The Baltimore County union., 1883-05-19
sELF.PossEssIoN.


and hoping for what we desire, we are
eager, excited and in a measure un-
strung but when we finally obtain il,
we become, as far as that one thing
goes, restful and assured. Now Of all
possessions that can possibly be secured,
there is none which gives this quiet
and dignihed sense of power so thor.
oughly as the possession of SeU. To
feel quite sure that we truly possess any
single power or faculty, that we have
il under our control and can use il at
our pleasure, is source OF great hap.
piness and peace of mind, and those
who are fortunate enough 10 have this
sense Of possession extended over many
Of their faculties are to be warmly con-
graduated.
Self possession, however, is some
thing apart from ability. IL is more in
one direction and less in another
Many persons of great abilities are pain.
fully lacking in self-possession, and
Others Of very small powers are rarely
at a loss. IL comes rather through
fair degree Of self.knowlcdge and
practical exercise OF those abilities,
great or small, which We do possess
Our own experience shows US this.
Most Of Us are sclf-possessed in at least
one direction, and tina; We shall find 10
be the one in which we have had the
most constant practice and the best
opportunities OF testing ourselves. The
mechanic or business man, or artist or
phil Jsopher, may be undecided, vacil-
laiing, constrained and i'll 4, ease in
general society or in political circles,
or in 4 hundred others situations, but in
their respective employme ITS or in mat.
ters closely connected with them, they
a: once assume calm and assured man
ner that tells Of their regained self-pos-
session. The business partner who has
charge Of 4 mandatory will sometimes
lose all his self-possession when obliged
10 attend 10 a customer, while the reg
ular salesman will be utterly confound-
ed If left 10 deal with the operative
One woman will be cool, dignified and
assured in he. home, but ;mid and
nervous in society another is thor
oughly self-possessed IN the presence Of
strangers. bu; ;rembles before her own
servants. One person hates to write
letters putting it OFF from day to day,
afraid of tis own handwriting, or Of
the blunders he NAV commit, while in
conversation he is ready. fluent and
sel,-possessed. Another writes easily.
wiihou; fear or hesitation. but breads
20 open his lips in company. An in
telligeni man OF sixty wears Of age stood
.; one time siammeTing for five minutes
before I number Of waiting people. when
all he had occasion 10 say was "Yes."
His self.possession had lef, him, and
had taken with il almos; the very power
OF uiieTance. Some persons are cool
and sell possessed in moments Of emer-
gency when every one else Is quiver-
ing with terror they know lust wha; 10
90, and AZ once take command OF the
situation. Others. whose knowledge
may be in no way interior, lose all
control OF il in sudden exigencies.-
Mos' OF the paniCs that occur in times
OF fire or accident. and that sacrifice
thousands OF lives. are due. not 20 igror.
ance. bu; TO the utter loss OF sell. posses
sion by the crowd Could each nil.
vidual obtain authority over himself.
and do wh3; he actually knows TO be
the best thing. the panic would cease.
and the chief danger would be over.
Much OF this valuable quality is gain.
ed by sensible education in early
wears. There are certain things so sure
10 be needed in every life ,ha; they
ought 10 command particular attention
in youth. Every child should be &C
ousiomed 10 express himself freely and
often. both in speaking and writing.
and he taught the proper methods OF
doing both. he should become used 10
! ;he presence of strangers. and the at
/ ientlons due To them; he should be ha-
biua,ed 10 changes OF scene and EN-.
I ploymeni. and. above all. should be led
10 FIX his attention upon things outside
| of himself. so as TO save him from that
sclf-consciousness which lies at the root
OF much painful bashiulness. timidi,y
and nervous apprehensions. Thinking
much about self, especially about the
| impressions We have made. or are going
10 make upon Others tends always TO
10 deprive us of self-possession. We
grow anxious and periurbed. lose our
simplicity and naiuralness and tall into
the very blunders that we dread. These
| frequent failures weaken our courage
and make US shrink more and more
from what We ought boldly TO approach.
OF course. there is vain self.conf.
dcnce. which rushes unabashed into
every scene and feels equal TO under
take whatever is presented. This. now
ever, is very different from the self pos.
session which comes from 4 true estimate
Of our own powers. He who possesses
himself in this latter sense will be as
careful TO abstain from what he is un-
able TO perform, as TO execute whatever
rightly falls TO his lot. He will he as
modest and unassuming as he is ener
getic and unflinching. for he will know
his limitations as well aS he does his
powers. The bes, practical way OF Sc
curing this sseli-possession, where We feel
its lack, is in continual practice. As
which every one should be prepared to
do. certain scenes that every one should
be prepared TO enter, certain crises tha,
every one should I've ready TO meet
These none OF us must shrink from
when they come. but do our best every
time, manfully and rcsolutely, calling
to our aid all the reason and good sense
that we can command. Each time We
force ourselves to this course the task
grows easier, and at length we arrive al
that condition of calm assurance with
regard to our performance Of them,
which alone gives self-possession.