1854. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER . 



36i 



OUR AIMS ARE TOO LOW. 



The present da}', says the Country Gailkman, is 

 justly notiid for the remarkable facilities which it 

 afford fi;r the improvement of the mind, and the 

 general culture and refinement of the whole man. 

 The means of thorough education are within the 

 reach of every young man of determined will and 

 resolute heart. Books upon evcrj' science and art, 

 in every department of literature, invite perusal. 

 Soc-icty, the very best, is free to every one who 

 shows himself worthy the companionship of cul- 

 tivated minds. • There is no "lion in the way, of 

 the advancement of a.\\j one who has a capacity 

 for knowledge and the desire to make himself use- 

 ful. 



These facts suggest naturally the inquiry, why 

 is the stand.ird of literary attainment and individ- 

 ual excellence so low ? Why are not our young 

 men and young women availing themselves more 

 generally of their opportunities, and elevating the 

 tone and character of society? "Why are the best 

 years of our lives spent in the same round of va- 

 cant pleasures that gave amusement to "the 

 young people" of fifty years ago, when schools 

 and books were rare ? 



The fault lies in this direction : Our young 

 people have not been taught to appreciate the 

 beauties and feel the pleasures of association based 

 upon intellectual sympathy and a mutual literary 

 taste. They have seen that business men were 

 rated by their relative tact and wealth, and that 

 foshionable society, gilded and hollow, demanded 

 no solid mental acquirement, or moi'al worth, to 

 secure its patronage. A few high-minded young 

 men and women, who have sense enough to be su- 

 perior to frivolity and display, have discarded 

 "fashionable" amusements, and are learning to 

 estimate themselves and each other by the quality 

 of mind and heart, and to strive for a higher de- 

 gree of culture and excellence. Wc wish our land 

 was filled with young minds of this character. In 

 life purpose is every thing. We cannot aim too 

 high, if we labor rationally and manfully, and 

 honestly. Wc may, with our best exertions, fall 

 below our aims : !jut it is certain tlxxt we shall 

 never rise above them. 



In continuation of this thought, wo commend 

 the following, from the Springfield Republican. 

 Read, reflect and practice accordingly : — 



There are subjects which, to touch upon with 

 point and candor, would give pain and offence, 

 and which need touching upon in the exact pro- 

 portion that such pain would be given. Our only 

 wish, in speaking of "our young people," is to 

 excite a profitable course of thought, and to do 

 good. So far as our observation extends, the 

 young men of our acquaintance do not at all ap- 

 preciate the age in whicli they live, or (he duties 

 which are soon to devolve upon them. \Ve meet 

 them in the street, we sec them at church, we 

 talk with them across the counter, wo come in 

 contact with them in occasional conversation, and 

 the principal impression left upon us is a nicely 

 fitting coat, a clean pair of boots, easy manners 

 and a contented frame of mind. Wc go into 

 their rooms, and find a novel, which they declare 

 to be very good or very stupid. The Bilile is out 

 of siglit, and the history and the book of travels 

 are not upon their tiibles. Ifwo speak of politics, 

 they "don't care anytliing about politics, and are 

 not posted ;" if of religion, they think "it pretty 



much as a man thinks ; if of any great question 

 agitating the world abroad, they don't pretend to 

 keep track of foreign affairs. " As for thoroughly 

 digested and well informed views of the liti-rature 

 of their own language, they have noao. Notions 

 tney have in plenty — opinions with tliem are 

 scarce. 



This condition of things grows out of a mistaken 

 idea of life and its true ends. Business is the one 

 8ul)ject that rises above everytliing else. On this, 

 they are well informed. Here, they are perfect- 

 ly at home, and it is this establishm mt in their 

 minds of what was intended to be sec )ndary and 

 subsidiary, as the grand end of life, which prosti- 

 tutes their energies, and dwarfs their whole being. 

 God never made mankind with the intention that 

 soiling dry goods, and counting mono}-, and dig- 

 ging potatoes, should be the groat ends of its pur- 

 suit. These ai'e all simply the means of sustain- 

 ing animal life, and securing personal and social 

 necessities and comforts. A true manhood is the 

 grand object of life, — that development of the in- 

 tellect and the heart, that symmetrical and sturdy 

 growth of character, which maka? a man a man, 

 which lifts him above the accidents of forcune, 

 and give him power, influence, self-reliance, intel- 

 ligence, energy, and, above all, a feeling of equal- 

 ity and self-respect, worth more than all the 

 wealth of the Indies. 



Tried by the standard suggested by this view, 

 how many of 3ur young men are mf?i or are grow- 

 ing to be men? We leave it for them to answer 

 how, in the time to como, wlien they take the 

 place of their employers, tI>oy aiT- fitted to meet 

 the responsibilities of society. What kind of tone 

 do they propose to impart to their own circle ^ 

 What boncficant movements are tb-y to lead in, 

 and be the supporters of? These a;- serious ques- 

 tions which they are now deciding in their every- 

 day life and pursuits. Society is to be in future 

 what you, 3'ouiig men and young women, make it. 

 Siiall it be frivolous, shallow-mannered and shal- 

 low-hearted, or shall it be intelligent, high-toned, 

 pure and ennobling, as becomes true manhood and 

 true womanhood I 



We are aware tliat there are discouragements iu 

 the w"ay. AYe are met with the statement that 

 there is no use in trying to get into good society 

 unless you have money. We answer that society 

 that measures its members by money is not good 

 society, and is not worth getting into, and would 

 be a curse to you if you were to get into it. Make 

 your own society good, and tlien you will have 

 good society. What to you are those poor speci- 

 mens of humanity who esiiuiatc your importance 

 by the corpulency of your purse ? They do not 

 call for a tliougbt — and if you have true self-re- 

 spect, you will not give them one. Tom Carlylo 

 maintains the opinion that every man, by a law 

 of nature, will find his own level, and he is riglit. 

 You cannot mis.s it. Wo can select young men 

 in Springfield who imagine that no one thinks of 

 tliom, and who, in pursuing their sehemcH of self- 

 improvement, tliink tlicy are unobserved. Public 

 opinion knows and measures them all, and tiieir 

 good name is abroad. When they conao to make 

 an independent movement for themselves, they 

 will m.'et it. The world is coming moreand more 

 every day, to estimate men for what they arc, and 

 what they do andean do. 



We are led to the?c remarks by the advent of 



