Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1889-07-20

LANCASTER, PA, July 20, 1889.
Observe.


We should observe everything worthy
of notice, as we have opportunity, for in
1 this way we lay in store upon which
cur thinking powers may operate. If
this II not dene, no matter what the ca
pacity for thought is, you are only like
clever mechanic who has no raw ma
terial 10 manufacture. The refle ,tive
faculties must he made use of, but YOU
must have something upon which they
can work. There is great difference
among men in this respect. Some men
notice everything, and draw useful and
valuable lessons from everything, and
Others pass through life in kind OF doze.
For instance, two persons on a delight
full summer day take an excursion into
/. the country; on returning home one will
d give you vivid and graphic description
Of the green meadows, the fruitful fields,
the flowing streams, the sweet music Of
the birds, as they sang in the festooned
( bowers, of the lambs as they sported In
the fields, and Of the farmer who went
singing or whistling after his plow of
the lights and shadow that played upon
the distant hills, and the beauty with
which the sun went down, and Of the
delicatcly tinted. rich and gorgeous
clouds that pavilioncd him as he sank
to his repose. What a pleasure to listen
You are inspired with noble, glorious,
poetic thought. You then turn TO his
companion and ask And what did
you see, sir ?'' " What did see ?'' oh
nothing in particular, it was very hot
and dusty. l had terrible trouble to
keep the dust off my coat and hat, and
for that matter, out of my throat also.
was very much wearied. wished
myself at home--there seemed TO he
nothing worth seeing"
Now each saw precisely the same
objects !; all the difference was In the
state of the mind; they both possessed
the observant faculties, only in the one
they were i'm exercise, in the other dull
and dormant, and he was brooding over
discomforts that were imaginary and
insensible all the while TO the many
sources of enjoyment. a man may not
have much time for abstract thoughts,
and no time for close study, but every
one is daily mingling with his fellow
men, meeting a variety of phases of
manners, of countcnances, characters
and circumstances, and listening to
vast diversity of remarks, experiences
and occurrences, and if he is constantly
on the watch, not merely to be amused,
but especially to be profited, he will be
continually storing up fresh observation
in his memory, and in this way en-
larging his stock of knowledge, and ac.
cumulating very valuable information.
Practical knowledge is the most use
full. The man who possesses that can
meet the various contingencies and
emergencies of life, and make the best
of them all. II is surprising how much
general information such man can
give you, and how he can converse in II
sensible manner on n great variety of
subjects, though he never had the OPP
portuuity of becoming acquainted with
abstract theories. Though he had little
. time for study or to read books, yet
beine an acute observer he obtained
much of his knowledge from men and
manners. Everything that passed
around him he saw, and habitually en-
ercising his persipient faculties, gained
his knowledge. While some men move
among others like the butterfly among
flowers, Others like the bee dive into its
petals and bring back sweet spoils en-
riching their cells with luscious treas
ures.