New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1872-01-01
KEW- YEdRS.

IltIb Is JUb ut( again bdOIOu w SoOu 'O'V
lutIOns. Since time began, school boys and girls
and adults who have never outgrown their
school clothes, have been accustomed to be-
moan the old year out with a confession OF
sins, and to usher in the new with a carefully
written schedule of virtues to be conquered.
Everybody, indeed wakens this morning with
some vague idea of reform of docking the
marketing bills; of being less grumpish in the
house; of giving up tobacco Of cultivat-
ing neighbOrly and brOtheIly feelings with
some fraction at least of the world. New
Years calls and Eew-YeaI's bills especially
spun the sides OF such admirable intents. Of
course, in a month the good resolutions have
vanished, probably into ghosts, to plead for
or against us, as the case may be, in the great
account. But why should this one unfortunate
day be loaded with this weight of all our
weak resolves and abOrtiVe virtueR We have
a habit of saddling certain days with dis
reputable characters before their birth, which.
If they could speak, they ought to protest
against. Evening and morning surely have
nothing to do with original sin; why
should the first of April be predestined
to folly, or Friday to legal murder, or this,
the most unfortunate of all, be set apart from
all days of the year to the cheat, the impOstOr,
the staggering MiCawber. whose liabilities are
always double his assets 1t is young people,
naturally, who are most to blame; their large
enthusiasm projects on this New Years morn
ing a mirage on the path before them of their
own virtuous deeds very delectable land
to look upon, which, however, toward June or
July, they begin to find is not there-nothing,
in short. but commonplace land. Middle-aged,
wiser people set out upon the years journey
hoping for no more good i'll themselves than
past years have brought out; any sudden
sprouting of virtue, therefore, has the rare
zest not only of a triumph but surprise.
Testing aside, there is certain moderation
of both hope and resolve that we would be
glad to offer to all well-meaning people to-day
as a gift of greater value than any ability to
rear Spanish castles The more ambitious and
industrious we are, the moro certain ia it that
we shall not fulfill half our promises to our
selves One half the work which lies before
every man must be left und0ne; he has his
family to support, or bread and butter for
himself to earn; there are also certain intents,
plans, hopes, to develop very likely for the
help of humanity. The more liberal and wide
his vision, the moro crowded is the field of
action. Something must be given up;
as we advance il life we learn that its hardest
lesson is to know how to choose what to give
m. The man who believes himself a
great philanthropst able to lift man
kind to higher levels, is kept all his life
LAYING bricks or making shoes to pay his
grocer's and butchers bills; the woman who
feels swelling within her breast the tide of
inspired song, has no time to write 1T down,
for darning her boys socks, or patching their
trowsers; she makes her choice. We can help
no one to make their choice this New Years
morning "The duty that lies nearest to u.s.
not only, as Goethe says, makes all others
easier" but is usually the only ono with
which we have anything to do. If God has
put either bricklaying or coat-patChing into
our fingers, let us finish it before we put 1t
out of them; He is able to find singer for
the song and great helper for humanity
without our aid.
1t is hard saying for sanguine souls, but
the fact is that while every man should strive
to find opportunity or place for his best work.
God often does not suffer him to accomplish
il; and what with the demands of every days
needs, the world seldom gives him room for
it. "He hath done what he could" is enough
to write over the grave of the highest OF Gods
helpers; we find in it hint, TOO, of urgent
cndeavOr and of moderate hOpes-a fit text
for a New Years sermon which we shall not
preach