St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1890-01-25
MANAGEMENT or MEN.

WANAOEMENT OF MEN.
How Great Leaders Control Those WA0
Come In Contact with Then.
When Alexander Pope wrote '"Tho
proper study Of mankind is man." he
gave expression to a far-reaching truth,
illustrated every day. To understand
man in his various moods, to be able to
control and guide him, is to be king
among men. Self-control is the first
fruit Of study rightly carried ON, and
then follows the control of others-not as
an exacting master, but as guide and
friend. The leaders in business, in poli-
tics, in war, the men who attain emf.
nence in the active affairs in which
large numbers are associated, although
they may not have set out to make .
study of man. and may, in fact, be un-
conscious Of their attainments, have
nevertheless acquired knowledge Of
themselves, which gives them self-con-
troll, and knowledge OF the moods, i'm
enables them to take control as leaders.
Such power is not necessarily associated
with high degree Of culture in other
directions, nor, on the other hand, does
the possession Of general intelligence
necessarily include this power. The
contrary is very frequently the case.
literary culture arising from
close study Of books. depriv.
ing one Of that intimate assOcia-
tiOn which is essential to a knowledge
of their dispositions, emotions and pas
sions. Even the books that ''hold the
mirror up to nature" present but .
partial and imperfect view Of man. The
true studentm must go to nature herself for
instruction. 1t is this circumstance that
sometimes gives rise to wonderment at
the success of this man or the failure Of
that by those who fail to consider the
great value Of . study Of man to those
who would be guides or leaders. or who
are called upon to manage large bodies
of men. He who learns by study. OBJ
servatiOn or experience when to humor,
when to command, and how to play upon
the hopes, ambitions, cupidity or fears
of others so as to get them to do his bid
ding, has mastered the greatest of all
besides which the playing
upon pipe is indeed simple. There are
men Of this kind who, having special
aptitude for command, soon learn, un-
it may be, how to lead,
guide or drive others. They come to
the front in war, in politics and in busi-
ness life, and succeed oftentimes In spits
Of defects in their scholastic training,
while their better educated rivals, Lack
ing knowledge Of men, fail altogether.
or, if they rise above the ranks, gain
only subordinate places. Until within
recent years there have been scarcely
any attempts to make man . school
study; nor is it TO be expected that tho
study as now carried on will take the
place Of experience in raising up man
ayers Of men Yet It is worth while for
those who find themselves deficient in
this respect to formally begin the study
in their own person as in that Of others.
Self-study is always useful, for it de-
be corrected If there is disposition to
improve, and it at least gives sugges-
tiOns as to the weaknesses of others,
through which they may be controlled or
When Hamlet, having vain
y importuned Guildenstein to play upon
the pipe, throws it 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
10 know my stops; you would pluck
but the heart Of my mystery:
vou would sound me from my
lowest note to the top of my COM
pass, and there is much music, excellent
voice in this little organ, yet can not
vou make it." In that passage q strong
igure Of speech is presented, illustrat-
ng what may be done by those who have
made proper study of mankind. They
,an play upon humanity as skillfully as
he musician plays upon the pipe: Gull
lacked knowledge more than
Hamlet lacked advancement, but there
we're doubtless others even in that day
Who could have sounded Hamlet from
his lowest note to the top of his com.
pass, and have guided and controlled
him. At all events, the ruder instru-
nents represented by common men may
De played upon, and it is those who have
made the study recommended by Pope
who do play upon them, and become
cadcrs among men. 1t is q study that
III can undertake; the subjects are i'm
and the guide-book to them
III is ever present in the students own
Sun.
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