f political
warfare, and taking sides as fiercely as if they laid claim to
infallibility, where their fathers and grandfathers modestly confess
ignorance.

At the same time, in a government like ours, where the highest offices
are in the gift of the people, and within the reach of every young man
of tolerable capacity, it would be disgraceful not to study the history
and constitution of our own country, and closely to watch all
legislative movements, at least in the councils of the nation. The time
is not far distant, it is hoped, when these will be made every day
subjects in our elementary schools; and when no youth will arrive at
manhood, as thousands, and, I was going to say, millions now do,
without understanding clearly a single article in the Constitution of
the United States, or even in that of the State in which he resides:
nor even how his native state is represented in Congress.

Again, most young men will probably, sooner or later, vote for rulers
in the town, state, and nation to which they belong. Should they vote
at random? Or what is little better, take their opinions upon trust? Or
shall they examine for themselves; and go to the polls with their eyes
open? At a day like the present, nothing appears to me more obvious
than that young men ought to understand what they are doing when they
concern themselves with public men or public measures.

10. KEEPING A JOURNAL.

I have already spoken of the importance of letter writing. The keeping
of a journal is scarcely less so, provided it be done in a proper
manner. I have seen journals, however, which, aside from the fact that
they improve the _handwriting_, and encourage _method_, could have been
of very little use. A young agriculturist kept a journal for many
years, of which the following is a specimen.

1813.

July 2. Began our haying. Mowed in the forenoon, and raked in the
afternoon. Weather good.

3. Continued haying. Mowed. Got in one load. Cloudy.

4. Independence. Went, in the afternoon, to ----.

5. Stormy. Did nothing out of doors.

This method of keeping a journal was continued for many years; and only
discontinued, because it was found useless. A better and more useful
sort of journal for these four days, would have read something like the
following.

1813.

July 2. Our haying season commenced. How fond I am of this
employment! How useful an article hay is, too, especially in this
climate, du