The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1900-07-08
Timely Beginning, and
Proper Training.


4Ee &ps,-I OK .o4ln
That means 70 be Of note begins bstiu,ss,
Shakespeare makes Antony say. An cid
saying Is that the early bird catches the
worm; but Shakespeare, perhaps, voiced
the doubt of mankind IS TO how ore could
be assured In advance that himself was not
the worm when he made Friar Laurence
say to Iove-.mpatient Romeo. "Tco swift
arrives IS ta-dy as TOO late" But as lie
world does net wait, and even the longest
lie SIS scarce the twinkle OF star in
Gods eternal day." as BayaFd Taylor puts
t. and "a mans Ilfe's no more than TO
say one" as Hamlet puts 1t. there IL
need for timeiiness IA beginning the EtEus-
gle for SUCCESS. When TO begiE-at what
age. and at what call-is perhaps open 10
debate but there is g. prover5 which says:
He that is not handsome at 20. strong at
90 rich at 20. nor wise at 90. Will never be
handsome, strong rich or wise" The con-
census Of opinion. however. seems to be
that the best time to begin IS the present,
for, as Samuel johnson declares. the
present hour alone Is mans" Cowley gees
even further and declares:
To ruo-row VII. I've. the fool does say.
To-day itsslrs too late; tho wise l.vst yesterday.
But tomorrow is gone. and
To mourn G mischief that Is past and gone
Is the next way 20 draw new mischief OF,
according TO Shakespeare.
Ivory does not come from q rats
mouth" IS the way IN which an old
Chinese proverb expresses the theory that
you cannot make q elk purse out or q
sow's ear" AL of which Is another way
Of saying that the material must be in the
man or thing before the desired result can
be secured. This does not mean that TO
achieve success it Is necessary to be born
IN success; many instances tend to prove al
most that the reverse of this Is tho rule.
snd Carlyies testimony Is;
From the lowest depth there Is path
70 the Hottest height" 1t is rather en argu-
rnent that men should consider their own
capacities and suit their avocauous 10
them. Something may be done In the way
of enlersing ones capacities by study ard
training Goethe declares that ito serve
from tbs lowest station upward is in eli
things necessary; and thus may one 80
enlarge himself by experience that much
amends can be made for lack OF natural
fitness The practice of making POOR
choices of profession Is not a new one. In
Richard III Shakespeare says;
The world Is grown 80 bad
That wrens make grey where ssEiss dsrs not
perch
And Pope. q century later. said IN his
Essay on Criticism" Fools rush IN
where angels Tear to tread"
Ruskin thus expresses his appreciation Of
the yairs OF training: In the exact proper
ton in which men are bred capable Of warm
affection. common sense and sef-coInrnand,
and are educated TO love. TO think and TO
endure, they become noble. live happily. Ole
calmly, are remembered with pe-petua; her,
or by their race and for the perpetual good
of It," And again Rgskin says; TO make
a boy despise his mothers care Is the
straishtsst way 20 make him despise his Re
deemer's voice: ana TO make him scorn his
father and his fathers house, the straightest
way 10 mako him deny his God and lis
Gods heaven" Carlyle declares: TO learn
chewing is the fundamental art OF govern
Ing" HE that has been taught BY himself
has had fool for q master" declared sour
old Ben Jonson- Others may not care 10
,naks the statement SO broad, aud perhaps
Jonsou only meant that man who went
not beyond himself. both in teaching and in
learning. was a fool Francis Qusriss's pre-
cept is: Read not books alone. but men.
and amongst them chiefly thyssf: II ihou
find anything questionable there use the
commentary OF q severe friend rather than
the gloss of q sweet-itpped narterer. there
Is more PROFIT in a distastefui truth tnan de-
ceitfui sweetness" Bacon's advice Is: Read
not TO contradict and confuts. nor TO be-
lievs and take for granted. nor TO and talk
and discourse. but TO weigh and consider"
Professor John g. BiaekIe's advice TO young
men IL to read nothing that you DO not
care to remember. and remember nothing
that you do not mean TO use"
An essential part of training for any posi-
ton is tho cultivation Of seis-control. Thorn |
as a. Kempis declares: He that hath gained |
an entire conquest over himself will find no |
mighty difficulties to subdue all other oppo- |
sition." ]. II. Barrie describes temper as "a !
weapon that We hold by the blade" Burns