THE LILY OF THE WEST. ON HUMAN NATURE, EDUCATION, THE MIND, INSANITY, WITH TEN LETTERS AS A SEQUEL TO THE ALPHABET; TBS CONQUEST OF MAN, EARLY DAYS; A FAREWELL TO MY NATIVE HOME, THB SONG OF THE CHIEFTAIN'S DAUGHTER, TREE OF LIBERTY, AND THB BEAUTIES OF NATURE AND ART, BY G. GRIMES, AN INMATE OF THE LUNATIC ASYLUM OF TENNESSEE. NASHVILLE, TENN 1846. Unwed STATE6 of Ameeica, ? g District of Middle Tennessee: J Be U remembered, that in conformity to an act of Congress of the United States of America entitled, "An act to amend the several acts respecting copy rights," on the 6th day of April, 1846, and in the 70th year of the Indepen- dence of the United States, Gkeen Grimes of said District, hath deposited in this office, the title of a book, the right whereof he claims as proprietor, and which is as follows, to wit:—"The Lilly of the West—on Human Na- ture, Education—the Mind—Insanity—with ten letters, as a sequel to the al- phabet," &c, by Green Grimes, an Inmate of the Lunatic Asylum of Ten- Q68666 JACOB M'GAVOCK, Clerk of said Court. 4 Lunatic Asylum, ) Nashville, Tenn., June 15th, 1845. \ This is to certify that Mr. G. Grimes, is now an inmate of this Institution, and has been since June, 1842; and that since he has been here, he has written a book entitled the "Lilly of the West,"—a Treatise on Insanity, Human Nature, Education, &c. We do fur- thermore certify that the manuscript is original, from under his own hand and pen. Given under our hands the day and date above writ- ten. CHARLES HARRISON, An Officer of the Asylum. GEO. W. MURPHEY, An Officer of the Asylum. D. R. DANIEL, Agent for the Lunatic Asylum of Tennessee. PREFACE. To the patrons of the "Secret Worth Knowing," permit me in lay- 1 ng this work before you, to state that I have been exceedingly care- ful in compiling the "Lilly of the West," mainly to diffuse know- ledge among the sons and daughters of this great republican gov- ernment, together with my views more extensively on the subject of of Insanity. I have been exceedingly careful in treating each sub- ject short and comprehensive, with the view of making them inter- esting to the reader. For the very [liberal patronage I have re- ceived at the hands of the citizens of Nashville, and also, recently, at the hands of the citizens of each and every city, town and county in which I have traveled, I return my sincere thanks. I have sold an edition of five thousand copies of "the Secret Worth Knowing," since the 1st of September last; I have been prompted to exert my best energies in compiling this work. The encourage- ment of the past is well calculated to heighten the ambition of the energies of the literary man, and induce him to lay his productions before an enlightened community upon a fair investigation on their own merits, let them rise or fall. I am much gratified \that I can inform you that the manuscript is original. I am, ladies and gentlemen, your unwavering friend. Very respectfully, Yours, &c. G. GRIMES. THE AUTHOR'S ADDRESS. The "Lilly of the West," will be sold by the agents for the sale of the ''Secret Worth Knowing," and by the author. The same commissions will be allowed agents on each work, and they are re- quired to sell for cash and cash only, and remit the proceeds quarterly or tri-quarlerly, if called on. Price invariably fifty cents for each pamphlet by retail. Literary gentlemen and ladies, together with country merchants, residing at a distance, wishing to procure these works, upon the remittance of one dollar, post paid, one pamphlet of each work will be promptly sent them by the first mail, after the re- mittance may have been received. Any gentlemen wishing to pur- chase by wholesale, upon the remittance of a five dollar current bank note, post paid, twelve pamphlets of the "Secret" will be for- warded them, or twelve of the "Lilly" or six of each. In remittan- ces, address the Editor or Author, Nashville, Tenn. Give your ad- dress, Post Office, &c, &c. ON HUMAI NATURE. In treating this subject, I will be governed entirely by my own unfortunate experience and will predicate my views upon general observation, truth and reason. Human nature is a curious machine and is susceptible of many variegated changes. Each individual is possessed of humane feelings to a greater or less degree; being governed by the inward passions, the outward man acts according to the impressions made and wrought upon the mind. By early education the mind is formed. This will be readily admitted to be a subject of much interest and importance. As soon as the breath of life is breathed into the nos- trils of the body by a Divine hand, and the soul brought to behold the light of the world with the natural eye, human nature takes possession of the nobler faculties, and as the darling infant is nour- ished and cherished by its earthly parents in the course of its early life, it receives to itself, by a natural instinct which is inherent in ev- ery mind, the nature, and contracts the habits, manners and customs of its ancestors. This might be termed in a strict sense of the word, the second nature of the human feelings, its sensations of pleasure and grief; and as it arrives to an age sufficient to begin to receive instruction, it is natural for it to look up to its parents for instruc- tion and advice, and will naturally expect to receive protection from those under whose care it may be placed, as its advisers, protectors and guardians, which instinct is wisely arranged by our Divine Creator. And as the different, great natural faculties are so nobly arranged for the benefit of human beings, and humane and social society, how careful parents should be to set such examples before their children in this early instruction in forming the mind.— The delightful boy as he begins to prattle and talk around his fath- er's fire-side, and is dandled upon the lap of his fond mother, de- lightfully beholds her smiles; it is a natural consequence for the smile to be returned by the darling boy or infant girl, and it might be as- tonishing to some persons who have not made human nature their study, or learned the mind of man, so wonderfully formed and ar- 10 ON HUMAN NATURE. ranged irfits different qualifications for the enjoyment of temporal and spiritual blessings, so graciously and copiously showered upon the human family by the Father of us all—to say that at this early stage, the mind of the child is naturally susceptible of instruction, and the impressions made upon it, we might safely assert as a general rule, are the predominant, leading principles, throughout the career of the natural and earthly pursuits of life. Thus, we may readily discover the great propriety of training up a child in the way it should go. Hearken to Solomon's advice on this important subject, who was the wisest man of his day—"that thy son may arise up and call thee blessed." It is human nature to partake of the forbidden fruit—as did our forefathers in the Garden of Eden, who were, until that time, enjoying the delicious fruit of every tree of the garden, ex- cept the tree of knowledge. They were also living in the full en- joyment of the spiritual blessings—and under the immediate pro- tection of our Divine Creator. Our mother Eve was beguiled by the serpent, and human nature predominated over the immortal part, and she partook of the forbidden fruit, and gave it unto Adam, and he partook also. Thus by the beguiling and allurements of the serpent—first unto our Mother—thence unto our Father, they both fell from this elevated and extatic favor and protection of the Cre- ator, Ruler, and Upholder of heaven, earth and all things therein; at whose command the four"winds of the earth breath forth torna- does, serpents and reptiles—plagues and curses of every description; whose purpose is just and righteous to warn man in his state of hu- man nature and! sin, of the great impropriety of living in wick- edness, and raising the puny arm of rebellion in its natural and earthly state against an Almighty arm; and at whose command the four winds cease, or change from a raging tornado to a mild and luxuriant healthful breeze, whose breath is a consuming fire, or a de- licious glow of spiritual joy—basking in the comforts of a foretaste of heaven—by the power of whose" word all things were spoke into existence, and are held subject to His control—at whose sentence heaven, earth and all things therein contained, could asquick as thought be spoke into non-entity! Thus, human nature is at all times from its first existence, dependent on this Great Omnipotent Power. But Oh! how natural it is, for the frail mortal part*formed of the dust which is trodden under foot by the beasts of the forest, to rise in the weakness of the flesh, forgetting the dependence on and the great spiritual obligations justly due the Divine Author of our existence. In the early years of life or boyhood, human nature is most fre- quently susceptible of parental instructions. While in this stage of life it is nothing more than justice due from the parents, who were or may be the cause of the soul's existence, to render unto it advice, correction and chastisement. Human nature in its wild and uncultivated state, is subject to many diversified changes. It in some instances takes to itself en- ergy and enterprise at a surprisingly early period, and seems to oc- ON HUMAN NATURE. 11 cupy a firm, bold, intrepid, unassuming position. Again, in many instances it seems to be in a wholly dependent condition, almost in- capable of self government, or even discharging the different duties and functions of the first law of nature, which is self preservation. It is therefore incumbent that parents should render to each respec- tive member of their families, a prudent education, strictly accord- ing to thoir various natural dispositions. You are strictly com- manded by Divine writ "to render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and unto God the things that are God's." We will use this as an illustration to convey a correct notion to parents of their differ- ent natural duties towards son and daughter, according to each of their natural dispositions. We will discover by close investigation that our eldest son, Julius, is naturally heroic and ambitious; almost unconquerable with a warlike vengeance, refusing to submit to rea- son. We should render unto him such chastisement as would seem to be most congenial with his natural feelings, disposition, temper and habit. Thus we might readily suppose that we could lead or force him just according to the desired effect our chastisements might have, to be a mild, affable and agreeable companion, in such natural ambitious dispositions, which we will suppose to be in the mind of Julius from h's infancy—we will say it should be our first duty to be strictly watchful over him, giving a close punctual ad- herence to his natural inclinations in the choice or selection of his favorite pursuits of life—holding a strict observance in our chastise- ments, the effect they might have—whether of a beneficial or per- nicious character. Thus we might judge of the importance of changing our chastisements from a rigid to a mild, or from a mild to a rigid course, just according to his natural temper. Thus we might refine his savage, warlike and wild temper, in its first natural state, and Julius, would, we-might reasonably suppose, become exceed- ingly plient—when, if we were to unfortunately take the course that would tend to aggravate his natural feelings and disposition, we could not expect any thing else but for his temper and habits in their wild uncultivated state, to rapidly grow more mutinous and re- vengeful. It is therefore, highly important, to fix our chief object to govern our manner of chastisement just according to the effect it may have upon his morals. We will suppose our second son, George Washington, to possess a mild, gentle, affable and manly disposition, which is inherent in his natural disposition from his infancy. Our chief design should be to pursue a prudent course, and by all means, confine our ad- vice and corrections so as to make them congenial with his natural disposition; thus we might sustain this amiable disposition inher- ent in George's natural disposition, in a social and agreeable man- ner from infancy to manhood, and even down to hoary hairs, and prime old age—and we might readily suppose, that in his dying mo- ments, and final exit from the sordid cares of time, to surround his couch, and bid him a final farewell to all timely things, adhering to 12 ON HUMAN NATURE. his parental and last words, to be uttered by his faltering tongue, released from all natural and earthly perplexities, receiving to itself immortal language, by which it may render unto its divine author tributes and praises, at the right hand of God, accompanied by the four and twenty elders, hailing Jesus Christ as his chief, captain, Savior, and deliverer, basking in the enjoyments of the highest and most glorious, and occupying the most elevated station on the Beats within the walls, gates, cherubims and seraphims of eternal bliss, where nothing unholy or unclean ever enters. What a happy scene is this to behold ; but ah! how frail is human nature, espe- cially in its infantile state, or boyhood—and when our son George, is in the bloom of youth, we should make proper use of the time, as it glides swiftly on its wings, and count every moment as pure gold, refined by the refiner's fire to render unto George, proper natural, parental advice,"fand be careful to maintain a steady, correct, up- right course towards him in this early, natural state, lest wild na- ture should take possession of his heart, and he become stubborn, savage, and warlike as did Julius—and when human nature chan- ges its course from a calm and serene attitude, and betakes to it- self, a wild, ambitious course, it is almost always impossible, even with the greatest caution and care, to wean it from those wild, de- lusive allurements—thus, parents may readily discover the great moral obligation justly due the offspring of their bodies, and the great importance of an early cultivation of the natural feelings, and impulses of the natural mind. But how frequently do parents begin to excuse themselves and entertain and cherish in their own breasts, a natural disposition, and very frequently about the time Julius or George would arrive to a proper age to know what estimate to place on parental advice, the father comes to the conclusion—I have thus far up in the car- reer of my instructions been exceedingly careful in chastising my son. I will now leave him to act and judge for himself. I feel un- der no farther obligations to correct him—he is now from fifteen to eighteen years of age—I have discharged my duties thus far, he can most assuredly finish to raise himself. The father says within himself, my son is in the possession of an agreeable natural disposi- tion. I have now got the growth of wild, animate nature subdued in him—I can render him no further advice as a parent, when lo, and behold, the age of from twelve to fifteen is the important time to commence to improve and cultivate wild, ambitious nature—and there is no time of greater importance than from twelve to eighteen years, and 1 might safely assert, that, the natural feelings and dispo- sitions are susceptible of different diversified changes even up to middle age. There is, however, no general rule without some ex- ceptions ; the youth of from fifteen to eighteen forsakes the parental roof—he imagines himself surrounded on every side by a nume- rous host of friends—human nature speaks inwardly, and the mind is ever occupied with strange caprices and phenomena, and it is ON nUMAN NATURE. 13 very natural for inward human nature in this early stage to suffer the outward man to rule and predominate over the inward man— thus gaudy youth, poor worm of the earth, sutlers the natr.ral dis- position to rule and reign over the nobler part that never dies, and gradually gives way by a natural impulse, until the spiritual mind is lost in astonishment and wonder, and the natural mind takes pos- session of the spiritual, and thus Ctesar and George left to act for themselves and finish to cultivate the spark of the seed sown in their natural minds, they arrive to the conclusion that they will be very careful to cultivate and nourish the growth of the natural ability. It will be readily admitted, that human nature is subject to err as the sparks are to fly upwards—the youth at this age concludes within himself that he is very wise, and gives way to his natural feelings and is imperceptibly, to himself, led to believe himself to be a very great man—but ah! youth, watch close lest deceptious human nature, leads you to pursue the course of the prodigal son, and to gratify the lusts of the outward man which maketh not the platter clean—you suffer wild ambition to take possession of the inward man, which if properly cultivated from the breaking up of the fallow ground, you may expect lasting comforts, both of a nat- ural and spiritual character. When we take a characteristic view of human nature at this early, uncultivated state—its strange capri- ces in its meanderings and shifting scenes, it would seem to be to- tally impossible for the mind of man to comprehend it. The natural eye, which is an important natural member, belong- ing to the natural functions of the human system, is most beautiful to behold, and I might justly assert that nothing is more striking to behold than a brilliant eye, with its animating appearance as it moves in its socket so ingeniously[formed by nature herself, not even Golcondas purest gems outshine it. The natural ear is, also, a member formed for the purpose of conveying to the understanding a proper sense of things spoken, which deserves a high distinction of honor to our adorable Creator and Giver of all good gifts; the natural feelings, smelling and tasting, are each attributes, posses- sing a high sense of distinction in their different governments over human nature—for which we are highly under the strongest tythes of gratitude to the Giver of allgopd gifts, for those inestimable bles- sings—but notwithstanding we are possessed with all those inesti- mable blessings, there is still a greater blessing than all these com- bined, Avhich, is the power given us to combine and center them on some particular object which is the predominant governing principle, all centering to the mind or soul of the natural faculties possessed by the same, each and every individual, who possesses human nature, and, by proper instruction, tuition, and cultivation in the early stage or budding of human nature, the whole attributes combined may center on the immortal part, and each enjoy a sen- sation of incalculable joy and lasting comfort, and thus gradually increase until it will arrive to the zenith of perfection in prime. 14 ON HUMAN NATURE. Thus, the spiritual mind takes possession and predominates over the natural feelings—but to the contrary, if you fail to cultivate those faculties in this early stage of human nature, and dig in the ground and bury your talent, you will be counted as the unfaithful servant, and wild nature will spring up, and allure you off—thorns and briars will grow up, and choke the growth of the seed sown in the fallow ground, and each attribute belonging to human nature will gradually diminish and die, and as human nature dwindles away the spiritual mind dwindles away with it; thus human nature gets possession and predominates carnally over the spiritual mind and wafts it away into the besom of destruction. Thus the spiritual mind is swallowed up by the natural, and gains the ascendency over the more refined part of the senses of man— but to the reverse, the spiritual mind, by proper religious instruc- tion, may and will very easily gain the ascendency over the natural man, and become combined in one grand, sublime spiritual enjoy- ment. I might safely assert, that females are equally susceptible of the different changes and perplexities of human nature, with the male. They, however, are in possession of more refined and femi- nine natural sympathising feelings of humane and hospitable sensa- tions towards their fellow beings. Their natural dispositions do not assume (hat masculine appearance as does the male, and their du- ties are very great in one sense of the word towards the male. They exercise an almost unlimited influence over their male associates. In short, the very presence of woman disperses that gloom and ban- ishes that vulgarity and profaneness which too often disgrace the conversation of fashionable gentlemen. Therefore, permit me la- dies, to strictly enjoin upon you, to employ yourselves in rendering motherly and sisterly care towards the male portion of society. I hope you will not think it presumption in me to assert, that you have not the most distant notion of the extent of your influeuce over the natural, uncultivated mind of man. You may, by meek, gentle, and mild persuasions, convert a Caesar, or an Alexander into a mild and affable George Washington or a Dr. Franklin. Or you may, by an austere, proud, scornful and abusive course, convert a follower and worshipper of the Son of God into a Benedict Ar- nold, a Judas, or a worshipper of idols, stocks and stones—and when I assure you that your influence is so great over the natural mind of man, will you not all march forward in one grand phalanx, and take upon yourselves the character of the mother of the Son of God or the finder of Moses, who was Pharoah's daughter. I trust you will. These are all facts and stand upon the basis of human nature, from the origin of the world up to the present time. Behold the influence of our mother Eve over the first man Adam, in giving him the forbidden fruit. Adam had not partaken of the forbidden fruit until it was given him by the rib taken from his own side. Thus, a member of his own body led him to commit this sin, and ON HUMAN NATURE. 15 thereby man fell from his high and inestimable favor in the sight of his Creator. ^ We will say our first daughter, Isabella, who was a friend in time of need to the intrepid and energetic Christopher Columbus, the discoverer of America, is an amiable girl. At fifteen years of age she is in possesion of high intellectual faculties—and is the pride and boast of her parents—they may take her at this unfinished, cul- tivated state of her natural life, and by improper tuition we might safely assert, that, at medium age, she would be unpleasant, aus- tentacious, and vain in all of her pursuits, and become ingrafted into the sister of a Caesar or an Arnold, and by the time she might arrive at a prime old age, she would rank with the oldest and most disagreeable maids of her day and time. .Again, we might change the supposition, and take our second daughter, Queen Elizabeth, at this early, uncultivated state of her life, and render unto her proper instructions, and cultivate wild human nature, and in medium life she would arise to the zenith of being ranked and styled as the sis- ter of George Washington, and in prime old age, the immortal mind would have the ascendency of the natural feelings, temper, habits and dispositions, and she would rank with all the sisters of all the good and great men of olden and modern times. Thus human nature may predominate over the spiritual mind, and the spiritual mind may likewise predominate over the natural feelings, just acording to the examples set before any particular subject in life. Thus it sinks and dwindles down from early life, to a peevish and fretful old age, until it runs into a state of nonentity, or climbs the limb of the tree gradually, and calmly as did our second son, George Washington, and our second daughter, Elizabeth, until it steps up limb by limb, until it reaches the summit of the top limb of the tallest oak in the mountains.; Thus human nature sprouts from the acorn, until it reaches the zenith of the best limb of the tree, or droops from the medium limb that it may have grasped at and missed the prize until it dwindles down to the doted acorn, and falls to rise in its strength no more. Thus the pride and vain glory of man, sinks to rise no more—his name dies in the memory of his fellow men, and he is forgotten by all earthly objects—his seat and place among us is no more—he passes his life away without being of any real benefit to himself-or fellow man, and remains stupidly incredulous to all social feeling, or even possessing any fine qualities or enjoyments for any object whatever—he has no pursuit in life—becomes the byword of all who behold his deplorable corf- dition. And when you see the great contrast drawn, will not every parent, brother and sister, son and daughter, join hand in hand to advise the weaker vessels of human nature, and lead them to the summit of the llimb at the top of the tall oak in the mountains, or perhaps, some of my readers would rather I would say, 16 ON HUMAN NATURE. to the top of the tallest hickory in the rich valley of Tennessee, or the richest Clay of Old Kentucky, or the finest juice of the Polk stalk of the fertile soil of my old native Maury, or the greatest fes- terings of my present residence—or they might desire that I should place them to the zenith of Aaron of old, or at the grand scenery of some great cave. These are all strongly marked attri- butes of human nature to desire to be placed upon a level with the highest limbs and buds of the most valuable soil and timber of the land of Columbia, or it might be the desire of many of my rea- ders to place them on the limb by the side of good old James, of modern times, or a martin might be considered by many a beauti- ful feathered bird. I will, ladies and gentlemen, place you on any of those premises you may wish. I place all the caves, soils, tim- bers and limbs before you; they are from the same divine origin, and trees grow in all parts of the State, and Polk is plenty in old Maury, and 1 expect there are many caves in Dickson,'Robert- son, Humphreys, &c. So, gentlemen, please make your own selec- tions, but, I do not suppose, any of you would feel very well if you were deranged. 1 will have to carry the subject into temperance, and combine them together to give you a full and correct! but comprehensive view of human nature in its strange caprices, wanderings, rovings, shifting scenes and positions—and I must confess, that there has been so many able lecturers and writers handling the subject of temperance, that I almost shrink backinlo a state of disparage- ment, and drop my pen, and make fire with the parchment, and burn the ink vial into cinder. I will, however, do the subject as much justice, in a very short and comphrehensive manner, as I am capable of doing. I trust my readers will readily make an allow- ance for my condition. Remember you are reading from the pen of the insane author of the secret worth knowing. You therefore, could not reasonably expect any thing very great from the pen of an inmate of a Lunatic Assylum, or a mad house. I am not in possession of any statistics relating to any particular temperance society, nor am I in possession of the number of the temperance societies, or the number of members attached to those societies; neither do I know the quantity of grain consumed by the different manufacturing workshops in the United States; neither do I know the number of souls poisoned by this accursed stuff, properly so called alcohol—but I know there are a great and immense number. But I trust the number of the devil's work-shops, erected by his worshipers, to manufacture ardent spirits, and furnish poor human souls with the bain of the fine bread grain, so wisely furnished and produced by our fertile soil and its Framer. Providence did not de- sign in the formation of man that a child should be trained up to drink drams, neither does he design that those workshops should be kept up to manufacture souls for perdition, but to the contrary, his design in so arranging those inestimable blessings for the benefit of HUMAN NATURE AND TEMPERANCE, 17 man, who he had created after his own image to love, revere and live in obedience to him, should use the fruit ofthe earth in a temper- ate manner—not unto drunkenness orgluttonness, but that the chil- dren should gather sticks and the parents kneed the dough after the grain having been ground into fine meal, and bread should be baked in the oven to sustain human nature, and that the parents and children should eat of the bread of the grain—and thus bread gained by the sweat of the brow is most delicious to the taste of man, which is one of his natural senses or the attributes of the mind, but even in this it is a heinous crime to gormandize and eat unto glut- tonness. Did I remark above'that the worshipers of the devil manufactured this stuff called brandy from the fruit of the tree, and whiskey from the grain of the ear of the noble and stately stalk, the fine silk of the bud of the blade, first springing from the stalk? . If I said the worshipers of the devil, or the worshipers of Baal's devil, which took an oxes foot to cover its face, I will let it remain so; for I assure you no true worshiper of the Son of God ever applies this noble grain to the distilling of ardent spirits. And even some men have and will sell the accursed stuff to idiots and think it nothing amiss. If the dis- tillers of ardent spirits will take the advice of a poor frightened maniac, they will turn their copper stills into boiling kettles to boil their grain on which to feed their stock, and make stalls in their large and commodious houses to shelter their horses and cattle from the north winds of December, January and February, of each and every winter. Thus you might have fine serviceable horses to ride to church on Sabbath, and draw the plough in the spring and sum- mer months to raise this fine grain. Thus you might have an abun- dance to raise pork, and provide for yourself and household, have to give unto the poor, for whosoever giveth unto the poor lendeth unto the Lord. Suppose some good calculator who is in possession of a statement of the quantity of grain distilled annually, and the number of souls sent to the devil on account of it would make a calculation, and suppose the change it would bring about on society to pour all the ardent spirits on hand into the different rivers, or on the ocean of time and let it run until it. runs to the bottom of the Pacific ocean, we would in ten years from this day be the happiest nation of people in the world. You would have no quarrels and feuds—no bloody noses and wry faces—no murders and blood- shed, all would be peace and tranquility; and you would grow rich and powerful in strength, our appetites would be better, our society would be more agreeable, and it would be the foundation corner- stone to enrich our children even down to the latest posterity.— Intemperance is very frtquently produced by an habitual moderate dram drinking—say call up your boys every morning and give them a dram; or it may originate from drinking a dram weekly at outset. 1 remember in olden times, when a boy, in some families, the Sabbath morning was set apart to hand the bitters around with rue or tansy, 2 18 HUMAN NATURE AND TEMPERANCE. and a little sugar to hide the liquor and destroy the worms in chil dren. And Christmasday or the twenty-fifth day of December was a great day for a big stew; the very day on which the Son of God was born, was the day set apart for mirth and riot, and the very express days on which our Creator set apart to keep holy and rest from all his labors, were the very days set apart to hand the bottle around for each member of the family and visitor to take a morn- ing dram. They called this temperate dram drinking and stood opposed to temperance societies. This temperate dram drinking once every week may produce a natural thirst for a drink twice per week, and thus increase the desire to thrice per week and from this to once per day, and from once per day to morning and evening, and from this to a noon grog, until it imperceptibly steals upon hu- man nature until a thirst will be created for three drinks before breakfast, and a social glass in every company. Thus human na- ture puts on a second nature; base in its character, and creates feuds, and quarrels, separates man and wife, makes bad husbands, and miserable wives, bad brothers, heart broken sisters, ragged sons and daughters, produces bloody noses and broken bones, murders, duels and suicides, impoverishes a rich nation, fills penitentiaries with miserable convicts, destroys the intellectual faculties, shortens life and populates the kingdom of the devil, and fills many houses with maniacs. While on the other hand, bread and Adam's ale or cold water properly so called restores the intellectual powers, produces peace, tranquility and a sceneof uninterrupted happiness, makes useful and healthy members of society, cools and tempers down the more rugged part of human nature, heals dyspepsia, depopulates the peni- tentiary, makes good husbands and wives, masters and servants and wonderfully enriches the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, it is best to give wild nature bread and water, and make a blow up of all of the manufacturing shops which are only fit to make unfortunate men desperate, who have lost the natural power of self-government, and feed them and hand them a cup of cold water to preserve this great blessing of which they may once have been in possession of, and you may very easily, by a steady, prudent and kind course, win them from all those miserable practices of using intoxicating liquors. It is best not to touch it or handle it in any way unless administered by a prudent physician in the way of medicine and then it should be used very sparingly. Why should man, created for a much more noble purpose, in the bloom of youth destroy himself by this pernicious and poisonous stuff? Keep the ascendency over it, and I can assure you the only manner of doing this is to touch not, taste not, handle not the unclean thing, for in its draughts lies dregs at the bottom of the brilliant appearance and allurements of the cup. How many instances have the people of these United States wit- nessed the awful consequences of the excessive use of ardent spirits, by finding men lying frozen to the earth after having sold them ardent spirits for the sake of the pitiful and insignificant sum of a human nature and temperance. 19 few dimes, supposing it would enrich their purse. But,alas, the dis- tiller and vender of ardent spirits who would sell an unfortunate man, incapable of self-government, and he while in this state of in- toxication, comes to a premature death on account of having been furnished by you with ardent spirits, you are held firmly bound at the bar of Almighty God for the life and murder of the man. Just in the same way and manner as if though you had plunged a dag- ger into his heart or blown his brains out with a rifle ball. You furnish him with the poison and with the very identical poison sold him, perhaps for one dime, he runs into a state of madness and blows his brains out with a pistol—plunges head long into some river and drowns himself, or lies out on the frozen earth until earth re- turns to and cements with its mother earth, from which it sprang. Hence you become indirectly the murderer of the unhappy victim, of king alcohol, while in all probability the poor man had been led, in the outset of his life, to drink ardent spirits, until it became a second nature, contracted from habit and bad examples. I main- tain that intemperance in many instances, is hereditary. This will, in all probability, be thought by many persons to be a superstitious notion that has crept into my head—it is nevertheless true, as strange as it may seem to be. Therefore, if you do not wish to be led into the snares and traps of the enemy of souls—abstain from the use of the pernicious stuff. It is much easier to refrain from the use of it, than to abandon the use after having contracted a natural habit and thirst for it. I perhaps have also been a little intemper- ate in the way of drinking ardent spirits—1 do not pretend to deny but what I have—though I never was excessively intemperate. I never was in the habit of loafering about tippling houses and spon- ging at the expense of other men—I have never been beyond a condi- tion capable of transacting business on account of the use of alco- hol. I have been in the habit of taking a social glass, which was wrong, though I can safely assert I never drank it for the love I had for it, for it invariably had an offensive smell and unpleasant taste to me—therefore, I could not possibly have drank it for the love of the article. Pray tell us what motive you held in view for drinking it 1 Well, I will tell you in a very few words. I knew myself to be insane, and I was not treated as such, or as most of young men were treated of my day and time, who were in a like condition—hence my object was to destroy myself with it, but I never was able to effect my design or purpose. It seems that my life has been held very precious in the sight of Him who gave it". Even when I made the attempt, in the most savage-like manner, I was caused to breath again—and thank God, I am still permitted to breathe, and I hope I will for some several years yet to come. This, however, is entirely with Him who gave the breath its proper functions, and placed each organ of sense at its proper place. There is scarcely any subject on which we might dwell to a Greater extent than the subject of temperance. But as there has 20 HUMAN nature and temperance. been so many able writers and lecturers handling this subject, lest I might do it injustice, I will leave the anxious reader to judge ot the importance of this subject and see how far it might be extended. through its meanderings from infancy to manhood, and even down to prime old age and riper years. Intemperance is cureable, and the friends of the unfortunate subject of king alcohol should use proper means to induce them to abstain from the use of ardent spirits; and as it is a growing evil, by giving way to the use of it in the outset of life, from one drink per day, to from three to one dozen or more each day. It would be advisable to gradually abstain from one dozen to three or one, as the case may be, until the great thirst for it created by an excessive use should dwindle down to an entire abstinence, and you can thus drink cold water, and become thorough Jeffersonians in principle and habit. I would recommend this as the most safe plan and certain remedy to reform. An in- temperate man and those who have never suffered the accursed stuff to gain the ascendency over their natural and intellectual facul- ties are fit subjects to take the unfortunate subject in charge and act in a two-fold capacity in dealing the proper portion out in small quantities to reclaim them. Much might be done in this way to bring about a reformation on any particular case or subject of in- temperance. You should act with great caution towards them, ac- cording to their different natural dispositions and inclinations.— It might be advisable in some instances, where habits of intemper- ance may have been of long standing, to administer a few light brisk doses of purgative medicines, followed by oil or salts; repeat the dose say once per week for three or four successive weeks, and in a surprisingly short time you may reform almost any case of a habi- tual and constitutional drunkard; as a general rule I would recom- mend mild treatment and kind reproofs. Thus, by living temperate, you can at the early hour of the night behold with amazement and pleasure the lunar orb shining forth in serene beauty, surrounded by an innumerable host of planets and bright stars of heaven, fixed in their orbs, each one striving to out-shine all others, dispelling the dark and sable curtain of the night. You repose on your couch and pillow unmolested by the dismal haunts of the effects of king alcohol. To refresh the natural mind and body from the toils ot the past day, arise on the following morning and drink of the crystal fount gushing forth from the water-brook's fountain head, and be- hold the brilliant sun arising from the eastern hemisphere in all the pomp and splendor of his magnificent, gigantic power, dispelling the gloom and darkness of the night, ruling over the day, spreading his glories to the west, sinking into the latent hours of the P. M. behind the western horizon to rise again in the space of twelve short hours, but remember this great sun will one day set to rise no more; but the sun of righteousness will in much greater splendor arise with healing in his wings to waft the spirits of just men made per- fect above the sordid cares of time, and land the part that never die. HUMAN NATURE AND EDUCATION. 21 beyond cold Jordans icy arms, and bathe in one eternal scene of joy 3nH n*>5ir»*» fnroira-r m^vn and peace forever more. Success to the cause of Temperance, May its wheels roll swiftly on, Until king alcohol be poured and sentenced Into the ocean's bottom, until all is gone. Thousands ten it hath slain, And it will slay millions more, Unless you act like men and pour and drain, Until all is thrown upon time's ocean shore. HUMAN NATURE AND EDUCATION. 'Tis education that forms the tender mind, Just as the twig is bent the tree's inclined.—Cowper. Thus early education should be our chief design— Youth for it should all other pursuits resign, Lest when their minds grow old and stale, Thirst for education in their minds should fail. Therefore blythesome youth is the important hour To seize the book and hold fast the golden bower; Lest in hoary hairs and prime old age, Their nobler powers should spurn the stage; And maddened passions spurn control, And usurp the finer senses of the soul. Then let wisdom's path be frequent trod, And your minds will be upheld by Almighty God. Then let temperance and education be your theme, And every ray of nature's king will on your finer senses beam. Thus youth may in his power of gigantic strength, Rise to be of full power, might and length; Be ranked in riper jears with a Caesar or a Washington, Or become a learned Lycurgus or a Jefferson. In entering upon the important subject of education, I will, in some degree, combine or blend it with human nature, as it is inevita- bly the case that in one sense of the word they are closely allied. The natural thirst and desire of the energetic mind to excel in en- terprize is so great, that in many instances, in medium life, it actu- ally becomes a second nature to thirst for education. Nature i« therefore the mother of education. I perhaps could have as good an apology for a probable deficiency in doincr this important subject justice, as any that could be offered, and that is the want of classical education. I at no time of my life, even when in moderate health, was ever in possession of any thing more than a common English education. 1 however, always from my boyhood, possessed a great thirst for education, and made 22 HUMAN NATURE AND EDUCATION. rapid progress in learning at all times when time would permit me from the daily avocations of life. I have suffered much in the course of my life in the transaction of a heavy business for want of education, and have actually, in many instances, been defrauded out of my just rights by men in possession of fine education, who had the advantage oVer me in calculating. It is, therefore, highly im- portant that parents, guardians, &c. should hold a strict adherence to the early education of each member of their families, son or daughter; guardians towards minors under their immediate direc- tion. In many instances the parent pays no particular attention to the education of his son, which is a most shameful neglect. Many boys and girls become capable of instruction in the minor branches of an English education at a surprisingly early age. Some even begin to learn to pronounce words and connect sentences at six to eight years of age. It is therefore highly important to carefully and tenderly nourish those desires by a prudent, mild and attentive course to encourage them to excel other members of the family, or their class-mates at each of their respective school rooms. Thus you may, in a very short time, train the natural mind to delight in the perusal of interesting books. And you should be very careful to select proper and suitable books, such as would imbibe pure Jef- fersonian principles in the mind while young, tender and susceptible of moral instruction. Thus the mind begins to form its fundamen- tal governing foundation principles, which are most frequently the leading ones through life. The mind nevertheless, however, is sus- ceptible of many changes and bursting glows of eloquence and exaltation. But the first principles of education are most frequently the predominent ruling powers over the remaining portion of edu- cation received in after years. It is, therefore, highly important that a strict adherence should be given to the different natural disposi- tions—to be careful to govern them according to their just deserts, that their education be not improperly fixed in its principles in its young and tender buddings and bloomings. If imprudent or im- proper instructions should be rendered to youth by either parents, guardians or teachers, it is almost always impossible to erase them. They become natural, habitual, and I might say in some instances, even constitutional. Thus we may very easily implant in the mind of youth lasting impressions of a pernicious character, that can never be erased in future years. We may also, upon the other hand, implant and imbibe into the young and tender mind of both male and female, prudent, discreet and lasting impressions, which will be of a highly interesting and beneficial character, that will imbue with by-gone days; and by an imprudent education the mind becomes stupidly careless and insignificant, and dwindles down into a state of sloth, and in all probability assumes the character of an unpleasant and pernicious companion, and no refining tuitions are rendered or extended towards the student, and it becomes a second nature to contract a hatred to learning. In those cases parents and HUMAN NATURE AND EDUCATION. 23 tutors should be exceedingly careful to exert their influence in bring- ing about a conversion of inclinations, habits, temper and disposi- tion; and to do this properly, you should be governed in your chas- tisements by the natural disposition of the student. In some in- stances correction with the rod would be pernicious, and in others it would be highly beneficial. Thus we can very easily discover the great propriety of watching the changes that the natural mind is subject to undergo, and govern our chastisements by the effect each successive effort may have upon the mind of the student. Thus we might change the slothful, careless, insignificant boy to a bril- liant Lycurgus; and in the course of a reasonable subsequent time, it would be reasonable to suppose that he would arrive to the zenith or summit of a Cicero, or he might burst forth in an unexpected glow of eloquence like a Patrick Henry, and astonish the natives of the surrounding country, and his fair fame be sounded with delight from Maine to Louisiana. Parents, awake to the early education of your sons and daughters: many brilliant sons and daughters of free America have talents buried for the want of proper education. Dig the talent up and brighten it with a good classical education. If you should have a little hard struggling in the outset of your lives, never mind all that. Render proper instruction, and I will under- write for them that they will rise up and call you blessed, and cheer- fully remunerate or recompense you for every dollar in money or moment of time you may expend or extend towards them. It is equally important and perhaps of greater interest to educate your daughters. They are of the feminine class, unable to undergo the fatigues of a hard and toilsome life, and in the event that fortune should frown on their path-way, a classical education would be of incalculable value to them. Thus they might very easily support them- selves and aid in the support and comfort of you in your old age— therefore it is greatly to your own interest to render unto them advice and instructions. You should also be careful towards them according to their respective natural habits and tempers, in your chastisements, as well as with your sons, that they may arrive to the summit of an Isabella or an Elizabeth, that they might cheer- fully pledge their jewels for out-fits for a young and enterprising Columbus to protect and defend this yet infantile and thriving Re- public, or furnish the pure leaven that leaveneth the whole almost unbounded and wide domain. When you thus see the great con- trast drawn between proper and improper education in the early cultivation of the mind, will you not arouse every nerve and faculty of your minds and souls and exert yourselves to facilitate education, until every white free born soul in America who has or may arrive to an age sufficient to receive a classical education, shall at least be taught to read Holy Writ and write a plain legible hand, and receive an arithmetical and grammatical English education? It is however important in the mean time, to hold a strict adherence to the extent of the natural ability or strength of any particular student, either 24 HUMAN NATURE AND EDUCATION. male or female, and you should be careful to enforce or encourage the perusal of useful books, or withhold them as the case may or should be; and as the natural mind and ability should gradually in- crease in strength from its infantile state, it will be highly necessary to place the student in higher and more important branches of litera- ture, viz: Arithmetic, Geography, English and Latin Grammar, &cr from one to the other, until the student shall have completed his education: being careful at the same time to not require him or her, as the case may be, to place the mind on more subjects in quantity of any particular study than it could carefully retain. There is a very essential duty devolving on parents to correct or chastise their chil- dren for any misconduct on the way to, or returning from school, and not to suffer them to tattle or tell tales on each other out of schools; and for students to make great learned men they must ap- ply themselves close to their diilerent studies, drink cold water, bathe their hands and face with a portion of the first bucket of water drawn by the cook or milk maid of each and every morning, burn the oil of the latent hours of the after noon, keep their books neat and clean, honor old age, and reverence their teacher, and pay due adoration and implore the mercies of their teacher and protector on high to rest upon their heads. Thus they receive the good will of the school and all good men, and become great classical and learned men, and enter upon the stage of the different pursuits and avoca- tions of life, and can with those advantages pass easily through all ranks of learned men with great ease and comfort to themselves and associates. While the unlearned man is frequently cramped and lost in wonder for the want of proper language to converse with his associates. The education heretofore alluded to, is not the only kind of edu- cation incumbent on parents towards their children. There is also manual or laboring education requisite to be taught each and every individual, without regard to name or station. If 1 possessed the wealth of America and England combined, I would be zealous to inculcate early habits of industry into the minds of my children. Thus they would be usefully employed and would enjoy much finer constitutional health than to be idling and lounging and capering about tippling houses. They should also be carefully educated to converse genteelly and treat associates with the most utmost respect, and to honor those who gave them birth; and early education is in this case most advisable. I maintain, however, that man naturally of himself is inclined to aspire to higher and more elevated stations, at least to upwards of medium age: and in some instances the mind s susceptible of literary, mechanical and natural instructions, even down to prime old age. This, however, depends in a great degree upon the proper or improper course of early education, it being the predominant, leading and ruling topic of the great field of education. Early impressions made on and wrought upon the first education of youth, can never be erased; but in the noon day and evening of life, HUMAN NATURE AND EDUCATION. 25 will naturally of themselves revolve and re-revolve, running back to the beautiful sunrise and enjoyments of boyhood. There is also an education of still much greater importance enjoined upon parents than even the moral, natural, mechanical and literary education all combined in one, which is strictly enjoined upon you in the book of God—it is a religious education. And as the son inherits the father's estate, it is not unfrequently the case that he inherits and inculcates his father's religious principles and creeds, and holds to the same doctrines. There are, however, some exceptions; but as a general rule, I might safely assert that the son imbibes and is gen- erally in his leading principles through life governed by the examples set before him by his father, and the daughter by the examples of her mother. A change from those principles may however be wrought upon the mind in an early stage of the natural function's, when young, tender and susceptible of religious instructions, either for a beneficial or pernicious tendency, just according to the care of education. You may very easily educate a child properly at your pleasure. Parents are held awfully responsible at the bar of Al- mighty God for the manner of instructing their children in a reli- gious point of view. I do not hold that man has or is possessed with the power of converting the soul of his fellow man; but he may convert him from the error of his ways and bring him by pro- per religious instruction into the fold, and lead him through the green pastures of the delightful telescope, and to partake of the most glorious and luxuriant fruits of the trees of the garden of Par- adise; and as the tall gigantic oak of the green wood forest springs from the small acorn and spreads its leaves linking them with its sister maple, birch and poplar. Just so the small boy rises in his splendor from his early natural and religious education, and spreads his glorious boon and gospel trump, sounding the melodious news of free salvation, and links the boughs of the immortal mind with his brother George and sisters Isabella and Elizabeth, until the whole finer or nobler part assumes an elevated stand to the beholding eyes of men of credit and renown. It is highly important to be careful to employ your energies in early education to the proper pronuncia- tions, corr. mas and colons, and learn to command the voice to a pro- per height and moderate, intelligent soeed. These observances add to the beauty and excellence of the reading and is interesting to the hearer. You may place two boys on an equal footing in the world in the outset of their lives, and let them be possessed with equal natural ability and energy—give one a good classical education and the other be illiterate—and in a surprisingly short time you will see the boy of liberal education aspiring to the summit of the greatness of man, and the unfortunate,illiterate boy drooping in his spirits. He becomes discouraged and faulters at the idea of passing his life in poverty and ignorance, and will in all probability loose that noble energetic spirit and enterprise for the want of proper education to combine and convey his ideas, in the different pursuits and avoca- 26 HUMAN NATURE AND EDUCATION. tions of life. These are all highly marked distinctions of human nature in its infantile state. 1 will therefore earnestly beseech pa- rents, guardians, teachers, students anj men and women of all ranks and classes, to arise in their strength and might and arouse them- selves from a constitutional lethargetic state, if they may be sinking into it, to the importance of early natural, civil, mechanical and religious education. Let me call your attention to the importance of the improve- ment of time. The infinite value of time is incalculable—it is the most precious thing in all the world—the only thing of which it is a virtue and not a vice to become covetous, and the only thing of which all men are prodigal. In the first place then, reading is a most interesting and pleasant method of occupying your leisure hd\irs. All young or old people may have time enough to read. The difficulty is, the young are not careful enough to improve it. Their leisure hours are either idled away, or talked away, or spent in some other vain and useless way, and they then complain that they have no time for the cultivation of their mind and hearts. Time is so precious, that there is never but one moment in the world at once, and that is immediately taken before a second is giv- en. Only take care to gather up the fragments of time, and you will never want leisure for the reading of books. And in what way can you spend your unoccupied hours more interestingly to yourself than in holding converse with the wise and the great through the medium of their writings. It is a highly marked consideration of great weight, that reading furnishes materials tor interesting and useful conversation. Those who are wholly ignorant of the delightsome perusal of books, must have their thoughts confined to very narrow limits. They have nothing to say of importance, because they know nothing of importance. Useful reading is an effectual preservation from vice and crime—nothing is a better safeguard to character than the love of good books, except the fear of God implanted in the heart. They are the handmaids of virtue and religion—they quicken our sense of duty—strengthen our principles, confirm our habits, inspire us in the love of what is right and useful, and teach us to look with disgust upon that which is low, grovelling and vicious. The impor- tant value of mental cultivation, is a great, and weighty motive for giving attendance to reading. It is that knowledge gained by read- ing that distinguishes man from a brute. It also makes a vast dif- ference between savage and civilized nations. It was knowledge that raised Franklin from the humble station of an apprentice boy to the first honors of his country— itwas knowl- edge that took Sherman from a shoe-maker's bench to occupy a seat in Congress—and his voice was heard among the wisest and best of his compeers. It was knowledge that raised Herschel from the low station of a fifers boy to the elevation of ranking among the first class of astronomers—and oh youth, when you see what HUMAN NATURE AND EDUCATION. 27 knowledge has done for men in former days, will you not in these modern times, become a Philomel, a lover of learning—knowledge is power—it is the sceptre that gives us our dominion over nature— the key that unlocks the store-house of creation. You live in an age of great mental excitement—the public mind is fast approximat- ing on the side of improvement, and the means of knowledge are daily increasing—God has given you minds which are capable of improvement—he has placed you in circumstances peculiarly fa- vorable for making those improvements. One of the characters heretofore alluded to on a former page was Caius Julius Caesar, who was born in the ninety eighth-year be- fore the christian era, descended from an ancient patrician family, educated by his mother Aurele,