CHAPTER III.
"'T is by degrees the youthful mind expands; and every day, Soft as it rolls along, shows some new charm; Then infant reason grows apace, and calls For the kind hand of an assiduous care." "Delightful task, to rear the tender thought, To pour the new instruction o'er the mind, To breathe the enlivening spirit, and to fix The generous purpose in the glowing breast."
[Thomson: _Seasons_: end of "Spring": By degrees, The human blossom blows; and every day, Soft as it rolls along, shows some new charm, The father's lustre, and the mother's bloom. Then infant reason grows apace, and calls For the kind hand of an assiduous care. Delightful task! to rear the tender thought. To teach the young idea how to shoot, To pour the fresh instruction o'er the mind, To breathe th' enlivening spirit, and to fix The generous purpose in the glowing breast.]
The period at length arrived, when it became necessary that Alida shouldreceive further instruction in the various branches of femaleliterature. With this view, her father thought proper to change theplace of her studies from the village school to the New-York Seminary.
It was his idea that nothing afforded so pleasing a prospect as thegraces of beauty, aided by wisdom and useful knowledge, and that careshould be taken that the mind should first be initiated in the solidacquirements, before the embellishments of education should be allowedto take up the attention or engross the thoughts; and that the firstpurposes of the teacher should be directed to endeavour to cause themental powers of the scholar to be excited, in the first place, toattain to whatever is most useful and necessary, and that suitableapplication and industry was the only means whereby we may gaincelebrity in any art or science, or therein arrive at any degree ofperfection.
"His heart glowed with paternal fondness and interesting solicitude,when he beheld the countenance of his child sparkling with intelligence,or traced the progress of reason in her awakened curiosity when any newobject attracted her attention or exercised her imagination." Delightfulindeed were the sensations of a parent in the contemplation of so fair aprospect, which in some degree recalled again to his bosom sometransient gleams of happiness.
The season was now far advanced in autumn, and the trees were nearlystripped of their foliage; the radiant sun had in part withdrawn hisenlivening rays to give place to the approaching coldness of winter,when Alida left her home, amid the innumerable regrets of her juvenilecompanions, to accompany her father to the city to finish her education.
They journeyed in a stage-coach from the village of ----, which, in thecourse of a few hours, conveyed them amid the tumultuous din of the busymetropolis. The female seminary to which Alida repaired was pleasantlysituated in the western part of the town, where the refreshing andsalubrious breezes of the Hudson rendered it a healthy and desirablesituation at all seasons of the year.
Although her father had only performed his duty in placing his childonce more at school, yet it was at a greater distance from the paternalroof than formerly, and when he returned again to his residence, he felthis situation more lonely than ever, and he could scarcely reconcilehimself to the loss of her society.
All was novel-like in the city to Alida, where she at once saw so manydifferent objects to excite alternately her surprise, curiosity, andrisibility, and where she experienced so many different sensations,arising from the sudden transition in being removed from scenes ofuninterrupted tranquillity to those of gaiety and pleasure, of crowdedstreets and riotous entertainments, of obsequious beaux and dashingpetits maitres, and where all appeared to her one continued scene ofbusiness and confusion, scarcely reconcileable.
In the meantime her mind became engrossed by various new occupations.Among her favourite studies was the French language, which, at thisperiod, was considered as one of the necessary appendages to femaleeducation, when scarcely any new work could be read without a regret tothose who did not understand it. Music, dancing, and drawing occupiedher time alternately, and while these different amusements afforded apleasing variety, they animated her mind anew with the powers ofexertion that had been excited by early impressions--that whatever sheattempted to learn, to be assiduous to learn it well, and that a meresuperficial knowledge, in any science or accomplishment, was by no meansdesirable.
All her studies and amusements had their regular arrangements, and dueapplication gave her many advantages over those of her own age, while itexpanded her mind in a greater degree, and facilitated her progress inlearning, and gave more ready improvement to her understanding andnative capacities.
Her only surviving brother, whose name was Albert, had been a merchantin the city a number of years, and he still continued to live amid itsperplexities, (although numbers had been unfortunate around him,) withas good success as could be expected at this time, on account of therestrictions on American commerce. One probable reason may be assignedwhy he had been more successful in his business than many others: he wasguided in the management of his affairs by vigilance and industriousperseverance, and he was not only endued with the best abilities tofulfil the duties incumbent on his station in life, but was not remissin the exercise of them. His manners, generally, were reserved, thoughhe could be humorous and gay whenever occasion required; and when inconvivial society, he could make one among the number of those whoamused themselves in sallies of wit and pleasantry. He had acquired muchuseful and general information in his commerce with the world at large,which he employed at this time in various conversations on politics, ashe could not be able to render himself serviceable to his country in anyother way, being exempt from his childhood from performing militaryduty. His personal advantages were only surpassed by the superiorqualifications of his mind, that had long been under religious influenceand impressions.
In his public and private life he fully answered the expectations of hisnumerous acquaintance and friends, as well as the most sanguine wishesof an anxious and affectionate father, who yet seemed disposed toindulge in melancholy reflections, while his friends kindly endeavoured,by many pious and philosophical discourses, to awaken him to aconsideration of his former piety, and humble trust in an all-wiseProvidence, reminding him that our greatest consolation consists inresigned and devotional feelings of gratitude to our Maker, even in theseverest afflictions; who, although he may have thought fit to depriveus of some, for the many remaining blessings we may still be inpossession of; and that a firm reliance on Providence, however ouraffections may be at variance with its dispensations, is the onlyconsolatory source that we can have recourse to in the gloomy hours ofdistress; and that such dependance, though often crossed by troubles anddifficulties, may at length be crowned with success in our most arduousundertakings, and we may again meet with unlooked-for and unexpectedhappiness.
[_A&M_, Preface:
One thing was aimed to be shown, that a firm reliance on providence, however the affections might be at war with its dispensations, is the only source of consolation in the gloomy hours of affliction; and that generally such dependence, though crossed by difficulties and perplexities, will be crowned with victory at last.]
"Afflictions all his children feel, Affliction is the Father's rod; He wounds them for his mercy sake, He wounds to heal."
[James Montgomery: The Grave. In _The Wanderer of Switzerland_ (1806). Stz. 1:
A bruised reed he will not break, Afflictions all his children feel; He wounds them for his mercy's sake, He wounds to heal!]
The clear, calm sunshine of a mind illumined by piety, and a firmreliance upon Supreme wisdom, crowns all other divine blessings. Itirradiates the progress of life, and dispels the evils attendant on ournature; it renders the mind calm and pacific, and promotes thatcheerfulness and resignation which has its foundation in a life ofrectitude and charity; and in the full exercise of Christian principleswe may find still increasing happiness.
[_NY Weekly_: Chearfulness (quoting Dr. Blair):
It is the cl
ear and calm sunshine of a mind illuminated by piety and virtue. It crowns all other good dispositions, and comprehends the general effect which they ought to produce on the heart. ... A chearful temper irradiates the progress of life, and dispels the evils of sublunary nature.]
Alida; or, Miscellaneous Sketches of Incidents During the Late American War. Page 42