Southern reveille. (Port Gibson, Miss.) 1851-185?, 1852-04-28

Columbia, aud not do your whole duty.
Let me now name, before closing, a few
things which are essential to yoar meeting
your responsibilities and acquitting yourselves
before men and before God The thing
which ! shall mention are all essential to your
individual good and to your hOuoring your
friends, being useful to your country, and do
ing good to your age and species. The first
is
Cultivate habits gt Industry. Idleness
is the bane Of both body and soul. The
proverb runs, that The idle mans head Is
the devils workshop" Every young man,
even though be be heir to a fortune, should
have some regular business or profession, @
which he should give his daily and constant
attention. II he do not, laziness will steal
away his bodily energy, and Incidence will eat
out bis mind Idleness paves the way to tempta-
ton, to vice, to crime, 10 ruin Exercise Is just
as essential to vigOr Of body as food And the
same Is true Of the mind II must be employed,
taxed, and tasked, or ii will dwindle, and
Wither, and die. Whether It be yours then
10 cultivate the soil, or to instruct the young,
10 enter into commercial life, or into any oi
learned professions or whether you intend
quietly to pursue the paths Of literature and
science. let industry be the settled habit Of
your life. Remember that you have no more
right 70 vase the golden hours, than you have
to waste your property, Or to open an artery
and let out your life blood. Killing time i
a species Of murder for which We must answer
to God.
When you have made choice Of some busi-
ness Or profession, then two things are requi-
site-Stick 70 Il, that il may stick 70 you-and
StriUe 10 ercck az ii. "Meddle not with them
that are given to change" is counsel Of
Solomon, and it is wise counsel. Did you
ever know a man 70 succeed. who was con-
stantly changing-6rst trying one thing and
then another, and sticking at nothingl Such
case would Be truly a novel one. And
strive 70 excel, not from the mere ambition
Of outstripping your companions, but from
the higher ambition Of being the more useful,
remembering that you are accountable for al
the good you may DO. as wen a. for all the
evil you may prevent.
Re a student as long as y0a liUe do
not deem ytur education completedon on leaving
these halls but only begun. Lord Brougham
said lie expected to be a student through life
Il was this determination that enabled him 70
accomplish such an Astonishing amount Of in
tellcctual labor. While he was Lord Chan
celor Of England. with the cares Of the British
Empire upon bis mind, he found time to write
elaborate essays for the periodical press, to
superintend primary schools, TO edit many Of
the works issued BY the society for the
promotion Of useful knowledge, to keep pace
with the rapid progress Of the arts sciences,
and 70 perform many other useful labors
What an exampleis here furnished Of studious
habits Of well arranged time, and great USE
fulness. Let me recommend to you, young
gentlemen 70 review your college studies fire.
quently, during the years 70 come. Il will
prove Of the utmost advantage. Alexander
Hamilton was accustomed to make a thorough
review Of Euclid every year; and the advan-
tage Of the habit is seen in the unrivalled
stand as a statesman and a jurist which be
took among our countrymen, at a time when
such talents we're neither scarce nor unap-
preciated.
Cherish a6ecti0nately your Alma Mater.
Remember, that your good and her honor,
are deeply concerned and inseParably connec-
ted, in all that will cbaracterise your course
through life. Your industry, your studious-
ness. your success in life. and above all your
good character and usefulness, viii redown 20
her credit before the world % the opposite
Of these, will veil her face in shame, and weigh
down her heart with sorrow Let your ahee-
tione for this Institution never grow cold; but
strive, BY your example, BY your influence,
By your active labors and means, as God may
favor YOU, to confer honor upon the college
which has bestowed its honors upon you.
Let its pleasing memories be entWined around
your hearts, and let them never fade away
till dissolved BY tho cold touch Of death. ID
this, and you viii never have cause to Be
ashamed Of your Alma Mater, while she win
ever be- proud Of children.
ALloays act c0nscieatioRsiy. Have the
moral courage always 10 dare to do right
This win give nobleness and q power to your
character which you cannot otherwise attain
Il viii give you power over yourself because
il will subject your entire being to the highest
and most energetic impulse Of your nature.
Il win give you . power over others. for no
moral being ever yet became 50 debased a.
not to pay superior homage to virtue. The
devil does this. though be Isl devil still And
among men the vilest, virtue in others is held
il esteem in their inmost soul whatever they