The Lambertville press. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1858-1???, 1861-04-03
Common Sense.

in little things, without which there
can be no success in life, and rarely
even happiness. They would rather
have it said, "he has every sense but
common sense" than be complimented
even by the most intelligent, for the
possession of that homely quality
AID yet, why do they despise it Is
it because nearly everybody has it ?
Nothing can be greater error Com
mon sense, in its perfection, is one Of
the rarest gifts to man. Thousands,
who are sensible and prudent on most
subjects, have yet some special hobby,
on which they are nearly insane. Tens
of thousands more seem to be incapa-
BILE of deciding abou: the ordinary af-
fairs of life correctly. Great lawyers,
el. quent preachers and profound sa-
vans can be counted by the scores, who
are unfit to manage business, educate
their discipline, or evtn take care Of
what they earn
Is it but common sense is good sense
applied TO insignificant things! But
the things are insignificant. 1t is by
these despised little things that pros
perity and happiness are made up. In
wife, the common sense that will en-
able her t.. understand her III stands
characls! Ind to make his home a
pleasant one to him, is vastly more
valuable than fine accomplishments or
snowy intellectual qualities. Ina mo-
Their, it tails how to manage her childrens
different dispositions, so a. to make all
alike honorable men or virtuous wo-
men. SO also, to husband or part
ner, common sense is everything. =
Brilliant talents may benifit us occa-
sionally, may even, in some profes-
sions, lead to fortune; but the great
est genius, if he has not common sense
is miserable at heart. He is always
getting into debt, offending his friends
doing some silly thing, or making his
family unhappy. Wine has been prais-
ed by certain poets as sort of nectar
for the gods But water, even
they admit, is best for every day
use. So it is with common sense.
Common sense, in truth, is everyday
wisdom. 1t is impossible to have it
without also having a sound judge
ment. The two terms, indeed, are al
most Synonymous. But he who has
a sound judgement often only needs a
wider sphere to become, instead OF a
private citizen distinguished for COM
mon sense, a great captain, a great
legislator or a great patriot. Hamp-
den, Cromwell and Washington had
all reached middle age before they
became famous; but prior to this they
had been remarkable, among their
neighbors, for common sense. 1t was
the application to larger affairs of that
careful collection of facts, that many
sided consideration of subject, which
they had been accustomed to exhibit
in little things, that raised them, when
the opportunity presented itself, to
that commanding position which has
made their names so historical. Had
the first Napoleon possessed, in adj
dition to his vast genius, little more
common sense; had been a little less
impulsive, less of a fatalist, less reckless,
he might have died in the Tuileries
instead of St. Helena he might have
won Waterloo, instead of losing it.
Common sense may be cultivated, q
very common uotion to the contrary
Notwithstanding. For though some
men are born with more wit than 9TH
ers, it may be developed like any 9th
er intellectual quality. A Judge, who
has been on the Bench for many years,
is better, all things being the same, than
one who has just been elevated to it.
Practice, it has been we'll said makes
perfect. A blacksmil h who has been
pounding iron for half a life time has
a brawnier arm than his young ap-
prentice. Let man begin at twenty
one, deciding carefully on little things
and what was first labor will soon
become an Instinct, till, at last, he who
started with comparatively no common
sense at all, will end with we'll deser-
we'd reputation for it. 1t would be
better for the happiness and prosperi-
ty of individuals, as well as for society
at large, if common sense was cultiea-
ted more, for to greater degree than
anything else it enters into the compo-
sition of good citizens, good members
of the family, good men and good wo-
men.
DARING ROBBERY Two enter
prising burglars on Monday morning
came very near robbing the New York
Exchange Bank, at the corner of
Greenwich and Dey streets, of all the
the specie contained in its vaults, and
were only prevented accomplishing the
task, by an error in judgement respect
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