Second.—Give certain times each day to certain things. You can't? You can. I'll give proof you can. Having planned what is to be done the next day and allowed that custom to become habit, will develop such regularity that each hour will have its regular work and nothing will crowd it out. The system produces it. Turn a kaleidoscope. Each jarring makes new adjustment of figure. Your duty is a kaleidoscope. The proof is that every one who tries such adjustment, succeeds. The school boy knows the time of bell ringing, the hour for arithmetic, geography, etc. The train man knows the minute to be at each station. The clerk or workman is ready to stop work at a certain time. Certain theatres announce what scenes will be on at every minute of the evening. You think and would say, "But these admit of no interruption, and I may have interruptions." To which I say "These permit no interruption, and if you were as systematic, you would permit none." A friend calls at the door to see you. You waste five minutes (only five?) talking to him. Think it over. Was that necessary? Couldn't it have been said in two—one, or less? Next time, kindly, but firmly excuse yourself. If the friend thinks you snubbing, you can afford that, for the friend is a wasteful one and better be dropped than allowed to spoil you. The fault when we waste time is in us, not in the friend. A lady called recently. "Your time is valuable. I'll say in one word what I want." 'Twas said, and she went. Kind lady! To whom? Me? Not at all. She is one of the busiest women in the city and couldn't afford to give much of her time to the errand, but neatly complimented, in order to cover what some might call selfishness. Be wise. That kindly habit comes from preventing waste.
Third.—Banish every low or lowering thought. For now, for no reason except to save time, and help form habit which prevents waste. Every thought has its sure influence. Every thought of envy, hatred, jealousy, of crimes, accidents, misfortunes, sorrows, our own or those of others, is an evil. It takes time out of life and saps life-activity. Supplant it with pure and good thought. Health, brightness, pleasure, art and beauty are subjects which lift. Upward, upward, toward heaven! That must be the student's mental attitude. Enough would drag down. Cast the down view away. Look up and go up. You do not study for the purpose of going downward. Upward again to the top—and you must do it by having your thought good and pure.
Fourth.—Interest friends in your practice. Only one word about that. No one can long go in any mental work alone. Progress is mental work. Rising draws others to and with us. See a little whirlwind take up the dust. It gathers more and more until a column twenty or thirty feet high is before us. Tell father, mother, friends, those you can trust, what you hope to do and what your efforts to accomplish that, are. Seeing you in earnest they will help—with misgivings at first, may be, but they will join the column and make one with you sure.
Summary, briefly. By systematic utility, every minute contributes to progress, forming habits which prevent wasteful thought and fatigue. The customs of former years need not be followed because direct result will come from direct application of thought to study. Old world ways and past generation ideas do not belong to-day in either teacher or pupil, and, therefore, are to drop out. The wastefulness of uncertainty and evil in mind may be overcome by directness of effort until good habit crowds out the evil. The first and all important step is the plan of action. Acknowledge no limitation to growth. Love soundness, careful thought, steadfast purpose.
CHAPTER III.
ALERE FLAMMAN.
| "His tongue was framed to music, |
| And his hand was armed to skill; |
| His face was the mould of beauty, |
| And his heart the throne of will." |
| Emerson. |
"Slow, indeed, at times, is the will of the gods, but in the end not weak." sEuripedes.