The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1867-188?, 1884-04-16
SeIf.Control and Self.DeniaI.

l0ung men do not realize as they
should the Importance Of early form
ing habits of self-control and self-de-
nial. Not few men Of genius have
been wrecked because they did not
learn in youth TO deny themselves q
temporary pleasure for the sake OF q
permanent benefit.
When John Quincy Adams was but
fourteen years of age, he was selected
by Francis Dana, United States Minis
ter to Russia, as his private secretary.
Boy though he was, young Adams re-
sisted the social pleasures of court life
at st. Petersburg, that he might give
himself to his official duties and to the
study Of Latin, German and French,
and to course Of English history.
Subsequently, he resided at Stock
holm and at Paris. In both Of these
gay and dissolute cities he was his own
master. But, instead of yielding to
social temptations, this boy of eighteen
resolutely continued at his studies.
While hard at mental work in Paris,
his father John Adams, was appointed
Minister at the Court of st. James.
London's literary and social privileges
would have been opened to the son OF
the American Minister. His father
would have been pleased to have had
him in his family. The temptations to
remain abroad were many and strong.
But the youth turned his back upon
them all, and decided to return to the
United States and fit himself to earn his
own living. He wrote in his diary:
elf | accompany my father to Lon
don, my satisfaction would possibly be
greater than by returning to the United
States; hut / shall Loiter away my prec-
iOuS time and not go home until / am
forced to it. My father has been all his
lifetime occupied by the interests Of
the public. His own fortune has suf-
fered. His children must provide for
themselves. lam determined 10 get my
tiUing, and 10 be dependent upon no one.
With a tolerable share of common
sense, hope in America to be independ-
ent and free. Rather than liye other
,oise, l toouId toiSh TO die before nly
time" --.. .l. ii 1.H ''iLjf
We have italicised several lines of
this entry, because we would call at
tention to the fact that this boy Of
eighteen resolutely put aside congenial
pleasures in order to become self-reli-
ant and self-supporting. y ltN
He was a rising lawyer when, at the
age Of twenty-seven, the President ap-
pointed him United States Minister at
the Hague. He filled the place. His
official duties were thoroughly attended
to, and little Of his time was given to
those social duties which his position
imposed. But most of his leisure hours
were employed in studying diplomacy,
the English and Latin classics, and the
Dutch and Italian. languages At night
he reviewed the day, and censured him.
self II any duty had been omitted. At
the close Of every month and year he
took an inventory of his moral and men,
tai stock, to determine whether he had
gained or lost. -
In 1909, Mr.. Adams became our Min
tier at the Court of St. Petersburg.
He found himself in the midst of splen-
dor. Court life was full of entertain
ments, and magnificent banquets were
given by the foreign Ministers. But
Mr. Adams continued TO live in SIM
pie style, as beftting his small salary
and more becoming the representative
of the Republic. Merchants urged him
to accept loans of money. He refused
the offers, though the temptation to an
expensive style Of living amounted al
most 10 compulsion. Il will live with
in my income, and / viii not anticipate
my salary" he said, with Spartan firm
ness.
Mr.. Adams simple style ofliving kept
him in good health and gave him leis-
ure TO indulge his thirst Tor knowledge.
Yet the days seemed too short TO the
student who studied astronomy, math-
ematics, Plato, Demosthenes, Socrates,
Eschines ana Cicero.
ii feel nothing like the tediousness OF
time" he wrote in his diary. 81 suffer
nothing like ennui. Time is too short
for me, rather than too long. II the day
was forty-eight hours, instead Of twen-
ty-four, Icould employ them ALL"
Our purpose will be served, If we
shall have induced one young man to
initiate John Quincy Adams self-re-
lignt and studious habits. The coun-
try, the churches and society need thou
sands OF such self-rcliant youth. -
Houths Companion.