River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1875-08-20

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is that he knows nothing, or at least,
does not know every thing. A modest, '
humble demeanor is reilly an element
of success in life. 1t has a tendency
to secure for its rossessor confidence
and esteem.
Society in general is very keen eyed.
A man is generally judged at about
par value. A pompous manner may
bolster one up for a while, but in time
bell find his proper place. l think it
is true, too, that the wlsest and great.
est men have usually been the most
modest and uupretentious. There is
no more striking characteristic Of true
greatness than teaehableuess
ness to learn Of every body, and mod.
esty touching ones own attainments
Sir Isaac Newton, you know, had a
very modest opinion of his Own attain
ments; Chief Justice Marshall was
proverbially modest, humble man;
and Louis Agassiz was approachable by
all, and ready TO learn even from the
humblest peasant. In fact whenever a
man has risen to any degree of emf.
nence in knowledge, he has learned
that he did not have monopoly of the
worlds wisdom, but that there were
men every where who could teach him
something. And here is the point
where the conceited man fails, he is
not willing to learn from others. And
yet there is no man, be he ever so
learned in his own speciality, who can
not gather knowledge from others oat
side of his walk. You may be law.
yer, learned in Blackstone, and yet the
humhlest bird-fancier may be your
teacher You may understand Greek
and Latin roots, but the man who plOws
your field can instruct you in his de-
partmeut. You may know how to
frame a sentence correctly, bat the
man who drives his team can tell you
about horses Now true
spirit will lead one to seek knowledge
from every source, to throw aside a
pretentious, concelted manner, aud be
willing to learn from even the humblest.
One Of the most versatile men l have
ever known was the late DR.. B,
President of A. College. lie
seemed to have some information on
every subject, to be kind Of walking en-
cyelopedia. lie often said that a great
deal of his information he acquired !
from others. He would talk with any
body, and talk with him about his trade
or business, get all the knowledge
from him possible. Thus he seemed to
absorb from every body. Now an ego
list could not do this; he assumes TO
know it all. His very pretentlousness
would repel men. Sslfiove, self-con-
ceit, pride of opinion-all these are
barriers to knowledge, barriers to sue.
cess.
While | have been writing these
lines, my mind has been dwelling on
another, and to me the very strongest
reason why conceit is to be deprecated
1t really has been the ruin -of many.
There are those who perish by conceit
because they assume that they can sue
eeed ia life. without obeying the laws
Of success. The voice of wisdom and
experience teaches that "whatsoever
4 man soweth, that shall he also reap"
Conceit declares that it is not true.
There are ten thousand young men in
this land to-day, who verify believe chat
they can SOW one seed and reap another
kind Of grain. They believe they can
sow idleness aud reap abundance; they
can SOW carelessness, aud have the
products of care; they can SOW selfin
diligence aud have vigorous health. 1t
is true others have failed, they say, but
they were not so smart as We are
They are not gong to read or study
much, bat they are going to be wise
through their smartness; they are not
going to labor much, but will succeed
by their wits; they are not going TO save,
but will be rich by their shrewdness,
Oh the supreme folly Of such conooit,
refusing to acoep. the wisdom Of ex-
perieuce! Why, all history has been
busy establishing that industry is the
beginning Of prosperity; frugality is the
hand maid Of wealth; study aud labor