Alexandria gazette & advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1822-1824, 1824-08-14
From the Trenton Emporium.

SSIAND BACk A LIIlLEs"
Said an old gentleman TO a lively
little boy, who was pressing very
close to the edge Of mill-race,
where some people were digging;
"stand back a little. the ground will
cave in with you.' He had hardly
got the words through his teeth be-
fnre the event anticipated, occurred;
the boy fell. and broke his arm. The
example seemed to me applicable to a
great many cases of common OCCUR
renee in life.
A disposition to push JoruOard too
fast and too far. has been the ruin of
many Cine fellow; while an unfor-
tunate difidence has consigned a
great many, also, to unmerited obi
WON. There is medium between
these two extremes, deviation from
which on either side must always be
followed by bad consequences.
Stand back little, would say to
the man who is eagerly bent on &C
curing popularity among men by
spreading abroad his own fame, and
saying those things for himself that
others should be left to say for him.
Stand back, and if YOU are indeed as
deserving as you think yourself, o.
Tiers will only esteem You more high
ly for being left to make The discove-
ny themselves. BY mixing with an
honest emulation due proportion of
modesty, you will at last reach as
high place as your merit entities
you to, and you will not run the dam
ger of being borne down by a torrent
of disgust.
Stand back little, would whis-
per to such young men as are trying
to elbow and push themselves into Of
fees. for which their elders in years
and services are candidates. Stand
back, your time Will come by and by:
a Difference to age is most becom-
ing feature in the character Of the
young.
Stand back little. ! would say TO
such as I often see engaging in wild
projects and extensive speculations,
before they have great experience
and sound judgment, matured by
time and opportunity. This matter
of getting rich in day is not the ca
sy thing some people imagine; and it
is far better to go along with the world
In the old beaten track, gathering
sixpences, than to hazard flight on
wings which we little know how TO
manage rightly, and which, when
best managed, as often retard as
speed the journey OF prosperous life.
Stand back little, | would also
say to such tradesmen and mechanics,
as are trying to push their neighbors
of the course by undertaking and
low shutting. The people will find
YOU out, by and by, if You push for
ward in this way. Stand back--rest
upon your merritt that WON'T sup
port you, nothing else will.
Stand back little, too, 1 should
say, if an old bachelor were allowed
TO say any thing about such matters,
to many a pretty girl who ! have.
seen eagerly running into company
at sIxteen-stand back-you will have
beaux enough to plague you by and
by. and there's no need OF being ia
such a hurry to get yourselves IN
trouble. For thought am no cynic,
/ half approve of Moore's sentimen-
tai rhapsody
ooh! what pure and sacred thing
Is beauty curtain'd from the sight
Ofthe gross world. illumining
One only mansion with her hight
and am seriously of opinion that it
would be better if our, sweethearts
were little more inclined to the
same idea.
IN ine, it would be well for US all !!