The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1873-11-22
Men OF Genius and Authors-Thef
Application TO Study, and ECONOMY
OF Time their success.

NA0n VI UGnAmS UuO AulnOEA-VnR1
Application TO Study, and Econom
OF Time their success.
ut is not acsident, then, that helps
man in the world. so much as purpose an
persistent industry. To the feeble, Ii
sluggish, and purposeless. the happiest acc
dents will avail nothing they pass them by
seeing no meaning in them.
"Time should not be allowed to pas
without yielding fruits, in the form q
something learnt worthy of being known
some good principle cultivated, or som
good habit strengthened.
"What solemn and striking admonitiol
to youth is that inscribed on the dial at AL
Souls, Oxford-'P eriunt ct inp,ttantur'-
The hours perish and are laid to oul
charge. Time is the only little fragment
of eternity that belongs to man and, like
life, it can never be recalled"
Isaac Newton wrote his Chronology
fifteen times over before he was satisfied
with it.
Edward Gibbon wrote out his "Memoir''
nine times.
Sir Matthew Hale studied for many
years at the rate of sixteen hours day.
and when wearied with the study Of the
law, ne would recreate himself with philos-
ophy and the study of mathematics. and
wrote his CONCENTRATIONS while on his cir
cults.
David Hume wrote thirteen hours day
while preparing his History of Eng
land."
Montesquieu, speaking Of one part of
his writings, said to his friends, 'tYou will
read it in few hours but assure you it
has cost me SO much labor that it has
whitened my hair.u
uscripts entitled "Sudden thoughts set
down for use."
William Harvey, an indefatigable laborer,
spent not less than eight long years of in
vestigation and research before he published
his views of the circulation Of the blood.
Cicero boosted that his philosophical
studies had never interfered with the SER
vices he owed the public, and he only en-
ployed such hours to them as others gave
to pleasures and pastimes.
Daguesseau, one Of the great chancellors
OF France, by carefully working up his
odd bits of time, wrote bulky and able
volume in the successive intervals of wait
ing for dinner.
DR.. Burney learned French and Italian
while travelling on horseback from one mu-
steal pupil to another.
Kirk White studied Greek, went over
the nouns and verbs, as he was going to
and from lawyers office.
Or. Mason Good translated Lucretius in
his carriage, while, as physician, he rode
from door to door.
Melancthon noted down the time lost by
him, that he might thereby reanimate his
industry, and not lose an hour.
John Bradford used to say, count
that hour lost in which have done no good |
by my pen or tongue" - 1
Elihu Burritt (the learned blacksmith |
attributed his first success in self-improve-
ment, not to genius, which he disclaimed, |
but simply to the careful employment of
those invaluable fragments of time called |
g odd moments. " He mastered some
eighteen ancient and modern languages and
twenty-five European dialects.
Henry Martyr won the honorable title,
''The man who never wasted an hour"
DR.. Darwin composed nearly all his
works while driving from house to house
10 his patients in the country.
James Wall taught himself chemistry
and mechanics while working at his trade
Of a mathematical instrument maker, at
The same time that he was learning Ger
man from Swiss dyer.
Seneca taught that time was the only
hing of which it is a virtue to be cour-
te0us.
Martin Luther, when asked how he had
ound time to translate the Bible, said, ~
lid little every day."
DR.. Benjamin Rush said that he never
'pent one hour in amusement for the last
thirty years, and showing note book con-
.inued, II fill such book once a week
With observations and thoughts which
occur to me, and facts collected in the
'ooms Of my patients, all Of which are
preserved and used.