Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1884-04-03
A Self-ContrOlled Youth.

youno men do not realize as they
should the Importance OF early Lorm-
mo habits of self-control and self-de-
NAL. Not few men of genius nave
been wrecked because they did not
learn in youth to deny themselves
temporary pleasure for the sake OF
permanent benefit.
When John Quincy Adams was but
fourteen wears 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 lie
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 I shall toiter array my prec-
toats time and not go home until l 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 Tor
themselves. 1 am determined to get mtY
Hiring, and to be dependent upon no one
With tolerable share of common
sense, hope in America to be independ-
ent and free. Rather than ice other
Uise, I qoould aoish TO die before s'ay
tinae.'
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 congeniai
pls assures in order to become self-reli-
ant and self-supporting.
He was rising lawyer when, at the
age of twenty-seven, the President ap-
pointed him United States Minister at
the Hague. He filled the place. lis
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 if any duty had been omitted. At
the close of every month and year he
took an inventory of his moral and mem
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 SPLEEN
dor. Court life was full of entertain
ments, and magnificent banguets were
given by the foreign Ministers. But
Mr.. Adams continued to live in SIM
pie style, as BETTING 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 to compulsion. II will live with
in my income, and l will not anticipate
iiiy StAi"iy, Ao St1iu, VIII SPSal esaH III M
ness.
Mr.. Adams simple style of living 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 and Cicero.
II feel nothing like the tediousness Of
time he wrote in his diary. 81 suffer
nothing like e'a,aua. Time is too short
for me, rather than too long. If the day
was forty-eight hours, instead of TWEEN
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-
light and studious habits. The coun-
try, the churches and society need thou
sands of such self-reliant Youth