The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1860-09-05

are, no doubt, examples Of bright school
boys and s,udious collegians turning ont
badly. But, in general. habit holds when !,
is fixed. Il is gigantic power. mere hi |
gsntic than any one understands. The mag
ni6cent consequences Of fixing good bsbits,
giving gradually to virtuous snd able N 40
the power Of a hundred OF Thousand 'undis.
cipGued mep, is the compensation for the
tremendous ruin wrought by bad hsbis 10
men Of the opposite character. Humsn ma.
ture is created on fearful scale; II IL form
ed for permanence and power at which
we may we'll tremble. How feeble IL would
be, II every thing, once done, passed Of.
leaving no trace when il comes to be done
again. we may oil see; but when faciliiy
iss gsipedsvver increasing With every sct
and with this facility disposition to the scl
as we'll, we have the explanation Of the III
tanic force Of great men. But the very
.ame principle explains the fierce madness
OF the opumeutor. the drunk avd, the talent
ed debaochee, the successful forger, the
Monroe Edwards, the Jack Shepp,rds. A
'aatal facility" in wrong generates that ter.
rible disposition to do it, which 10 the mean.
ing of the old fables ss to the fascination Of
vice. But the courage and resolution Of q
man can break these seven fold cords, and
there are some fine examples-the Roohes.
ters, the King Henrys and the Colonel G ar.
diners of the world-to show that it can be
done. How grand work II is, aud whai
an opportunity such young man has Il
pour light and music and sunshine into 4
desolate family circle
The pleasure Of life Of outlswry |,
greatly exaggerated. Many young men are
somewhat wild in their youth, but as they
begin to feel their responsibilities. they give
up these folies and become sensible an,
useful men. Those who pass this season
who allow the bad habits Of a wild youth t
encrosch upon middle age, bid fair to b
useless, and it may be laid down as uni
versal proposition that a man over thirt
who is useless is unhappy. There is grea
force sometimes in etymology. because i
: contains the embodied and condensed wis
I dom Of ages Of average men. The use {
recreation is that it is recreation for usefu
work; but the man who attempts to force ma
q ture, TO get out more than there is 10 it, wi
' fail. To make a business OF pleasure,
proverbialy miserable thing; to live b
: debauch is still wilder attempt.
} Public sentiment always distinguishes b
: tween there stages of vice; that which pu
- .ures an irregular course for I brief peric
.e for the piquancy or eccentricity Of it, a
that which settles into mere wickedoess
y vagabondage. But the one stage II cont
!. ued, passes over. almost inevitably into |
q other, and them the case rapidly becom
> hopeless. With its hopelessness, it's cap
u city for enjoyment decreases until present
y there is not much left but brutal habits 81
g reckless propensities. Heart is gone, q
d capacity and the disposition for indusir
self.respect perishes. and the power Of 9
joyment IL on level with that OF the brr
that wallows in tie mire. And this "
once the chirrupping child, the bright ms
ly school boy, the ingenious and jovial c,
fs lege class-mats.
st But in the first defections from the pa
l. that leeds straight forward in the right, I
q father sees the danger. AZ the fash
n' lightning which, at night, illumines the e
Il tire horizon, 90 one trait Of recklessne
I'd warns him Of the dismal future, and so, W
We pain which is beyond all words. he watch
one successive sign OF ruin appearing af
en- another. The young man at first suppo
N, himself wiser than bis father; but, step
1t, step he ceases to care. The end of him
he an early grave, or fostering living pol
on ton, which makes his death at last rel
'st to the earth.
r + tfil d