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he　described　her　as　possessing；　not　a　science；　but　（what　was

worth　all　else）　prudence。



The　whole　of　life　may　be　regarded　as　a　great　school　of　experience；

in　which　men　and　women　are　the　pupils。　　As　in　a　school；　many　of

the　lessons　learnt　there　must　needs　be　taken　on　trust。　We　may　not

understand　them；　and　may　possibly　think　it　hard　that　we　have　to

learn　them；　especially　where　the　teachers　are　trials；　sorrows；

temptations；　and　difficulties；　and　yet　we　must　not　only　accept

their　lessons；　but　recognise　them　as　being　divinely　appointed。



To　what　extent　have　the　pupils　profited　by　their　experience　in　the

school　of　life？　　What　advantage　have　they　taken　of　their

opportunities　for　learning？　　What　have　they　gained　in　discipline

of　heart　and　mind？how　much　in　growth　of　wisdom；　courage；　self…

control？　　Have　they　preserved　their　integrity　amidst　prosperity；

and　enjoyed　life　in　temperance　and　moderation？　　Or；　has　life　been

with　them　a　mere　feast　of　selfishness；　without　care　or　thought　for

others？　　What　have　they　learnt　from　trial　and　adversity？　　Have

they　learnt　patience；　submission；　and　trust　in　God？or　have　they

learnt　nothing　but　impatience；　querulousness；　and　discontent？



The　results　of　experience　are；　of　course；　only　to　be　achieved　by

living；　and　living　is　a　question　of　time。　　The　man　of　experience

learns　to　rely　upon　Time　as　his　helper。　　〃Time　and　I　against　any

two；〃　was　a　maxim　of　Cardinal　Mazarin。　　Time　has　been　described　as

a　beautifier　and　as　a　consoler；　but　it　is　also　a　teacher。　　It　is

the　food　of　experience；　the　soil　of　wisdom。　　It　may　be　the　friend

or　the　enemy　of　youth；　and　Time　will　sit　beside　the　old　as　a

consoler　or　as　a　tormentor；　according　as　it　has　been　used　or

misused；　and　the　past　life　has　been　well　or　ill　spent。



Time；〃　says　George　Herbert；　〃is　the　rider　that　breaks　youth。〃　　To

the　young；　how　bright　the　new　world　looks！how　full　of　novelty；

of　enjoyment；　of　pleasure！　　But　as　years　pass；　we　find　the　world

to　be　a　place　of　sorrow　as　well　as　of　joy。　　As　we　proceed　through

life；　many　dark　vistas　open　upon　usof　toil；　suffering；

difficulty；　perhaps　misfortune　and　failure。　　Happy　they　who　can

pass　through　and　amidst　such　trials　with　a　firm　mind　and　pure

heart；　encountering　trials　with　cheerfulness；　and　standing　erect

beneath　even　the　heaviest　burden！



A　little　youthful　ardour　is　a　great　help　in　life；　and　is　useful　as

an　energetic　motive　power。　　It　is　gradually　cooled　down　by　Time；

no　matter　how　glowing　it　has　been；　while　it　is　trained　and　subdued

by　experience。　　But　it　is　a　healthy　and　hopeful　indication　of

character；to　be　encouraged　in　a　right　direction；　and　not　to　be

sneered　down　and　repressed。　　It　is　a　sign　of　a　vigorous　unselfish

nature；　as　egotism　is　of　a　narrow　and　selfish　one；　and　to　begin

life　with　egotism　and　self…sufficiency　is　fatal　to　all　breadth　and

vigour　of　character。　　Life；　in　such　a　case；　would　be　like　a　year

in　which　there　was　no　spring。　　Without　a　generous　seedtime；　there

will　be　an　unflowering　summer　and　an　unproductive　harvest。　　And

youth　is　the　springtime　of　life；　in　which；　if　there　be　not　a　fair

share　of　enthusiasm；　little　will　be　attempted；　and　still　less

done。　　It　also　considerably　helps　the　working　quality；　inspiring

confidence　and　hope；　and　carrying　one　through　the　dry　details　of

business　and　duty　with　cheerfulness　and　joy。



〃It　is　the　due　admixture　of　romance　and　reality；〃　said　Sir　Henry

Lawrence；　〃that　best　carries　a　man　through　life。。。　　The　quality　of

romance　or　enthusiasm　is　to　be　valued　as　an　energy　imparted　to　the

human　mind　to　prompt　and　sustain　its　noblest　efforts。〃　　Sir　Henry

always　urged　upon　young　men；　not　that　they　should　repress

enthusiasm；　but　sedulously　cultivate　and　direct　the　feeling；　as

one　implanted　for　wise　and　noble　purposes。　　〃When　the　two

faculties　of　romance　and　reality；〃　he　said；　〃are　duly　blended；

reality　pursues　a　straight　rough　path　to　a　desirable　and

practicable　result；　while　romance　beguiles　the　road　by　pointing

out　its　beautiesby　bestowing　a　deep　and　practical　conviction

that；　even　in　this　dark　and　material　existence；　there　may　be　found

a　joy　with　which　a　stranger　intermeddleth　nota　light　that

shineth　more　and　more　unto　the　perfect　day。〃　（1）



It　was　characteristic　of　Joseph　Lancaster；　when　a　boy　of　only

fourteen　years　of　age；　after　reading　'Clarkson　on　the　Slave

Trade；'　to　form　the　resolution　of　leaving　his　home　and　going　out

to　the　West　Indies　to　teach　the　poor　blacks　to　read　the　Bible。

And　he　actually　set　out　with　a　Bible　and　'Pilgrim's　Progress'　in

his　bundle；　and　only　a　few　shillings　in　his　purse。　　He　even

succeeded　in　reaching　the　West　Indies；　doubtless　very　much　at　a

loss　how　to　set　about　his　proposed　work；　but　in　the　meantime　his

distressed　parents；　having　discovered　whither　he　had　gone；　had　him

speedily　brought　back；　yet　with　his　enthusiasm　unabated；　and　from

that　time　forward　he　unceasingly　devoted　himself　to　the　truly

philanthropic　work　of　educating　the　destitute　poor。　（2）



There　needs　all　the　force　that　enthusiasm　can　give　to　enable　a　man

to　succeed　in　any　great　enterprise　of　life。　　Without　it；　the

obstruction　and　difficulty　he　has　to　encounter　on　every　side　might

compel　him　to　succumb；　but　with　courage　and　perseverance；　inspired

by　enthusiasm；　a　man　feels　strong　enough　to　face　any　danger；　to

grapple　with　any　difficulty。　　What　an　enthusiasm　was　that　of

Columbus；　who；　believing　in　the　existence　of　a　new　world；　braved

the　dangers　of　unknown　seas；　and　when　those　about　him　despaired

and　rose　up　against　him；　threatening　to　cast　him　into　the　sea；

still　stood　firm　upon　his　hope　and　courage　until　the　great　new

world　at　length　rose　upon　the　horizon！



The　brave　man　will　not　be　baffled；　but　tries　and　tries　again　until

he　succeeds。　　The　tree　does　not　fall　at　the　first　stroke；　but　only

by　repeated　strokes　and　after　great　labour。　　We　may　see　the

visible　success　at　which　a　man　has　arrived；　but　forget　the　toil

and　suffering　and　peril　through　which　it　has　been　achieved。　　When

a　friend　of　Marshal　Lefevre　was　complimenting　him　on　his

possessions　and　good　fortune；　the　Marshal　said：　〃You　envy　me；　do

you？　　Well；　you　shall　have　these　things　at　a　better　bargain　than　I

had。　　Come　into　the　court：　I'll　fire　at　you　with　a　gun　twenty

times　at　thirty　paces；　and　if　I　don't　kill　you；　all　shall　be　your

own。　　What！　you　won't！　　Very　well；　recollect；　then；　that　I　have

been　shot　at　more　than　a　thousand　times；　and　much　nearer；　before　I

arrived　at　the　state　in　which　you　now　find　me！〃



The　apprenticeship　of　difficulty　is　one　which　the　greatest　of　men

have　had　to　serve。　　It　is　usually　the　best　stimulus　and　discipline

of　character。　　It　often　evokes　powers　of　action　that；　but　for　it；

would　have　remained　dormant。　　As　comets　are　sometimes　revealed　by

eclipses；　so　heroes　are　brought　to　light　by　sudden　calamity。　　It

seems　as　if；　in　certain　cases；　genius；　like　iron　struck　by　the

flint；　needed　the　sharp　and　sudden　blow　of　adversity　to　bring　out

the　divine　spark。　　There　are　natures　which　blossom　and　ripen

amidst　trials；　which　would　only　wither　and　decay　in　an　atmosphere

of　ease　and　comfort。



Thus　it　is　good　for　men　to　be　roused　into　action　and　stiffened

into　self…reliance　by　difficulty；　rather　than　to　slumber　away

their　lives　in　useless　apathy　and　indolence。　（3）　　It　is　the

struggle　that　is　the　condition　of　victory。　　If　there　were　no

difficulties；　there　would　be　no　need　of　efforts；　if　there　were　no

temptations；　there　would　be　no　training　in　self…control；　and　but

little　merit　in　virtue；　if　there　were　no　trial　and　suffering；

there　would　be　no　education　in　patience　and　resignation。　　Thus

difficulty；　adversity；　and　suffering　are　not　all　evil；　but　often

the　best　source　of　strength；　discipline；　and　virtue。



For　the　same　reason；　it　is　often　of　advantage　for　a　man　to　be

under　the　necessity　of　having　to　struggle　with　poverty　and　conquer

it。　　〃He　who　has　battled；〃　says　Carlyle；　〃were　it　only　with

poverty　and　hard　toil；　will　be　found　stronger　and　more　expert　than

he　who　could　stay　at　home　from　the　battle；　concealed　among　the

provision　waggons；　or　even　rest　unwatchfully　'abiding　by　the

stuff。'〃



Scholars　have　found　poverty　tolerable　compared　with　the　privation

of　intellectual　food。　　Riches　weigh　much　more　heavily　upon　the

mind。　　〃I　cannot　but　choose　say　to　Poverty；〃　said　Richter；　〃Be

welcome！　so　that　thou　come　not　too　late　in　life。〃　　Poverty；　Horace

tells　us；　drove　him　to　poetry；　and　poetry　introduced　him　to　Varus

and　Virgil　and　Maecenas。　　〃Obstacles；〃　says　Michelet；　〃are　great

incentives。　　I　lived　for　whole　years　upon　a　Virgil；　and　found

myself　well　off。　　An　odd　volume　of　Racine；　purchased　by　chance　at

a　stall　on　the　quay；　created　the　poet　of　Toulon。〃



The　Spaniards　are　even　said　to　have　meanly　rejoiced　the　poverty　of

Cervantes；　but　for　which　they　supposed　the　production　of　his　great

works　might　have　been　prevented。　　When　the　Archbishop　of　Toledo

visited　the　French　ambassador　at　Madrid；　the　gentlemen　in　the

suite　of　the　latter　expressed　their　high　admiration　of　the

writings　of　the　author　of　'Don　Quixote；'　and　intimated　their

desire　of　becoming　acquainted　with　one　who　had　given　them　so　much

pleasure。　　The　answer　they　received　was；　that　Cervantes　had　borne

arms　in　the　service　of　his　country；　and　was　now　old　and　poor。

'What！〃　exclaimed　one　of　the　Frenchmen；　〃is　not　Senor　Cervantes　in

good　circumstances？　　Why　is　he　not　maintained；　then；　out　of　the

public　treasury？〃　　〃Heaven　forbid！〃　was　the　reply；　〃that　his

necessities　should　be　ever　relieved；　if　it　is　those　which　make　him

write；　since　it　is　his　poverty　that　makes　the　world　rich！〃　（4）



It　is　not　prosperity　so　much　as　adversity；　not　wealth　so　much　as

poverty；　that　stimulates　the　perseverance　of　strong　and　healthy

natures；　rouses　their　energy　and　developes　their　character。　　Burke

said　of　himself：　〃I　was　not　rocked；　and　swaddled；　and　dandled　into

a　legislator。　　'NITOR　IN　ADVERSUM'　is　t