreiy mare wat not the bett horte oil the field, . n ' y . ! - , For weeks, perhaps months.before theperiodi- . -' can. racua, iucic is a luiguijr uuhiib in preparing , -the horses. Beside the grooms who are profea. X sionally trained to the business, servants are - ; taken away from the vulgar, insignificant em- r f ployment of the form and plantation, and evo :" ted to the stable. Nay, our gentleman-racer himself, becomes in a great degree an inhabitant ef the same elegant apartment with the horse. His" eyea by. day, and his thoughts by, night, tx profoondiy fixed npon thenj. Aivl jjo wonder; for a sublime object is in his view, namely, to ? Ait nei&hbor't horte. i Then comes on frequent trials of the horses T in running; these. you may call ther preluHe to the grand exhibition, or the preparatory rehear?Ii " sal of the play. The nores are exercised daily. "V r But the evening of tho Sabbath day is account ed a! favorite time of these prelusive races j Here ' ' " you may see, on a wide old field, iilarga mixed . '.J mob of great vulgarand little vulirar men folic- r0""- and women folk, white and black, promiscuous- ' ly gatnereu irom tne neign,npruood aroundV tO" see the horses run. It is truetthat common de- ' -d cency is prostrated, and the Almighty insulted 'ir by this' profanation of the sacrJayi;But ' , these are held to be small Sacrifices YirC.the pleature of teeing one horte run fatter ihan J another horte. . XK j ; ; v' " .. :. The weights of the riders being prectselv L fixed by Jaw, I ? ha va heard some curious hints I '. '.' , t e ' . t . . .1 '! ' aooui reaucing. a iavonw nuer 10 tne proper weight by artificial means; such as copious sweats, destroying the appetite by vinegar, and ' x finally by powerful cathartics. If the rider bA.it; u Tree boy, I suppose he is paid for these aoSetkr, ings with money. wIf he be a slave, he may ii. munerate himself abundantly with the conscious' pleasure of serving so merciful a master. The riders, however, white or Jlack,' have one pom forUble prospect in common before them; name ly, the chance,aiid it is chajfice which has fr 'quentlybeea realized- Wetting thsir limb - i broken, or their bra dashed put Jn the expert Iment of tryingre makejii zJtorte run aster -thdn Another hore, T-Vj-.; , 1 But now the errand lwrarTiresihe dar f - pf final decision. Besides the honorable Jockiea 7 iJienaselves. w-th their lraeS and' riders,! a y'ssi ' 1itrowd aasembfes,' of every possible . description -"t j'rom the whole couqtry, and eyea from several counties interest : rnerab! ! biread events around. Ee-y bodytakes ' Uefy in the event of the day; heU "af iftnn-!V ' - e: ragged citizens, who caJMjgtgiv K to their wives an I children must if J r- una something to hazard upon-?aJas,v 1 -
The Raleigh Microcosm (Raleigh, N.C.)
Standardized title groups preceding, succeeding, and alternate titles together.
Dec. 22, 1838, edition 1
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