Randolph County journal., 1861-03-07

play indolently around it; but will should be
taught TO take the reign q, once. Perhaps by
turning the mind in the right direction,
moment of real thought will clear away the
mists that hours of .perplexing toll would not
otherwise dispel. Let any one allow his thoughts
always to run in he direction that fancy NAV
dictate, and he will lose altogether the power of
controlling 1t. IL he endeavor to fix his mind on
any subject thousand nothings instantly press
up Tor attention, and his thoughts scatter like
ashes in the wind. But let him arouse his
energies to the conflict, resolved to make
determined effort, and he will find that the
power OF concentration can be cultivated 10 a
surprising extent. No one knows the effort he
Is capable Of making if he will persevere in
su9jecting his thoughts TO the government of the
will The mind must move in one direction ifit
move with power. The waters of the niagara,
pressed together within the narrowing limits of
the river banks, rush with almost inconceiya able
power over the precipice. Scatter them upon
the broad surface of some plain, and they will be
as calm and silent "a the waters of the Dead
Sea
gained. A person of reading habit can not
fail to have his memory stored with thoughts and
forms Of expression gathered from books. In
expressing his thoughts any subject these are
ever ready to fall from his lips or pen. Close
thinking will show him that they are not his
own, and that in his production he has uncon
sciously adopted the style of another. Though
this kind of mental effort may content those
whose motive is only to fll up paragraph OF
comp'e;e sentence gracefully, it will not salts
/ fy any who are seeking to bring out the
capacities of their own minds. Memory is only
a storehouse. Ii We draw from ii too frequently
our productions will lack vigor and variety. But
if they bear the marks of our having used reason
Imagination, and taste, as well as memory, the,
can not but obtain favor and influence with tn,
thinking world. This is true in every depart
ment of labor. No one can pursue worthy
object, with all the powers of his mind, and YET
make his life failure. A man may work in th,
dark, yet one day light shall arise upon his labor
and though he may never, with his own lips, de
clare the victory complete, some day others will
behold in his fe-work the traces of great anC
thinking mind.
II is impossible to keep the mind successfully
employed without strong motive to prompt j
to action. Probably no motive has ever move,
with greater power upon the minds of men thar
ambition. \ desire for distinction in some wa,
is firmly fixed in our natures. This no doub
has given rise to the greater part of all th,
works of genius. Men spur their minds t,
action to escape oblivion. Inclination lead
some to continued cxertion. The aptitude the,
possess for any work is sufficient motive fo
them. 1t is their meat and drink to teach write
paint, or do whatever nature teaches them to do
Necessity prompts many to actor He wh'
acquaints himself with the history of great mel
finds that the number who have lived and die,
in want and poverty has been very great. Th
poet wrOte-the artist painted for bread; an,
some possessed of the most brilliant talents die,
from want O, how sad such n record, Driver
to torture the r minds 10 the daily and night
labor of invention amid the surroundings of
garret-sucl are the circumstances u.der whcl
many of the works we now admire were planne,
and developed. Want was their origination
There is still better and happier motive thai
these, which leads MT only to the achievement
of noble deeds, but which exerts upon its posses
sor refining, eXalting influence Ii Is tina
motive that leads men TO labor fer the cause o
truth, the highest good of his fellow linen, an'
the honor and glory of his heavenly Father. Tn
love of the truth makes lin an earnest thinker
the desire for the welfare of men develops hi
best affections, while a regard for the honor o
God rectfes and ennobes his conduct as a man
Ii is from the possessor of such a character tina
We expect the greatest results and the mobiles
heroism.