| Is this thy home? The wild woods wave Their branches in the mountain breeze— And nature to thy mansion gave A treasure in those noble trees. Here flows a river bright and pure Along its silver-winding way, While on its white and pebbled shore A fairy group of children play. Here calm and clear looks heaven's blue dome— This is thy lovely Highland home! This is thy home—at evening's hour A social band assemble here, With converse sweet and music's power, To chase each gloomy thought of care. Affection's gentle language speaks In every eye thine eyes behold— Here revels love on beauty's cheeks And bids her braid her locks of gold. In search of bliss you need not roam— But this is not—is not my home! My home is where the waters roll Deep, wide and blue to ocean's caves— How sweetly soothing to the soul The murmur of their dashing waves! Oft has their music charmed mine ear At twilight's soft and dewy hour— When one I fondly love was near To feel with me its witching power, And watch the billows crown'd with foam, Break on thy walls, my lowland home! My home! how soon that single word Can cause regretful tears to flow! It thrills on feeling's finest chord— Still does it make my bosom glow. Oh what a fountain of delight Does that one little sound unseal! When far away, to mem'ry's sight What scenes of bliss does it reveal! 'Tis the voice of nature bids me come To thy shrine of love—my own sweet home! Wealth may be ours, and fame may spread With trumpet-voice our names afar— In honor's cause we may have bled And braved the crimson tide of war— But wealth, and fame, and glory's crown Are bubbles which a breath may burst, As quickly as a breath hath blown; They cannot slake the burning thirst For happiness—for this we roam, And this is only found at home! |
E. A. S.
SECOND LECTURE
Of the Course on the Obstacles and Hindrances to Education, arising from the peculiar faults of Parents, Teachers and Scholars, and that portion of the Public immediately concerned in directing and controlling our Literary Institutions.
On Parental Faults.
When I last had the honor of addressing you, I promised that I would endeavor to expose all such parental faults as obstruct the progress of correct education. This promise I will now proceed to fulfil, with only one prefatory request, which is, that if any individuals present shall apply a single remark to themselves, to bear it constantly in mind that such application is made by their own consciences—not by me. My observations will all be general—theirs should be particular, and should be carried home to their own bosoms and business; or all that I shall say, might as well be uttered to so many “deaf adders,” as to intelligent, rational, and moral beings.
Having been a parent myself for nearly forty years, and a close observer of other parents ever since I turned my attention particularly to the subject of education, I have much experience to “give in” relative to parental faults and vices. Whether this experience will avail any thing towards their cure, or even their mitigation, your own feelings and judgment can alone decide. The picture which I shall endeavor to draw will be a very revolting one, although not in the slightest degree caricatured or aggravated. But not less revolting is the sight of cancers in the human body, which require to be both seen and thoroughly examined before they can be extirpated. The cancers of the mind, however, as all faults and vices may justly be called, are infinitely harder to cut out; for in all these cases the victim and the operator must be the same person. Here, according to the old adage, every one must be his own doctor—since all that can be done for him by others is to tell him of his malady, and to convince him, if possible, in spite of his self-love and blindness, of its highly dangerous tendency, as well as of its certainly fatal termination, unless he himself will most earnestly and anxiously set about its cure. To produce this conviction in all my hearers who need it, arduous as the undertaking may be, is the sole purpose for which I now address you.