and he had not learned the practice, or even the theory of agriculture.
After what he had seen of the harvests of Western New York, bursting with
food for the sustenance of man, for him to address the people of such a
district on agriculture, would be as absurd as the vanity of the
rhetorician who went to Carthage to instruct Hannibal in the art of war.
He had been solicited to address the young. In his life time he had been
an instructor of youth, and, strange as from his present display they
might think it, he had instructed them in the art of eloquence. And there
was no more honorable office on earth than instructing the young. But the
schools and seminaries had passed him, while he was engaged in other
pursuits; and for him now to attempt to instruct the young of this
generation, would evince only the garrulousness of age.

He had been invited to discourse on internal improvement; but that was a
subject he feared to touch. On one point, however, all men agreed. All
were in favor of internal improvement. But there was a balance between the
reasonable sacrifices of this generation, and the burden it had a right to
cast upon posterity, and every individual might justly claim to hold his
balance for himself. One thing, however, he was sure he might assume with
safety. In looking over the State of New York, upon its canals and
railroads, which brought the borders of the State into contiguity, and its
citizens in every part into communion with each other, he was sure that
all rejoiced, and might well glory in what had been accomplished.

Mr. A. said he had read and endeavored to inform himself concerning prison
discipline, a subject deeply interesting to the peace, good order, and
welfare of society; but after his examination of the penitentiary here, he
was satisfied that he was yet a learner, instead of being able to give
instruction on that important subject.

He had been asked to enlist in the growing army of temperance, and
discourse on that cause, so deeply cherished by every well wisher of our
country. And he would cheerfully speak; but other and more devoted men had
occupied the field, and what was left for him to say on temperance? In
passing through Catholic Lower Canada he saw a column erected to the
Virgin Mary, in gratitude for her promotion of the temperance cause. If
indeed the blessed Virgin did lend her aid to that great work, it would
almost win him to worship at her shrine, although he belonged to that