Elmore bulletin. [volume] (Rocky Bar, Idaho) 1889-1906, 1890-02-15
THE STUDY or MAN.
Nature. Not Text Boots, tho Means OF
Learning Human Nature.


Learning Human Nature.
When Alexander Pope wrotr The
Proper Study of Mankind Is M.. he
| gave expression to a far reaching truth,
I illustrated every day To understand
man in his various moods. to be able to
control and guide him. is to be a king
among men. Self control Is the first fruit
Of each study rightly carried on. and then
/ follows the control Of others-not MS an
exacting master. but as guide and
/ friend. The leaders in business. in poll
/ tics, In war, the men who alta u eminence
! in the active affairs In which large mum.
hers are associated. although they NAV
not have set out to make study of man.
and may, in fact, be unconscious Of their
attainnlents. have nevertheless acquired
knowledge of themselves, which gives
them self control. and a knowledge of the
moods. impulses and weaknesses of 9th
ers that enables them 90 take control az
leaders, Such power Is not necessarily
associated with high degres Of culture
in other directions nor. on the other
hand. does the Possession Of general IN
diligence necessarily include this p.,s,eI
The contrary is very frequently the as,
literary culture. arising from a clos
study Of hooks, depriying one Of thai in
innate association with men which h es.
sential to knowledge OF their disIosi
uons. emotions and passions.
Even the books that "hold the mirror
up 10 nature" present but partial and
imperfect view of man. The true student
must 20 to nature her .elf for instruction
Ii is this circumstance that sometimes
gives rise To wonderment at the success.
of this man or the failure of that by ihosa.
who fail to consider the great value of n
study Of man to those who would be-
guides or leaders, or who are called upon
10 manage large bodies of men. He who
learns by study. observation or expert
ence when TO humor. when 10 command
and how To play upon the hopes. ainbi
tons, cupidity or fears Of others. sa as to
get them TO do his bidding. has mastered
the greatest Of all instruments. beside
which the playing upon pipe is indeed
simple. There are men of this kind who
having special aptitude for command.
soon learn, unconsciously il may he. how
to lead. guide or drive others. They
come To the front in war; in politics and
in business life. and succeed oftentimes
in spiteo defects in their scholastic train
ing. while their better educated rivals,
lacking knowledge of men. fail alto
gether, or IL they rise above the ranks
gain only subordinate places.
Until within recent years there have
been scarcely any attempts to make a
man school study; nor is it TO be ex-
pected that the study as now carried on
will take the place Of experience in rails
ing up managers Of men. Yet it is
worth while for those who find them
selves deficient in this respect 10 formal.
ly begin the study in their own persons
As in that Of others. Self study is always
useful. for it develops unexpected weak.
nesses that may he corrected il there is
a disposition I. improve, and it at least
gives suggestions as to the weaknesses Of
lthers, through hich they may be con
trollcd or managed.
When Hamlet. having vainly impor.
tuned Guildenstern to play upon the
pipe. throws IL upon the floor, he ex
claims: why, look you now how un
worthy thing you make of me. You
would play upon me; you would seem to
know my stops; You would pluck out the |
heart Of my mystery: you would sound !
me from my lowest note 10 the top OF |
INV compass, aud there Is much music, |
excellent voice in this little organ, yet |
cannot YOU make IL.
an thai passage a strong figure OF |
speech Is presented illustrating what
may be done by those WHO have made q |
proper study OF mankind. They c..n |
IN: upon humanity as skillfully as the |
musician plays upon the pipe.
Guildenstern lacked knowledge more /
than Hamlet lacked advancement, but |
there were doubtless others even in that |
,,s,y VINO could have sounded Hamlet /
from his lowest note 10 the top of his /
compass. and have guided and controlled |
sim. AT all events, the rnder instru.
.nents represented by common men may /
.- piayeo upon. and il is those who have
made the study recommended by Pope |
who do play upon them. and become 4
leaders among men. IL is study that
all can undertake: the subjects are in.
Vulnerable. and the guide book TO them
all is ever present in the students own l
person. H. Baltimore Sun.