Year: 1859

oi selI-reilance On the contrary, they do Their


by cultivate an overweening self conceit-tha
base-born spirit which, like the magical touc


of lthuriel's spear, quickens into life all I'll


baser passions of our nature Let Young me
, know that life is too short and time too prt
> cious to be wasted in vain experiments, whic


have been thousand times tried in vain.-
The march of progress must come to dea


halt and the world stand still, if we are to TAX


no lessons of instruction from the folies an,


failures of the past. Instead of beginning Iif


where our fathers did, we should commence
where they leave off. and thus avoid the shoal


and rocks upon which inexperienced voyager
on the sea of life are so often wrecked. Le


the young man, then, who read these lines
consider that Others have Travelled over tht


entire course upon which he is just entering


and that by a bitter experience they have ac
quired a knowledge of the world-its multifa


rious sins, pitfalls, and deeeptions- which be


may profit from vastly, if he be willing tc
heed instruction.


One Of the chief hindrances to the success
/ of our educated young men is, undoubtedly


the want of purpose-of glorious, high aim


which shall be to them, amid the storms oi


life, what the north star is to the tempest-tos-
sed mariner. Year after year is spent within
college walls in the acquisition of knowledge


without any definite object in view. Ask fifty
young men who have just received the honors
of their alma mater, what course in life they
have marked out for themselves, and perhaps
ten will be ready to give an answer. They
are waiting, like Mr.. Micawber, " for some
thing to turn up something in the profes-
sional, literary, or scientific way-something
unmistakably genteei and respectable To be-
come farmer or mechanic is thing too
absurd to be thought of and yet there are
hundreds of 90 brief1ess barristers in seedy ha-
biliments and hundreds of young physicians
without patients or money, who would be hap
| pier and far more useful in some honorable vo-
cation in which laborers are needed A
young man had better be hod-carrier than
an idle drone in the world; he had better earn
an honest living by driving cart, than to be
a constant drain upon the purse and good ma
ture of indulgent friends. There is not the
slightest danger that any one may sink into
| unmerited obscurity, by honest toll in the low
liest sphere of life. A really great mind will
dignity any employment, and ultimately rise
above all the opposing influences of mere out
ward circumstances.


Thousands of educated young men are this
day standing in the ecclesiastical and profes
sional market-places of the land, with folded
arms. waiting for that. Z" tide in the affairs OF
men, which, taken at the food, leads on to for
eune." Multitudes of these from being idle
will becme vicious. This is the teaching of
experience and common-sense How many
gifted young men in every community are ex-
hibiting the /" evident tokens of perrlition,'
and disappointing the high hopes inspired by
their genius and opportunities, in consequence
of the formation of aimess, idle habits The
vacant mind Graves excitement, and will find
it in vice and crime if useful employment is
neglected or despised. 1t is astonishing what
success in life may be attained by mediocre
abilities if nerved hy high purpose. In 1887
young man entered the British Parliament,
painting for distinction in that intellectual body.
He rose to make his maiden speech Very
soon there were signs of impatience- by and
by was heard the ominous cry Of Question .
soon the house resounded witty peals of de-
risive laughter. The indignant orator sat
down, closing with the words, :" L sit down
now, but the time will come when YOU will
hear me-" Fifteen short years after his appa-
rent annhilation this man was in her Majestys
Privy Council, styling himself Right Honora-
BILE, Chancellor of the Exchequer, and leader
of the British House of Commons Hundreds
of such instances might be cited, all of which
would but confirm the poets words


Lives of great men all remind us,


We can make our lives sublime"


Another lesson of great Importance to the
young gentlemen of our times is that of self
denial. 1t may be that great effort will be
necessary in order to acquire this habit. We
live in times of selEindulgence and prodigaIity.
And yet it is very certain that the useful man,
in whatever sphere Of life he may move, must
be willing to forego many personal gratifca-
tions for the good of others. Nor can we be-
gin too soon to master this stern lesson. The
mistaken views of parental kindness which
prevail in the higher grades of society especial
ly, do an incalculable amount of harm 1t is
an evil, and only an evil to furnish school boys
large sums of money to be foolishly expended
in the qualification of every passing hour. 1t
will inevitably beget improvident and spend
thrift habits. How many young men there
are in our cities who annually spend their en-
tire salary on dress, pleasure-excursions, and
extravagant living How many are hopeless
ly involved in debt and bankruptcy, for the
simple but sufficient reason that thay lived be-
yond their means J. How many young men do |
we have in our midst who seem to exercise no
wise forecast in reference to the future, but |
comply literally with the injunction, to take
q no thought for the morrow y We are now
placing the exercise of selEdenial upon the |
lowest grounds-those of mere worldly pru-
dence and success. We may go up from this
starting point to the higher motives drawn
from the life to come. But we must begin at
the beginning. Boys should be taught the val
ue of time and money. and be encouraged to
be economical of both. To curb and restrain
the passions, to control the appetites to bring
the body, the entire self, uuder subjection-to
live in the present with wise reference to the
future, is the only sure way of enduring and
eminent success in life. -


We have not chosen to speak here of the
grosser forms of selfindulgence, such as intem-
perance and licentiousness, since it is probable
that the young men to whose eyes the chaste
pages of this publication are familiar, will
scarcely need word of warning against vices
so monstrous, but let the young man know
that it is not enough to be temperate and
chaste-he must if he would be a real and
manly man, learn to live for others-to feel
lively, active sympathy with humanity-to ex-
pei selfislness from the usurped throne of the


heart. The man who lives for self alone
IS unfit for earth or heaven. .-. ...s.


1t was unquestionably the habit of the old
fashioned generation that preceded ours to
II
especially of boys-in the forming period of
life. Venerable gentlemen of the old school
used to tell their SONS that man was known
by the company he kept How many Chris
tian parents now exercise vigiant care over
tho oScocintinr,- &c Il: H.. .