The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1907-10-30
l d | e n e S S

II DLENESS is the parent OF mischief Therefore
Ii nave some regular employment to occupy
your thoughts and your hands. A loafer or
lounger who has nothing to do, and who is willing
to do nothing, it is true, deserves pity-but he de-
serves contempt more than pity. A mind unoccll-
pied must be miserable But here we have fallen
into slight mistake 1t is not quite accurate to
speak of a mind unoccupied. A man may be idle
may have nothing to debut the mind is ALWAYS
active The mind is never unoccupied-it will be
busled either with good thoughts and pure, OF
thoughts of an opposite character. And therefore
a man must be miserable who has nothing useful
to occupy his thoughts; because if not thus oc-
cupled, they will be employed upon what is not
good, but mschievous and false. And so his soul
will be deprived of peace, for evil thoughts and
tranquility cannot dwell together in the same
bosom. And therefore, again we saw have some
useful employment to occupy your hands or Your
thoughts.
Do not NEEDLE with the business of others; be
not busybodies. Those who have no business of
their own are but too apt to be intermeddling in
the affairs of their neighbors They seem better
to know how their neghbors ought to do and to
manage their business, and their farms and their
houses, than to know how to manage their own
business and to keep their own house or their
own farm If every body would mind his own
business, then every bodys business would be
minded; and, generally, there is no one who can
mind his own business we'll as himself But
in minding Your own business do not study the
whims of others You cannot please ALL and if
you attempt to please ALL you will be sure to dis
please some. Study to know the right course
and when you have ascertained it, be firm and de-
cided in pursuing it, whether others are pleased
or dspleased
Especially do not attempt to give advice to an
editor. for ten chances to one, you will get no
thanks for it. An editor ought to know his own
business better than others who are not editors
And he will certainly think he does, whether he
does or not; so it will be vain to advise him Nor
yet should you write for his paper or periodical
unless he requests it, nor even then eXcept Won
can write something that has not been written
more than hundred times before or can write it
better than it has been written before. Some
young writers are in too great haste to get into
the papers and magazines Above all, never send
an apology to the publisher by saying it is your
first effort for the press; for if it is he will be
sure to know it without your telling him so But
don't publish first effort. Write and burn at
least hundred compositions before you publish
one Write great deal if you please: but pub
lish very little. II is quality not quantity. We
are pleased with. There is much literary trash
nowadays but few literary gems: yet it is only
the gem, however small, that shines.
BE nearly perfect possible in whatever you
undertake. DO nothing indfferently or by halves.
If you are only common farmer let your farm,
if possible. be the best kent and neatest farm in the
neishborhood Let not = fence be down-et not q,
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