The more thoroughly a man's nature is developed under the influences of a good education, the more justly does he claim the liberty of thought and action, and a suitable field whereon to think and act. The materials of useful and honorable life--of life aiming at great and noble ends--are within him. He feels it, he knows it to be so; and a denial uttered by ten thousand voices would not check the ardor of his pursuit, or induce him to surrender one atom of his claim. His claim involves a right. He is as conscious of it as of his existence. His mind has acquired the power of observing, reasoning, reflecting, judging, and acting; and he feels that, like a pendulum, the action of his mind is capable of giving activity, force, and value, to a large body of well-compacted machinery, of which he is a part. It is the mind that acts as the universal pendulum; and if its liberty of action be circumscribed, and its vibrations consequently fall short of the mark, then its power will be crippled, and the life, as a whole will be imperfect and incomplete. II. OBSERVATION. MEMORY GEMS. We get out of Nature what we carry to her.--Katherine Hagar Fools learn nothing from wise men, but wise men learn much from fools. --Lavater The non-observant man goes through the forest and sees no firewood. --Russian Proverb Some men will learn more in a country stage-ride than others in a tour of Europe.--Dr. Johnson The world is full of thoughts, and you will find them strewed everywhere in your path.--Elihu Burritt All conscious life begins in observation. We say of a baby, "See how he _notices!_" By this statement we really call attention to the fact that the child is beginning to be interested in things separate from and outside of himself. Up to this time he has _seen_ but not _observed_, for to observe is to "see with attention"; to "notice with care"; to see with the mind as well as with the eye. There are many persons who see almost everything but observe almost nothing. They are forever fluttering over the surface of things, but put forth no real effort to secure and preserve the ideas they ought to gather from the scenes through which they pass. Every boy and girl in the land, possessing a good pair of eyes, has the means for acquiring a vast store of knowledge. As the child, long before he can talk, obtains a pretty good idea of the little world that lies within his vision; so may all bright, active boys and girls obtain, by correct habits of observation, a knowledge that will the better fit them for the active duties of manhood and womanhood.