Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-04-30
The Air of Business.
(The Observations Of Philosophical
Friend of Oursl


"Abeunt studio in mores."
|, Your spirits shine through you"
Shakespeare.
The butchers market, fish market, and
vegetable market has each an atmosphere
aroma, and general make up, a sort OF
music and life Of its own. What the
dealers handle. think about, care about,
and recommend to their customers, ac-
complishes the business air, in which they
live and move and have their being.
So, too, in perhaps a little more striking
way the apothecaries, the tobacconlsts,
the fertilizers, and dealers in guano, the
grocers, and restaurant-keepers, and bar
bers have their psculiarities, navors,
tones, and ways Of thinking and talking.
that-like the ointment Of the right
! hand-baWray themselves and proclaim
their prop..etors. The same may be said
Of doctors, lawyers, and divines, and pro-
fessionals generally. Artists and literary
people have a light and airy carriage,
language and style, dainty and aesthetic
Though at times the negige. unkempt,
and slovenly without indicates that all
they know Of the beautiful and decent has
struck in They call it the air neg
lige: Hair uncombed, coat unbrushed.
shoe-strings united, and the femae-from
top to toe-clad in inharmonous any
thing-taken for better or worse.
In different callings people are expected
to be omnis in hoc-wholly given up to
nd
considerations with their regular duties,
they are pretty sure TO be failures. When
merchant. mechanic, or doctor, or law
yer gets the literary or political bee I'm
his bonnet and sets 10 writing poetry or
prose and making speeches for the public,
the world ceases 70 identify him with
his old business, and watches confidently
for his collapse and way to the poor
house. Hogarth's Distracted Poet" tells
the sad tale. Infdelity TO an honorable
calling means abandonment and desola-
tion. A sure law Of business is: Them
that honor Me l will honor. Solomon
makes Wisdom 10 say: She will bring thee
70 honor when thou dost embrace her.
Monogamy is law Of business.
But while this single, whole-hearted
devotion TO our business is necessary to
success, there is danger IN II. II Is an
unfortunate thing for a man 10 be so abb
sorbed in his business as TO be able 10
think Of or care for nothing else. IL is
unfortunate for a man to be nothing but
butcher, fish monger a trader, doc
tor. lawyer, or even a divine, and 10
be so saturated, favored, filed possessed, |
and wrapped up In his speciality as TO be J
able TO talk and think only in its ways |
and about its matters. A man is a pedant |
or the commonest kind, and a most |
effective bore who only talks shop. What |
Is man profited If he gain the whole |
world in his pursuit and all his affection. |
sensibiity and manhood is dried I'D |
within him? And yet the world is fun |
Of desscated manhood: miserable speci- |
mems Of soulless specialists.
The markets and exchanges of business,
forums, hospitals and temples may be |
overhung and overpowered by a purely |
business air that dries up and withers |
the soul crowds OF humanity together
may develop an atmosphere that is So
porihc and fatal Ii a man has no life
In himself, no spring OF virtue, and posi-
tive and strong good sense within. his
business air, merely selfish and steri-
ized-only Of the market or calling. will
Kill the soul. Many, many is the soul
mat Is asphyxiated and starved by the
common air OF the common crowd in all
.allings
Manhood has life OF its own. II must
'e fed and stored in the closet. in COM
nunion with the source OF life. Equipped
furnished. girded, enlightened. there II
'oes forth, strong In the life and power
II the Almighty. 1t obeys all natural
avs 1t is enthusiastic in any duty and
ursuit. It's enthusiasm absorbs light
rom al things. And the whole proyi-
ehce or COD Is on its side: Common
hlngS are It's schools and schoolmasters.
Is words ana acts are seasonable, timely,
nd wise II is identified with law. and
ne government OF the Supreme Ruler
7orks for its good.
The Kingdom OF God means manhood
. It's highest development and possibill-
ss. And Ii is the plainest fundamental
Isiness sense 10 seek first the Kingdom
God and His righteousness. The sell
shness and closeness and vulgarity OF
ommon crowds kills; the broadness and
eviction of duty gives enthusiasm; hath
he promise of the life that now is and
that which is 10 come.
The corrollary 10 the above is this:
nd II is applicable TO every pursuit of
IAN. IL makes loyal manhood the prepa- /
alton for all human effort: 1t was the
rder TO the greatest warrior the world
as ever known: This book OF the law
lall not depart OUT OF thy mouth: Thou
halt mediate therein day and night.
} thou shalt make thy way prosperous:
} shalt thou AID great success.