Page:The collected works of Theodore Parker volume 7.djvu/223

Rh his will, contracted debts which trouble him in manhood, and impede his action oil his life; with swollen foot and wear eyes famous Griesbach pays for the austere heroism of his penurious and needy youth. The rosy bud of genius, on the poor man's tree, too often, opens into a leap, and ghastly flower. Could not Burns tell us this? With the rare exceptions just hinted at, any man of a superior culture owes for it when obtained, Sometimes the debt is obvious: a farmer with small means and a largo family sends tho most hopeful of his sons to college. Look at the cost of tho boy's culture. His hands pro kept from work that his mind may bo free. He fares on daintier food, wears more and more costly garments. Other members of the family must feed and clothe him, earn his tuition-fees, buy his books, pay for his fuel and room-rent. For this the father rises earlier than of old, yoking the oxen a great while before day of a winter's morning, and toils till long after dark of a winter's night, enduring cold and hardship. For this the mother stints her frugal fare, her humble dress; for this the brothers must forego sleep and pastime, must toil harder, late and early both; for this the sisters must seek new modes of profitable work, must wear their old finery long stinted to spare it, is spent on this one youth. From the father to the daughters, all lay their bones to extraordinary work for him; the whole family is pinched in body, that this one youth may go brave and full. Even the family horse pays his tax to raise the education fee.

Men see the hopeful scholar, graceful and accomplished, receiving his academic honours, but they see not the hard-featured father standing unheeded in the aisle, nor the older sister in an obscure corner of the gallery, who had toiled in the factory for the favoured brother, tending his vineyard, her own not kept; who had perhaps learned the letters of Greek to hear him recite the grammar at home. Father and sister know not a word of the language in which his diploma is writ and delivered. At what cost of the family tree is this one flower produced? How many leaves, possible blossoms,—yea, possible branches—have been absorbed to create this one flower, which shall perpetuate the kind, after being beautiful and fragrant in after it is