The Douglas independent. [volume] (Roseburg, Or.) 187?-1885, 1884-11-08
Diversity Of Gifts.

"Don't make her study geography"
said mother to the principal of a
school where she was putting her
make anything out of geography myself
and she can't This lady had no gift
for learning geography, as many have
none for learning music, mathematics.
languages. There are really cultivated
people who never can learn to spell per-
fect7y. We know a graduate of Yale,
the best Greek scholar of his class, who
always misspells certain words and q
distinguished educator and scientist who
is uncertain in his spelling. though
wearing several honorable titles. Many
of our college graduates have no talent
for languages. They 60 through the
classic course at college that they may
get the B. A., and straightway forget
all their Latin and Greek as quickly as
they can. Some have no aptitude for
mathematics and founder about help
lessly in the higher branches of that
science, getting no good from them at
all. The author, par excellence, the
poet. the journalist, the artist, the scien-
list, the mechanic, the laborer, is born
and not made. But vast number of
people have no special aptitude. Very
good imitation diamonds can be manu-
factured, just as fair authors and poets
and artists are made of ordinary
people with no special gift in
any one direction, but with fair
average ability in all directions. A
block of mahogany may be made to
take variety Of useful and ornament
al forms. 1t may be made into one
piece of furniture, or cut up into We
neer and spread over great many
pieces of furniture. In parallel man
ner man may devote himself to one
pursuit and make q good lawyer, or
doctor or engineer, or professor, or he
may spread himself thin over wide
range of industries. The present ten
dency is to specialties. The lawyer de-
votes himself to certain branches of the
practice, patent law, or realty or GRIM
inal practice; the physician devotes
himself to diseases of the eye, the ear,
the vital organs; the engineer selects
mining or bridge building, or railroad
building; the professor confines him.
| self to physics, or mathematics, or Ian
gua9es, each and all recognizing the
fact that one man in one lifetime can
cultivate but portion of his own intel
| lectual domain, and but small portion
of the domain of the movable.
Giving himself to one pursuit or one
class of pursuits makes man one
sided; or, to change the figure, gives a
cutting edge on only one side. Charles
Reade needed and had Loving
housekeeper, who would say:
s.Charles, leave those sweets alone;
you'll make yourself ill., 1.-THE hero
is no hero to his valet.'' The valet knows
what need the hero has of being taken
care Of
We Me apt to idealize those who
have brilliant and positive gifts, and
think them altogether enviable, but
nearer acquaintance reveals the fact
that no cup pressed to the lips of NOR
tails is altogether sweet, no mind but
has it's dull or undeveloped or craggy
side, no heart but ''knoweth its own
bitterness.
There are many men who have no
talent for the use of tools. and who
handle everything they take hold oi
clumsily; there are women who have
no talent for the needle, and who can
not learn crochet and tatting and the
like; there are those who cannot learn
to cook we'll, others who never master
the art of housekeeping, others who
have no talent for society; there are
mothers who cannot be motherly and
wives who cannot be wifely. These
persons may have positive talents in
certain directions, but are denied the
power of developing them, and are
compelled all their lives to work against
the grain. There are poets who die
with all their music in them," scholar;
to whom the ample page of learning il
never unrolled, generals who never see
battlefield. We often find the ''rounC
man" in. the 'square hole,' and the
square man" in the ''round hole, >
while some unfortunate men anC
women seem never to find place
where they may work to any ad
vantage. :. They also serve who only
stand and watt But we can all dt
The duty nearest us; we can all try tt
do what our hands find to do with oul
might Ii we have but one talent W,
can put that out at interest. And i
not this all that is required of us?
is not for us to say elf | only hat
| ouCn ouCu nuo ouSh uiA'
such opportunities, l would do thus ant
thus. The problem is what we shall
do with the talent or the lack of
which we have, with the opportunit.
or lack of opportunity that is given us
Happy" says Carlyle, :. is the mar
that hath found his work." Yes, anC
happy are they, who not having fount
the work suited to them and for whiel
they are suited, yet diligently labor t.
do that which is given them to do
however humble or arduous OF dis
agreeable it may be. Life is training
school, Here we are set to tasks toll
some. uncongenial, difficult, oftel
thankless, ana held to them with TN
relaxing pressure until we learn to &C
cept tie burden imposed with patienc
and work
, "As ever N our Great Taskmaster's eye"
The lesson of life thus learned, "
are ready for promotion, which, thong
,, long deferred, will come at last n
Y. Tribune.
I The old women of an English vi
| In 1ro ba boor ,,rov;dnd h1y a,,a 1f Pr,