Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1855-06-20
The Greatness of Little rhinys.

In Lieut.. Maury's recent work of the Physica
Geography Of the Sea, he gives the result of mi,
croscopic examinations of sUme shells drawn u[
from the bottom of the Atlantic ocean where it i:
more than two miles in depth. These shells arr
80 minute that to the naked eye they appear like
common dust or clay, although not grain o
sand is among them and yet are so preserved
that their most delicate edges are all perfect /
would require larger grave to hold all the coral
insects of the world than all the elephants. The
smallest tenants of the ocean, not the largest, are
its most important occupants, and It's MICROSCOPIC
shell fish create more important changes than the
whales.
1t has been the greatest error of historians
statesmen and politicians to lose sight OF this truth
They look only at the whales, the big fish. and
seem to consider these as the monarchs OF the
deep sea>of politics. and they alone have right
to swim there. If the French emperor founders
or the Russian Autocrat turns over on his side and
dies, each conturtion is duly chroricled. But, in
the meantime, what do we hear Of the progress o
The people, the industrious classes, the little fish
They are the true monarchs of this great and
wide sea of politics, after all. They form the
strata by which the geologists of history will
hereafter mark the progress of this age, and clas
sfy all its products, and upon The basis of which
all future society will develppe itself. Take care
of the poor. and the rich will take care of them
selves. Educate the masses, and there will arise
from the number a sufficiently large class to gen
eralize their ideas, and carry out their principles
Reform the people, make them temperate, truth
ful and vriuous, for they give tone and temper to
the age and the country, determining the charac-
ter of its leaders far more than the leaders that OF
the masses.
And so in individual life and character. 1t is
little things that make and unmake US all
There are thousands of young men of genius and
enterprise at this moment, who dream OF tame
and distinction, and who, if it only required some
great act of daring or sacrifice within the scope OF
human possibility TO become distinguished. would
be heroes but because true emlnence is only to
be obtained by persevering application in
number of daily virtues, are constantly at war
with the whole scheme of things, and esteem it
a very badly governed world in which they find
no higher place.
1t is 4 mans habit Of dress. demeanor and con-
versation tha, make or unmake the friends on
which his success and happiness in life depend.
It is on mans little habits of eating and drink
ing, of lettering over trifes, or knowing how to
brush them aside that his character for idleness
or industry, and the occupation of the largest part
of his time. depend. 1t is the way in which
man takes care of the pennies in his pecunlary
transactions that determines whether he will ever
take care of pounds.
Little habits drive nails into our coffins. They
more than make up by number what they seem
to lack in individual importance. They are the
true seeds Of character. We might as well plant
acorns, and not expect them to grow, as cherish
small vices and not calculate On their Increase or
as reasonably hope to see the firm and noble oak
where no acurns were ever planted. as true great
ness and success in life whore the seedlings OF
thousand little habits of industry and virtue had
not been first carefully cherished.
In a word character is the sum OF little things,
rather than great ones. The true estimate of an
individual is not ascertained by his accidental or
occasional achievements. but his every day habits.
A nations character is not determined by its IA
nous men, but by the habits of its masses, and
the character of the age, by the vices or virtues
that were SO inherent as TO be unnoticed.-Phlla.
Ledger.