and finally ends a monomaniac, and thus passes from "life's fitful dream" to a mad house--one of those mournful living tombs, commemorative of the wreck of human reason. This is no fancy sketch; but a sad truth, apparent to the common observation of all, when only a part of the faculties given us by the Great Author of our being, have been nurtured and developed, and the others neglected. But there are many and other instances constantly occurring where a neglect to properly, and mutually blend physical, mental and moral culture --has been the cause of keeping in ignorance and obscurity, some of nature's noblest and brightest minds. Indeed, these three great constituents of the mind are mutually dependent one upon the other; and no individual can arrive at legitimate manhood without their joint culture. It matters not what occupation he may follow, he cannot be truly great, and excel even in that, without the equal development of this triune principle of his nature.

Of all classes of men, he who is engaged in industrial pursuits, were he true to himself, is in the best condition to develop these three great constituents of his mind.

Obliged to associate physical exercise with that daily avocation, which yields the means of sustenance and comfort to himself and family, it is only necessary that he should allot a portion of time, from each day or week, to books, thought, science and literature, and he will find that his mental and moral powers, will assimilate in tone, harmony and power, to his physical development. Thrown, too, in daily contact with his fellow-men upon the footing of equality, arising from citizenship and similarity in occupation and pursuits, his sympathies naturally comprehend within their grasp the struggling, toiling millions around him, who, like himself, are struggling for the means to supply the common wants of life, and such a position in society as will be most conducive to their happiness. It is this alone that constitutes the true link of sympathy which binds man to man in unity and brotherhood, and enables him to comprehend practically that great and beautiful truth, in the the christian philosophy, of "doing unto others as you would that they should do unto you, and loving your neighbor as yourself." And let no man suppose that the time thus devoted to mental and moral culture, would be detrimental to him in a business point of view. On the contrary, it cannot fail to be of infinite advantage. It would impart to his mind that tone of vigor, firmness, and confidence, blended with sympathy and kindness, which the ignorant can never know, nor feel. His mental vision as a business man would be enlarged-each avenue of industrial pursuit would open to his view, and in this favored country, such a mind could never know nor feel dispair. The true objects, and ends of life, would ever be present to his waking senses-and should fortune bless and prosper his efforts, to the accumulation of wealth, he would know how to use it, not only for his own good, but for that of others also. To such a man, wealth would not prove a mockery, burthen and a curse, but a source of pleasure and happiness in the consciousness, that he possessed the means, of imparting good unto others. To him old age would bring no terrors, fears, or remorse, no weeping widows or orphans would rise from their graves, to accuse him of grinding, wrong, or cold and callous hearted neglect. Having kept pure and intact a green spot in his

heart from youth to old age, amid all the tumult, toil and distraction of his business life, by proper mental and moral culture; his heart was ever kept open to the voice of sympathy and kindness, and he would rather have submitted to a wrong than to have inflicted it; and now in his decline, surrounded by wealth and comfort, that green spot in his world-tried heart blooms with renewed freshness,-a capital, yielding him interest more precious than all his wealth besides.

But he who would attain to this enviable position must learn to school his mind to habits of thought and calm reflection, from the commencement to the end of his career of active life; so that when middle age arrives it shall find him with fixed and established habits. For it has been truly said that hahit is second nature, and when we have broken a good habit we find it most difficult to re-establish it, and more difficult still is it to break a bad habit when once thoroughly established. Youthful habits are stronger than those formed in middle age, and those formed in middle age still stronger than those formed in old age; indeed, it is hardly possible to form a permanent habit in the decline of life, as the youth and middle aged man is so must the old man continue to be, for good or for evil to the grave. Hence, the imperious necessity of our forming those habits in early life which are the best calculated to develop all of the powers and faculties of the mind and the finest feelings of the heart. For upon these depend our future world of happiness or woe-of sunshine or gloom.

It is not sufficient that we resolve in our own mind, that at some future day, more propitious than the present, when time and circumstances will favor, we will cultivate a habit of study, and a taste, and a desire for the acquisition of knowledge. We must commence immediately if we would cultivate and fix the habit so as to remain with us in after life. "Now is the accepted time;" procrastination is moral death. That man who waits supinely, with a vague hope that at some future time circumstances will permit him to do what God and his own nature requires of him now, will find that those circumstances will never occur, and will live to regret―deeply regret, that he did not, even in the very vortex of business, while yet young, commence the habit of self-culture and improvement.

Indeed, much of the most valuable practical wisdom of life is derived from contact with our fellow men in the great thoroughfares of business. Where mind grapples with mind, and heart responds to heart, in defiance, hate, fear, friendship-here character is developed in every variety of shade and coloring; here each and all are struggling for the attainment of their own individual idea; here we meet young and ardent hope, vaulting ambition, undying energy and perseverence, low cunning, pride, success, generosity, poverty and despair, mingled in the same groupe, all of which leave their impress on each mind for good or for evil, according to its culture and capacity to receive them. To him who has cultivated a habit of thought and of reasoning, and an appreciation of moral beauty, harmony, and excellence, the lesson is fraught with wisdom, goodness, and improvement; but to him who has trampled upon the gifts that God gave him, and who has desecrated that sacred boon to man--the human mind-there is no true

wisdom imparted-no goodness left behind-darkness and confusion still reign there supreme.

But, although much may be learned by contact and observation, it is not all that is required. There must be some little time set apart for calm reflection upon what has been seen. Conclusions must be drawn; and in this effort, the mind needs the aid of other minds, who have accurately treated of each particular subject or branch of knowledge upon which information is sought. Hence, books must be resorted to, and the proper selection of these books, is the great desideratum. It is not so much the quantity, as the quality we should regard. A few books well selected, and well read, are better than many books badly selected, and badly read.

For, in order to attain the full development of manhood, the mind must have proper food and nourishment as well as the body. He who would preserve his physical body in good health and full vigor, must minister to it substantial and healthful food at stated times and in proper quantities. So with the mind-if we would develop all of its mighty powers, and varied resources, we must give unto it such mental food as will enrich and invigorate the life-blood of thought. As the human stomach is to the physical system, so is the BRAIN to the mind. The one digests the food that constitutes the blood that is to impart health, vigor and life to the body; the other, that mental food which is to be converted into the spiritual blood of immortal life, either to elevate and glorify that life, or to darken and curse it.

We suppose, too, that the mind, like the body, requires a variety of food to maintain its healthful condition. This variety, however, should be selected with a view to the substantial and lasting benefits to result therefrom, such works should be read that when the mind has digested their contents, a good stock of ideas should be found remaining to enrich the great storehouse of memory, to be called up as a strength and support when the vigor of manhood has departed, to refresh and vivify the winter of life.

But, there are a class of works prevalent—and we very much fear they are read by many of our business young men, more, perhaps, than any other kind. We allude to the popular novels of the day. These productions are teeming from the press, and constantly crowding our literary marts. From thence they are thrown over the length and breadth of our land, finding their way into the hands of all classes of society-all sexes, ages, and conditions, and constituting the principal reading of the youth of our country. What the result of this will be, for weal or wo, the future alone can determine. We fear, however, it will not add to the sum of human happiness.

We are not prepared to say that novels and romances may not be well enough as a recreation to minds engaged in constant and severe mental labor. But as constituting the principal reading of an individual, they are pernicious-tending to destroy the memory, and weaken and enervate all of the nobler and higher powers of the mind. It is not surprising, however, that they should be so attractive to the young, as they pander to the passions, and stimulate their imaginations-follies which they can only be made sensible of by sad and bitter experience. But there will come a time, too soon in the lives of all, as age advances, when the novel must be thrown aside; and the misfortune is, that,

whilst it has left no substantial food behind for the mind of age to live upon, it has unfitted it for the acquisition of that knowledge which age so much requires, so that, like the shipwrecked mariner, drifting upon a shoreless and stormy sea, without chart, compass, or rudder, he finds that what should have been the mental accumulations of his youth, constituting a rich fund of thought, in the great storehouse of the mind, have in his old age turned to dust and to ashes. Such must ever be the fate of the habitual novel reader, when youth and passion have departed.

In urging the benefit and necessity of mental culture upon the young men of the Mississippi valley, we would not be understood as uttering any thing against those close business habits, or that activity, vigilance, energy and industry so essential to success in life: this is commendable. But, what we would suggest is, that business, and mental, and moral, culture are not at all incompatible. But, on the contrary, we believe, the man who is engaged in active every day employment is thoroughly competent, if he will make proper application of his time, to make sufficient improvement for his own future happiness, and to discharge all the duties devolving upon him as a citizen and member of society. His daily contact with the business world places in his hands the touch stone of truth, by which to test that which he derives from books, the one kind of knowledge ballances the other and gives to him an equilibrium of mind and firmness of character that the mere student of books can never know.

We assure our young friends we wish them all success in business, and hope they may accumulate fortunes. But let us beg of them to seriously reflect whether it would not be a good investment, one that would pay good interest to them in future time; to devote a few hours out of every week, from the rush, wear and tear, of business, to calm research and quiet thought, whether in the day of their need when the fervent imagination, and ardent passions of youth have grown cold with advancing years, and lost their charm over the heart, and ceased to cheat, bewilder and betray,-when the mind thus stripped of the garb of deception turns from the past to the future, would it not be well, we say, that it should have been strengthened and fortified for this change in life by lessons of wisdom drawn from that fountain of all truth : the christian philosophy ?

To the young men of the Mississippi valley these remarks are particularly addressed. They occupy a proud and responsible position, morally, socially, and politically. In their hands is vested a mighty power, a high and a holy trust as Guardians of the Federal Union of these States, and it is their solemn duty to prepare themselves for a religious discharge of the sacred obligations resting upon them. For the time is not far distant when the centre of population will be near the great heart of the Mississippi valley-with population comes political power, the arts, sciences and literature. Here American mind and genius must first take on their true tone, character and nationality; here their first great efforts will be made in forming an American National literature, a literature destined to remould the world of thought, directing it to new and hitherto untried channels; here the American thought must be matured, finding vent in uttered word and written record; bearing impress of the magnitude in

extent, resources, powers and glory of the surrounding country; here American character will take on its true tone, dignity and national greatness; here American institutions will receive the impress of their final destiny. Upon the young men of the west devolves the high responsibility of shaping and directing these mighty interests for good or for evil: will they rise commensurate in knowledge, power, thought and deed to the mighty task imposed upon them by their destiny?

Since the first formation of the Federal Union, there has gradually arisen a feeling antagonistic in its character, between the north and the south, calculated, in its tendency, to engender sectional and partisan feeling between the people occupying these two sections of our country. It is the privilege and province of the great west, if she is true to her own destiny, to throw oil upon the angry waves of discord agitating these two sections, and soothe them into harmony and peace--to frown down with indignant scorn and loathing, the first dawning of an attempt to weaken the bonds of the American Union.

LITERARY NOTICES AND ACKNOWLEDGMENTS.

THE ST. LOUIS PROBE.

THIS is the title of a Medical Journal recently established in this city, edited by Drs. Coons and Atkinson. The articles contained in the January number (the only one which has come to hand) appear to have been selected with judgment; and the leading article, "Remarks on Cholera," by the senior Editor, will be found interesting to the general reader as well as to the physician. We take this occasion to remark that, in our opinion, the community in general do not sufficiently appreciate the value of medical journals. The circulation of these periodicals should not be confined to the profession-it would be good economy for every family to take one. The St. Louis Probe is published at two dollars per annum. The enterprising Editors have our best wishes for their success.

DESCRIPTION OF A RAILROAD ROUTE FROM ST. LOUIS TO SAN FRANCISCO, in letters to P. P. F. Degrand from W. L. Dearborn, Civil Engineer. This pamphlet contains more valuable facts relating to the great central route than any other document, of equal size, we have inet with. We tender our thanks to Mr. Degrand for his kind attention.

MAURY'S SAILING DIRECTIONS.

We acknowledge our obligations to Lieut. Maury for a copy of this valuable document. Such information as it contains is always highly prized by us.