Virginia advocate. [volume] (Charlottesville, Va.) 1827-1860, 1830-12-10

Decision and Firmness Of Charac-
ter.-Success in life depends far more
upon this quality, than on the posses
sion OF what is called genius, For de-
cision OF character is by no means
necessary attendant upon genius.-On
the contrary, there is frequently allied
with 1t, tender aud even morbid SEN
sib,lity which is very apt to generate
INDIGESTION, and to pIunge its victim in.
to melancholy, dependency, and leth-
argy. YOu will meet with frequent in
stances in which this bold and hardy
quality will give to an inferior mind the
command over the superior. Nay, You
Will see Il among boys, and even among
girls at school. The leader OF their "a
musements and o! all their little enter
prizes-the individual, to whom all the
rest instinctively look to give the word
OF command, is frequently the inferior
in point of genius to many of those
who willingly obey that word. This
phenomenon results entirely from SUI
perior decision O.; character. And you
may gather from the fact the useful les
son, that if you wish, hereafter ITO have
influence among your neighbours, you
must acquire, now, tins commanding
decision OF character to which weaker
spirits willingly bow, and find even
relief In bowling to ii. and obeying it.
Gentlemen, this same quality will be
one OF the best guardians of you, vir-
tues. Why is it that young men are
SO often drawn off from their studies
and tempted TO dissipation which their
consclences condemn 1t proceeds
from indecisjon of character They
have not the hrmness 10 say "'No'' to
an improper proposal They yield to
the tempter aud they call it good ma
ture and good fellowship. And they
soon acquire such habit of yielding,
that temptation has only to shew her
selfin any form, to be followed, though
she beckon them over a precipice.-
What is the remedy for this ruinous ia
cility of temper? Decision of charac-
ter: that bracing and vigorous deci.
sion, which, having once taken the
correct course, is deaf to the siren
voice OF the tempter, and blind to her
beauties.
Thus, both in public and in private
lie; In the learned and the unlearned
professions; in scenes of business, or
IN the domestic circle, the master qua
lity of man is decision of character.
But you will not confound this deci-
sion, OF which speak, either with OBJ
stInacy, or with rudeness of manners.
Not with ObStinacy, because it is the
character of obstinacy TO persist in con-
scIous error whereas 1t is the charac-
ter of decision TO renounce an error the
moment it becomes .,aDilest, and TO re-.
nounce it with equal promptitude and
tlrmness. But it is not often that de-
cided character is put to this humilita-
ting change. Because the first step
has not been rash!y but wisely and de-
liberately taken because having been
thus taken, 1t is not the mere difficulty
OF the execution that will induce
change for all difficulties yield to
decided character and, because 1t is
only the development of after clfcum~
stances which could not be taken into
the hrst calculation, that demonstrates
the error, and demands The chPnge -
lDdecIsion IS the mere creature Of Ca
price, feather for every wind that
blows, and is seen continually toss
ing, i'll different aud Opposite currents
Obstinacy resolves igGoranily, or rash
ly, and Ito borrow word from Doct
Jobnson) persists doggedty in error, "a
ga'nst the light of its own understand
ing. Decision holds the middle course,
and is the best earthly ally Of wisdom
and virtue. IL is, indeed, the chief
Executive officer of their high DEGREES