Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1877-04-25
ADVICE T0 BOYS.

If were a boy again, ! would prac-
ticc perseverance oftener, and never give
thing up because il was hard or in
convenient TO do it. If we want light,
we must conquer darkness. When !
think Of mathematics, | blush at the
recollection Of how often | "caveJ in"
years ago, There is no trait more
valuable than a determination to per-
severe when the right thing is to be
accomplished We are all inclined to
give up too easily in trying or unpleas-
ant situations, aud the point would
establish with myself, il the choice
were again within my grasp, would be
never to relinquish my hold on pos
siblc success, If mortal strength or
brains in my case, were adequate to
the occasion. That was a capital les.
son which Professor Faraday taught
one OF his students in the lecture-room,
after some chemical experiments. The
lights bad been put out in the hall,
and by accident some article dropped
on the floor from the Professors hand.
The Professor fingered behind, endeav-
oring to pick il up. "Never mind"
said the student, "it is of no conse-
quence tonight sir, whether we find it
or not" "That is true, replied the
Professor; "but it is of grave conse-
quence to me as Principle, that ! am
not foiled in my determination to find
it," Perseverance can sometimes equal
genius in It's result. There are only
two creatures" says the Eastern pro.
verb, "who can surmount the Pyra-
mids-the eagle and the snail.'
If / were boy again, would
school myself into habit of attention
oitcner. would let nothing come be-
tween me and the subject in hand. |
would remember that an expert on the
ice never tries TO skate in two direc-
tions at once. One OF our great mis-
takes, while we are young, is that We
do not attend strictly to what we are
about Just then, at that particular mo-
ment. We do not bend our energies
close enough to what we are doing or
learning. We wander into half in
tercst only, and so never acquire fully
what is neediul for us to become mas
ter Of The practice of becoming habit
ually attentive is one easily obtained,
if We begin early enough. often
hear grown.up people say 81 couldn't
fix my attention on a sermon, or book,
although | wished to do So" And the
reason is, a habit of attention was never
formed in youth. Let me tell you a
sad instance of a neglected power of
concentration. A friend asked me to
once lend him an interesting book some
thing that would cnchain his attention
Tor he said he was losing the power to
read After q few days he brought
back the volume, saying it was no
doubt o work Of great value and beau
~ but that the will to enjoy il had
gone from him forever for other mat
tcrs would intrudc themselves on the
page he was trying to understand and
enjoy, and rows of figures constantly
marsbalcd themselves on the margin,
adding themselves up at the bottom of
the leaf
If we're TO live my life over again,
| would pay more attention to the cul-
vation Of memory. would strength
en- that faculty by every possible means
and on every possible occasion. II
takes little hard work at first to re-
member things accurately but mem.
ory soon helps itself and gives very
little trouble 1t only needs early cul.
tivation to become power. Every
body can acquire il. When was n
youth, classmate of mine came to me
with a long face and told nc that he
was in danger of being supplanted in
the regard of young person OF the
gentler sex by n smart fellow belong
ing to another school who was daily
in the habit of calling on the lady and
repeating TO her from memory whole
poems OF considerable length. "What
would you doY" sighed the lad TO me.
"Do r. said |. "I would beat him on
his own ground and at once commit to
memory the whole of Paradise Lost,
book by book, and every time the in.
truder left Amelia's house ! would
rush in and fire awayl Depend up
omit" said, "shc is quite taken by
surprise with the skilliul memory Of
her new acquaintance and you must
beat him with surprising feats Of the
same quality" "Ohl but" said my
friend, III have, as you know, very
poor memogyW "'rhe more reason
now for cultivating that department OF
your intellect" rejoincd. "If you
give way TO repining and do nothing,
that fellow win soon be firmly seated
in your place. ] should not wonder il
he we're now at work on Thompsons
Seasons, for hls infamous purpose.
Delay no longer; but attack Jonn Mil
ton after supper tonight, and win the
prize above all competition r. Ezekiel
began in good earnest, and before the
summer was over he had memorized
tho whole Of PARADISE Lost" rehears.
cd It to Amelia, and gained the victo-
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