Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1870-03-15
u
The Advantages of Correct Habits
and a Cultivated Mind-Ad-
dressed to the Young.

dressed 10 the xOunE.
1t has been said that man is but
bundle of habits. Allowing some
thing for extravaganza of metaphor,
we will find on scanning ourselves
and those with whom we come in
daily contact, that this saying is true,
and that large share of that which
is done by adult persons, is done by
force Of habit. We become slaves, in
fact, to a tyrant created by ourselves;
and, after few years OF quiet sub
mission, we shall find that our high
est resolves and our strongest efforts
to break the power that enthralls us,
are unavailing. How important
then it Is, that this bent Of mind be
given right direction on the start.
In view of the fact, that the largest
share of our future happiness or mis-
cry in this life must be controlled by,
if not have it's origin in, our habits
acquired early in life, is it not the
height of wisdom in us, while young,
to build up such conditions of mind
and person as shall in the future, OPP
crate in all things to our advantage
How painful it is to see, what one is
too often compelled to see, brilliant
intellects wasted or perverted, and
"the human form Divine" disfgured
and made altogether unseemly by
the workings of evil habits. On the
other hand, how lovely 1T is to see
the faces Of our friends lit up and ra-
diant with intelligence unclouded by
sensualism, and rejecting a mind
trained TO u quick perception and a
generous appreciation OF the good,
the beautiful, and the true. Would
that one could see more of such
friende
Ny young friends, pray consider
that one hour of quiet, rational exis-
tence, such AS we have just outlined,
is Of more value than al ordinary
Lifetime OF mere stupidity or of wild
and sinful pursuits ana tor one TO
make choice of the latter, 10 but to
throw away the substance to chase
the shadow. Let me enioin you,
then, to take philosophical view Of
these things. Go to work delibera ate
ly while your habits are yet Inform
ed, and build up within yourselves
a monitor, which shall thencetorth
guide you only in correct paths,
through the tortuous and uncertain
ways of life. Be pure and avoid I'M
chastity for the impure poison the
very fountain of their happiness, and
become of necessity the most wretch
ed. Could you see, as | have seen,
the victims Of depraved tastes and
evil habits-mere wrecks of humani-
ty-dropping in paroxysms of fear
into the unknown future, with no
retrospect in their lives but what in
spires the clamors of remorse-hol-
rors either way--yet frantically catch
ing at the straws of Hope which may
chance to float by them, that they
may live to reform-coHld you see
this and fully realize the scene, am
sure you would need no other admo-
milton to avoid the habits by which
they fell.
| You will of course, if at all dispos-
ed to respect yourselves, scrupulous.
| ly shun the use ofintoxicating drinks
but the use of tobacco has many al.
lurements, is SO fashionable and pop
ular, that unless you enforce the most
rigid discipline over yourself, you
will be likely to acquire this costly
uncleanly and pernicious habit. Ere.
quent indulgence in this may not be
attended with as rapid and fatal con.
sequences as in drink but it is sure
that your health and happiness may
be trified with and in the end sacri-
feed, by the use of either.
A word more upon mental culture
and | will close. 1t is not suficien,
to read all that comes in your way
good, bad and indifferent. Reading
should always be select, with view
to acquire useful knowledge, or tC
add poetical embellishments to the
useful and practical and it should
always be attended with careful.anly
sis and a studied effort to impress
the memory. Byron says that al
80, he remembered the substance O.
all the books he had read, and could
repeat the exact language of large
part of some of themI; but he was ,
born prodigy. Scarcely one ofu may
E hope to attain such perfection.
The field of inquiry is vast. yet ar
honest effort may go far towarc
comprising it; but, while you dig
therein in search OF its hidden treas
ures, you will be happy in your vo
cation, and you will surely buildIvour
self up into higher and higher, stat {
of manhood | have said nothing sc
far in relation to duties and senti.
nevis abstractly moral and religious
| aud will now add, that mere intel
Ieotual culture without q correspond
ing degree of moral culture, is a
mind out Of balance, and there is
danger that it will go wildly astray
and make miscbievous use of that
which it has acquired-otherwise a
blessing. As to the religious, l have
observed, that the moral and pseudo
religious do not always go together,
and it is better. / think, to make lit
tie pretension that way, than to
make extravagant pretension with
plentiful lack of performance. How
ever, the world of religious senti-
ment is wide, and one must be hard
to suit, if, upon dilligent inquiry, he
shall find no creed to satisfy his con-
victions, or meet his sense of duty.
G. X. ID.
Too CAUTIoUs.-An exchange, q
medical journal, by the way. says
"Many people are afraid to expose
their children to the external air, as
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