Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1880-11-18

Msny lad toiliog ou he iarn, or at the
mechanics bench, or percls CO at the l0recas-
,Ie has creams of what he might be ard do II
no were only educ .ted. The most part only
dream. bcc us3 they do not make sn effort to
advance themselves. 1t is not because the ma
i,ri havJ Dot ta!eot enough to acquire ~ ecu
catioo, but because they have not sufficient
energy t, devclopo their res1u,c,s. Now every
b,v apd girl has more chsocss TO coiala an
education than c.lireD ioiuetly had; aud
there is cot by or girl 10 our ooghtened
cauntry who canuOt devote one hour out OF the
twenty four to ruas i3g useful, instrpc17e books.
Many of our fam0u, authors, ststesm 20, aod
cultured nen of science lsb1red unoer uoioid
disadvantages IS in their youth, but they pais!-
yersd aud lult behind "tootpriois in the sands
of ,ims" worthy to be folIowad after by every
succiuding peneratiou. Robert Bloomfield, the
nouored British poet. whom great meo r':Vere
and hon0r, was only a pO1r sboemak5rs
uppren.ic and it did not seem Very prob
able ghiie be pegged away at hl5 trade that
be would ever bs the honored associate
of the learned and great. But by employ
ine every spare moment in eleanlng 10 tue
fields Of knowledge be rose to ututed emlueuoe;
Ehu Burritt, familiarly called toe learned
blacksmith, was poor man and WORKED an-
cessioglP at his trade to obtain c llvlog, anr 20
s!vs money to buy bis beloved books, 1et
while working from dawn till dsrk be found
time to master fifty languages aud to perfect
himself 10 the sciences. There are many other
Instances 10 show what perseverance, and eDorgy
will do. So by impr5viUg the talent that God
has given you make for yourself a name that
will DOT dlo when You die. but live on and 90 a
70 In6IlSlrV.
It is far better 20 read one page atteD'Vely
and understandingly than to skim whole
volume, and only half grasp its meaning. Ii Is
the SAYING of scholar of human nature, "Ba'
ware of the mau of one botk." He who reads
q little. thoroughly would be 30 skilled that 1t
would be difficult to contradict hm. Have
system about your readirg, 1t possible. lay
aside an hour. two hours, ur ID mucn time es
voc can for reading. Have the hours st Ger
tain time, aud allow nothing TO Interfere
with them. Give your undivided atteu-
ton to the subject before you, AID 10 the
course of one year you will be surprised at the
| smount Of Information you will have gained,
| and ,hs higher thoughts and feelings which NIL
YOUR mind Aud DO not read everything Lord
| Bacon says: Some books are TO on ts:tao;
others are 10 be swslowed; ana some few to be
chewed and digested." That Is, some are to oo
SKINNED; some are 10 be read bu. not curor5ly;
while others shouio % SO eeao tnas IL Lue oooS
were loet the best psrt8, if not oil. could be re-
produced by TIE reader But whatever else you
| neglect, do not forget the little book of whito
paper. note book in which you can jot down
each happy thought and passing fancy. Many
of our best anLhors to- k notes, that is,. wrota
their thoughts in diajon.sd sentences ss they oc,
Cured to them, from which they sfterward
for ned most elaborate and beautiful productions
| Now, who will form the resolution of reading
an hour every day snd carry i. out faithfully, to
the end of the year? Be assured you WILL find
yourself amply repaid. Remember that the
more slowly and thoughtfuly YOU rs-d the
mora you will retain OF it.-ONa Reed Nc Chris.
| J;e