Spirit of the times. [volume] (Ironton, Ohio) 1853-1858, 1855-01-16
ll0RAn AMD RGLneaows.
From Todd's ''Young Man."
SELF IMPROVEMENT.

SELF IMPROVEMENT.
! might here have given long and
wonderful catalogue Of self.made men
-men who have accomplished wonders
in their day-but presume their names
from that Of Ferguson to our own Bow.
ditch, arc familiar to. you. Thoughts,
like money, will accumulate wonderful.
ly, If you keep all 4: but like money too,
they will not remain with yoH without
great care. How many thoughts have
you heard in conversation or seen in
books, or heard from public speakers,
which would be Of great value to you If
you could only make them your own.
by classifying and retaining them. You
must think Yourself; you must recall
thought. you have met with,'-you m ust
read, and you must converse with those
who have mind and thought. r
have often had young men, such as
clerks and apprentices come to me, and
say in substance as follows "Sir, | mad
very poor advantages for education when
was boy. My mother was a widow
and poor. now find myself gro wing
up, ignorant and uneduc ated, and begin
to feel my deficiencies. | need improve.
ment. What can do to aid myself p
What course can you put me upon :"
This is not imaginary. | have had
young men come moro than one or even
two hundred miles 10 converse on their
situation. | always try TO give them
self. confidence, self.respect, and resolu.
ton. then say-(suPpose ] am speak.
ing TO an apprenlice) You have liz.
tie spending money. Take the first dol.
ar or TWO dollars il you have them. and
fit YOU up plain, simple lamp, an !
lamp.filler, aud get your own oil. You
will then have the feeling Of indepen.
dencc, and your employer will not com.
plain OH this point Next fit you up a
plain leaf in your room at which you
can stand, if possible. Then get youl
pen, ink, paper, and almost any book
1t may be history or geography. II
makes but little difference where you be
gin. Now go to rest, and be up ore hour
and half every morning before you are
called to work. With your pen make
ycurselfihe master-completely the mas
ter-of that book. One hour and a hal
every morning, standing up. and will
your pen in your hand, will make yo.
an intelligent. large minded and respec
table man. You will do just as mucl
work +; you will sleep all that you need
and you will put the mind in schoo
where these results will certainly follow
Remember that new habits Of body, an
especially new habits Of mind, are dill
ficult at first. But perseverance an
resolution ,oiU overcome old habits an
{ form neao ones and he ,cAo makes da'
ly improvement, even though it be b,l
} small, scnl, in the end, make great in.
t provement. Keep doing, with untirin
effort, and your early losses will be mad
up to you. ely
Sir WILLIAM JONES has long been al
S mire as a prodigy for mclhodical hat
its, for industry, and for attanments.-
He was never known to depart from tn
. following simple, but comprehensive
rules; 20 s '4.
! l. Nerer to neglect any opportmnit
' for seD.impropement.
2. To lelieus that whatercr otAe,
had done, he could do, and therefore n
real or supposed difficulties formed an
: reason why he should not engage in an
: undertaking aciM confidence Of success