Semi-weekly south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1883-1889, 1884-08-01
TIE GRAND OPPORTUNITIES OF

TIE GRAND OPPORTUNITIES OF
YOUTH.
The glory of young men is their
strength of romance. God has en-
powered them to see the work, not in
dead colors, but in its real beauty. We
are far more liable to underrate human
ity and its surroundings than to over
rate them. Imagination is not faculty
which tells lies, but it is rather the only
faculty which tells the truth. The In
dian and the negro in Africa never see a
mountain, or star, or flower, 10 oil
its attractiyeness. They have not imagi-
nation enough to make the object visi-
ble. The five senses do not disclose
much. They only give the soul start.
Once started, the soul runs far away
from its humble helper. The foot al
ways steps more lightly and willingly
when there is band Of music playing
in 'front.' The mu ic does not exagger-
ate the Importance Of the battle toward
which the troops march, nor does it
nuke the mind estimate too highly the
value OF It's native land it simply
arUlfses the soul until it can see the
reality. Thus tho romantic vision OF
the first half OF mans life is the most
real survey vi earth he will ever make.
Old ago blunts the senses that it may
see this world less windy, and may pre-
par. the more willingly for leaving its
shores. The high coloIs are the true
Unes, for mans career on earth has
wonderful Significance, and little is the
danger that he will over-paint its works,
or amusements, or experience. Its
love, its ambition, its friendships,
its studios, its arts, its homes,
its politics and religion will not
soon be over-estimated by the
arithmetic OF mankind. Indeed, only
the most buoyant nature can come near
mn adequate survey Of the situation in
which man lives and dies. Look at the
salient facts in the human experience
learning, religion, taste, property, fame,
marriage, home, the family, pleasures,
office, sickness, decline, the grave
What an assemblage of things of ire
mendous import The company is large,
and each idea is giant. Nature places
colors and brush at the disposal of the
young, that they may paint these won
ders to the size of life. No one can
ovordraw the picture Of religion, or mar
riage, or home, or tho tomb. Manhood
enjoys divine opportunity while it is
marching along through those years
which paint all objects in eolors so rich
us not to be false, but to be true. Oh,
what days are those when the PROBES
Bions, and the pursuits, and conquests
and acquisitions possible TO humanity
are all standing out in radiance like thu
forms TRANSPORTED on the Mount, ant
when the heart in its unrestrGined rapt
ure says, at ia good for us to be here |
Those are the hours when the youth set
forth to college with his almost beggarl.
clothing, and still more scanty suppl.
of books and friends, but when, poo
and alone, with perhaps the only woman
who ever loved him, his mother, hiddel
away beneath the sod, he is lifted abov
his sorrows by the inspiration of hi
heart. In those years the foundation
Of the temple are laid, and all that ma
turity and age can do is to carry forwar,
the plan of the infamed architect.
Strong in body, in enthusiasm, and il
romance. youth is powerful in motives
Action depends upon motive. 1t is
law OF natural philosophy that no bod
moves until it is set in motion by som
external force, and that once IN motto
It will not stop until some other fore
has sprung up to check its progress
The mind and soul also rest until the
are moved from without. The lowe
orders of man and Of the brute creatio
spend much time in sleep, because fe
IRE the motives for any form Of NOV,
ment. But before the young man
our century the motives OF being pu
hard and pull necessarily, All is befo
him. He is not in the decline of al
faculty. His heart is not chilled by tt
reflection that this or that comes Il
late. 1t is morning, and the day is
be long and beautiful. All the objec
found by mankind to be desirable o
uot back Of him to be lamentod or fc
gotten, but they are before him to
won. He is powerful in hope.
The possibility of scholarship, of pr
fessionnl skill, of mercantile success,
fame as an inventor or designer, or al
list, the easy p ssibility of home OF b
own to be planned by his taste and bu
by his own money, little or much,
home to DO filed to overlooking with t
best love of earth-all these impulse
and many more, meet in the you
heart to urge it onward, and gives il
momentum never 10 he met with agai
After We pass the line Of 80 these pos
bilities begin to fade away, and, thou
the days and years are sweet, they 0
no longer full of that faith which C
remove u mountain or toss sycami
tree into the sea.--Prof. Da0id S,oi,