St. Landry democrat., 1879-10-04
Prof. Huxley On Boys.

| Prof. Huxley Was recently invited to
! distribute the prizes to the 'niycrisity
; College schoolboys" in London, and
made an address on The occasion which
contains many sensible things encour
aging to boys and Young men who arc
accounted brilliant" We copy a few
paragraphs:
! "Quickncss in learning, readiness and
accuracy id reproducing what is learnt
industry, endurance, these arc the quail
ties, mixed in very various pronortiOns
which are found in boys who win,
prizes. Now, there is not the smallest
doubt that every one OF these qualities
is ct great value in practical life. Un~4l
WhateVer career you may enter, inteI-
lectual qulcknesS, Industry and the
power OF bearing fatigue are three great
advantages. But want to IMPRESS
upon you, and through You upon those
who VIII direct your future course, the
conviction Which entertain, that, as a
genera rule, the selatiee Importance of
these three qualifications is not rightly
estimated, and that there arc other
qualities OF DO less value which are not
directly tested by school competition.
somewhat varied experience of men
has led me, the longer live, to set the
less value upon mere clevcrness to
attach more and more Importance to
industry and To physical endurance.
indeed, am much disposed to think
that endurance is tic most valuable
quality OF all for industry, as the de-
sire to work hard, does not came r.
much 1t d feeble frame is unable TO res
pond to the desire. Everybody WHO has !
had to make his way in the world must
know that while the occasion for IN
telleCtual effort of high order is rare.
it constantly happens that mans fu,
ture turns upon his being able tos stand
a sudden and heavy strain uDon Lis
powers of endurance. To q LAWYER,
physician, or Il merchant, it may he
everything to he able to work sixteen
hours a day for as long as is ncedful
without knocking up. Moreover, the
patience, tcnacity and good lumor which
are among the most important Glalif-
cations for dealing with men are in |
compatible with an irritable brain, a !
weak stomach, or defective circulation. |
Ii any one OF you prize winners were !
son OF mine, and good fairy We're to |
offer to equip him according to nv
wishes for the battle of practical life. | |
should say, | do not care to trouble !
you tor any more cleverness; put in as
much industry as you can instead; and |
oh, If you please a broad, deep chest !
and a stomach Of whose existence he |
shall never know anything I should
be Well content with the prospects of a
fellow so endowed.
"The other point which | wish to i'm
press upon you is, that competitive ey-
animation, useful and excellent as it is
for some purposes, 1s only q very partial
test Of what the winners will be worth
in practical life. There are people who
are netheir very clereD nor very indus
trions, nor very strong, and who would
probably be nowhere in an examina-
ton, and who yet exerta greatinhuence
in virtue of what is called force of char
aeter. They may not know much, but
they take care that what they do know
they know well. They may not be
very quick, but the knowledge they ]
acquire sticks. They may not even be
industrious or enduring, but
they are strong OF will and firm of pur- ,
pose, undaunted by fear of responsi
)ility, single minded, and trustworthy.
In practical life d man of this sort is
worth any number of merely clever and
earned people,"