Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1871-06-02
gelecteh MisceQauy.
Observation an Element Of Success.

Many people, says VIM. M. Thayer, in
the Phrenolegica1 Journal, seem to think
that luck constitutes the chief difference
between successful men and the opposite
class, unless it is where sort Of legerde-
main or sorcery lifts them to the highest
pinnacle of fame This is very superb
aa9sfbs i IS i aao%sd na b4s q be hs Fhe IL
spired penman was right when he declar-
ed ''The wise mans eyes were in his
head" in his elbows or feet, though
multitudes act as if they were. In other
words, the 'wise man" is careful OBJ
server; he possesses this faculty Of COM
pretending the nature and reason of
things. He views things as he ought.
both in business and morals. His eyes
being just where they ought to be, and
being used just as they should be used
the result is good-success. Not the OBJ
servation alone insures success; but. this
is one of the leading. indispensable ele-
ments of success One man possesses a
higher type of it than another by nature
but all may cultivate it as they cultivate
other powers.
In daily life, we notice striking diff
ference among men at this point. Ten
men observe steam engine only to ad-
mire its novelty, whiI~ one studies each
valve and screw until be understands, in
good degree, the principle on which it
is constructed. q. Ten travellers pass thro'
the country without noticing special pecu-
liarities, while one observes each tree,
flower. hill, valley, and river. One. pur-
chaser discovers the least defect in the
cloth or other article which be is buying
while another make purchase without
noticing defects at all. One reader skins
over book, catching only its general
drift, while another criticises style, ex-
preston and thought; is rapt with its beau
ties and sensitive to its faults. One schol-
ar commits his lessons parrot-like, with
little or no disposition to understand the
why's and wherefores, while another stu
dies and enquiries until he comprehends
the reason of all that be learns; one mas
ters each branch of study, and the other
does not
In these and kindred examples, there
can be traced the prominence and use of
this faculty clear back to childhood. =
Newton was the youthful inventor of. the
kite and windmill. Other boys knew how
to use them he knew how to make them.
Others cared only for the sport which they
furnished he cared for the principles be-
hind the sport Galileo was toy mend
er in his boyhood. All the boys in the
neighborhood resorted to him for assist
ance when their toys were reduced to
wrecks. He knew just how to repair
them; they did not. The power Of obser-
vation was large in him, but small in
them.
The celebrated Ferguson owed his tri-
umph as much to observation as to any
one thing. In his boyhood he learned
how to make clock by examining his
fathers. Then he desired to know how
to construct watch. He could not com.
prehend the motion principle of the watch
, though he knew something of its mechan
ism. About that time gentleman wa'
passing his fathers house, on horseback
and stopped to inquire the way of young
!, Ferguson. After giving the information
required, the lad asked the traveller wha
time it was. He was told when Fer
Iguson asked for the privilege of looking