The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1913-05-04
RENISrONS.


experiences, who observes as he goes along and
his mind passes from youth to age, revising
rubbing out, rewriting He changes his opinions
of men and things, Of doctrines and himself
and changes many times His hoSes and his
secret day dreams are revised from Year to year
decade to decade. The young girl dreams of So
cial triumph. Of achievements and triumphs t
within her sphere. shyly Of gallant and beauti- |
full lovers coming to WOO her. The old woman
plans and hopes for her children and grand
children. The boy in his moments Of seclusion
lets his imagination run to impossible feats of
daring and strength done by himself Of distinc- /
items. honors. wealth and sweethearts 10 be
won. The old mans earthly hopes are conferred
on his descendants on others he loves, some
times money. sometimes on the accomplish
ment of good he would like to do or malice
he would be glad to crafty There comes
time in every life when forced to realize
that are not young that strength has gone
or Ia waning that the graces and possibilities OF
youth are behind, Then-sadly and reluctantly,
perhaps-new revsions are made It is like an
editor revising his predictions of an election or
his comment great happenings as the chap
ters Of them come day by day.
People We regard with dislike and hostility
come to be accepted as friends. Those we trust
and Hike, or love. deserve or incur our enmity.
We find men and women we thought wise to be
really shallow and pretcntious fools. We decide
sometimes that persons we took to be fools can
! teach us sense. Teachings we absorbed as per
fect wisdom analyze into nonsense as we be-
come older and study more carefully We follow
ioyfully and proudly after leaders and presently
discover them to be empty humbugs; and on the
other hand, somebody despised and suspected
proves true and fit and meets an emergency
Handsomely
Sometimes the reusions are made quickly,
sometimes they are the work Of long time PEG
pie rise sink In our esteem through years. or
forfeit win respect In a moment Our
hates soften and our loves fade and become
cold Our intimates and associates who know
our hearts and tell us who are in touch with our
every thought and hour. about whom life seems
(, center, alienated by quarrel separa-
ton and we revise our estimations OF them.
Those Of us who think learn TO be cautious
like the editor whose Written words and sen
Z
morrow morning, 70 make him ridiculous or re.
spected TO win or lose friends, to influence pub
lie opinion on important questions for good or
evil. We come TO realize that We must revise
10 remember how often we have been forced 10
DO 1t. to write on. our own hearts with care and
deliberation. We hold back our confidence and
friendships and give censure sparingly. We
Judge and weigh and balance with deliberation
trust impulses less than we did. obey our
emotions less readily We remember that revis-
len has been painful sometimes, at others NOR
tifving. frequently expensive and that when 1t is
done too slowly or too fast the sting of the
disaster is intensified. We concentrate our minds
On the work of revision and watch earnestly to
See when it is necessary.
Those who feel and do not think refuse TO
revise revise with jerks. by fits and starts
and i'm most instances unwisely. They have the
furious zeal OF the sudden proselyte or sulenly
and stubborniy hold to opinions once formed or
gathered unrlpe and Uniformed believing that
they are loyal to principle and proud of what they
call consistency. The most inconsistent thing in
HE sometimes Is this consistency, leading us to
positions and alliances exactly opposite to each
sosn@s. The wisdom Of one day rnay be insane !
fcliy the next circumstances change II is
difficult to decide whether the volatile fool who
yeers with each breath Of sentiment responsive
I, each Few conner, the stubborn fool who
never revises an opinion or sweryes from fixed .
path. is to be pitied most
Those of us who try to be just and sensible
H@st learn, as early possible, that we must be
revising all through lives, and begin TO strive
v ~ acquire the science of doing it. accurately and
well We must realize the weakness and the
other facts beautiful and ugly. of human nature
tbs failbilty Of own judgments, the mix.
U tnre and mysteries Of our own motives and de-
\ signs. 1t rs easier. pleasant and more pro-
Gfable TO revise dislike or distrust than a
1 love or liking. No task is sweeter or more
srFecome to generous ~soul than that Of discov-
4 Asiag good where thought all was bad beauty
where we looked only for ugiiness. responsive
! Easic where We expected discord. None is SO