Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1868-02-04
"No VICES"

In tue llSut vi SINS, uEc tn-
weaknesses, which so far dcs-
roy s%elf.control as to expose the sub
.ect Of them, while under their
influence, to be of guard, aud, there
lore, liable to be deceived or entrapped
INTO harm or folly. A legal crime is a
social %otfense, and the law takes hold
Of it. A sin is an offence against the
moral law. A vice is that which does
to oneself, and, on that account,
ought to be avoided. The law seldom
attempts to punish a mans vices, unless
by their influence they ipjure society.
In one Of Bulwer's novels q character
is introduced who boasts that, though
of every vice, he was never
accused Of q crime. There are thou
sands Of young men who might make
the same boast, and many who do make
it, whether truly or not. And yet upon
the scale Of q whole life, but few things
will so much determine a young mans
prospects Of success as exemption from
vice. There are, Of course, certain
common and not Questionable errors
which no man will interfere with in
others. A man may keep what hours
he likes. eat whatever food plcases him,
and smoke II he please, and drink what
he please, yc. so long us his conduct
does not annoy his neighbor or
hur, his family he can take his
own course. Yet every man bent upon
pushing his wi success in life as o
student in college, as q mechanic, as d
merchant or professional man, very soon
finds out that upon the temperance and
wisdom with which he controls his own
habits as to these points will his sue
cess in life depend. A man may dip
into errors occasionally, but when they
become so habitual as to be vices he
had better look out and turn around, for
a bad habit is q very serious matter. 1t
soon proclaims itself in q mans counte-
nance, it affects his health, it shortens
his days. A good habit may bring him
to an honorable old age, while q bad
one destroys his spirits and happiness,
his independence, his fortune, and final
ly may take his life itself. \ well-con-
Quoted youth and a vigorous, happy cid
age, arc natural countcrparts. Indeed,
many whose early life, through feeble
ness, has given but little promise, have
by purity and sobriety ripened into q
hale, hearty maturity of powers, endur-
ing beyond that Of many others around
who set out with superior advantages Of
constitution and opportunity. To avoid
or conquer vice in youth is not only Sc
much added to life, but added to the
maturest part Of life, when the faculties
are ripest and the sense Of its worth ID
most perfect.
Mems virtues or their vices form their
mos. intimate friendships. 4 common
weakness may make men iudulgent,
social and companionable for a time.
Robert Hall, when anxious to excuse
himself for smoking, said he was quail.
flying himself for the society Of DR.. Parr.
But, after all, the absence of vices makes
the most lasting and valuable friend
ships. Indeed it is the effort ut self.
conquest, and the love of a pure, uusul.
lied course in early life, that produces
such ties of mutual trust and fraternity
that nothing earthly can sunder. Per-
haps it may eve be said that this is the
best test of what are truly v~irtuous
habits and what vicious. All vices
os,racise friendship, sooner or later, in
the course of their continuance, because
they are essentially selfish, and tend to
increase, dd ndussdm, in their evil con-
sequences if pursued. On the other
hand, the moro pure, simple and natural
the sources of q mans pleasures, the
more elevated, enduring and beneficial
the ties that bind his acquaintance and
himself together. The body greatly
affects the mind, and that cheerfulness
and elasticity of thought which is so
renovating and defying to care and dis
ease, is more the result Of a superior
and more perfect cleanliness and tenn
perance than most persons suppose. No
art can make the dissipated and intern
perate pleasant companions in old age.
In the larger number Of cases they defy
the efforts of tho physician to prolong
life to the natural period. But exist
ence, if continued, is but in the dregs.
The nerves are sources Of torture, as
the habits are of disgust, so that it is
true of such that they do not live out
half their days.
With so many means of Improvement
and wholesome enjoyment as art and
science are bringing round the young
men of the present day, it requires but
the wisdom Of self-conquest and mod
Grafton to afford them tho prospects of
such IN advanced life or we'll preserved
serenity as no race has had before. In
this sense the world improves with the
experience and wisdom Of each genera
ton, and those who survive longest and
become most influential in each genera
ton are, we believe, of higher, purer
and more elevated stamp. But then It
follows that the vices which would have
been pardonable in former times, will
become more intolerable now. Saul
made king because he was the tall
est, but he soon had to give place in the
throne to Solomon the wisest, and he,
in turn, must yield to the best and ho-