THE FARMER. 393 



and judge you, if it is not so, tliey are real thoughts which 

 have occupied such a mind, in such a situation. Modified and 

 tinged somewhat, you may think they are by the experience of 

 life, but I hope not deprived of their freshness and truth. We 

 hope now to find " the long, long thoughts of youth." 



The father of our young friend has this morning said to 

 him: " It is time for you finally to decide upon the direction, 

 profession or occupation of your life. Having thus decided, 

 you will concentrate and apply your energies in one general 

 direction. Strength will not be wasted upon objects of no per- 

 manent consequence. In the fixed line of the future, your 

 young vigor will all be brought to tell powerfully upon your 

 future progress in life."' 



The boy had passed through the free schools of Massachu- 

 setts. By the advantages thus enjoyed, he had been placed 

 upon that elevated common platform where every young man 

 of the Commonwealth may stand, and where it is the fault of 

 parent or child, or both, if he does not stand, the platform of a 

 good common school education. This is proved . by the fact, 

 that both in our district schools and our high schools, we often 

 find among the very best scholars, the children of those who 

 are supported by their daily labor ; and who send farthest of 

 all to the places of the schools. 



Upon this platform he stands, able to .direct his course of 

 life, in the light of a knowledge of his capacities. It is his in- 

 herent right to do so. With the exercise of this right no judi- 

 cious parent or guardian will interfere, except to give facilities 

 for a correct decision. He knows his wishes, his inclinations, 

 his tastes, his aspirations. He should know also, his compara- 

 tive ability. He may be conceited, he may be too diffident. 

 The best remedy for both of these unfortunate diseases of the 

 character, is found in the public schools. A recluse boy is 

 unable to estimate himself. Instead of looking into his own 

 soul, he looks at his own image in the glass, and he cannot 

 measure himself with that, any more than he can measure that 

 by himself. He must have an opportunity to measure and com- 

 pare himself with many others of his own age, and precisely as 

 he compares his stature and his bodily strength and swiftness 

 with tlieirs, he measures the faculties of his mind by theirs. 

 He learns his relative ability in his various studies. He is 

 60* 



