Searchlights on Health | Page 7

of uttering a harsh and clever sarcasm at
another's expense. One of his biographers observed of him, that it was
no extravagant arithmetic to say that for every ten jokes he made
himself a hundred enemies. But this was not all. Poor Burns exercised
no control over his appetites, but freely gave them the rein:
"Thus thoughtless follies laid him low, And stained his name."
12. SOW POLLUTION.--Nor had he the self-denial to resist giving
publicity to compositions originally intended for the delight of the
tap-room, but which continued secretly to sow pollution broadcast in
the minds of youth. Indeed, notwithstanding the many exquisite poems
of this writer, it is not saying too much that his immoral writings have
done far more harm than his purer writings have done good; and it
would be better that all his writings should be destroyed and forgotten,
provided his indecent songs could be destroyed with them.
13. MORAL PRINCIPLE.--Many of our young men lack moral
principle. They cannot look upon a beautiful girl with a pure heart and
pure thoughts. They have not manifested or practiced that self-control
which develops true manhood and brings into subordination evil
thoughts, evil passions, and evil practices. Men who have no
self-control will find life a failure, both in a social and in a business
sense. The world despises an insignificant person who lacks backbone
and character. Stand upon your manhood and womanhood; honor your

convictions, and dare to do right.
14. STRONG DRINK.--There is the habit of strong drink. It is only the
lack of self-control that brings men into the depths of degradation; on
account of the cup, the habit of taking drink occasionally in its milder
forms--of playing with a small appetite that only needs sufficient
playing with to make you a demon or a dolt. You think you are safe; I
know you are not safe, if you drink at all; and when you get offended
with the good friends that warn you of your danger, you are a fool. I
know that the grave swallows daily, by scores, drunkards, every one of
whom thought he was safe while he was forming his appetite. But this
is old talk. A young man in this age who forms the habit of drinking, or
puts himself in danger of forming the habit, is usually so weak that he
does not realize the consequences.
[Illustration: LOST SELF-CONTROL.]
* * * * *
HABIT.
It is almost as difficult to make a man unlearn his Errors as his
Knowledge.--COLTON.
There are habits contracted by bad example, or bad management,
before we have judgment to discern their approaches, or because the
eye of Reason is laid asleep, or has not compass of view sufficient to
look around on every quarter.--TUCKER.
1. HABIT.--Our real strength in life depends upon habits formed in
early life. The young man who sows his wild oats and indulges in the
social cup, is fastening chains upon himself that never can be broken.
The innocent youth by solitary practice of self-abuse will fasten upon
himself a habit which will wreck his physical constitution and bring
suffering and misery and ruin. Young man and young woman, beware
of bad habits formed in early life.
2. A BUNDLE OF HABITS.--Man, it has been said, is a bundle of

habits; and habit is second nature. Metastasio entertained so strong an
opinion as to the power of repetition in act and thought, that he said,
"All is habit in mankind, even virtue itself." Evil habits must be
conquered, or they will conquer us and destroy our peace and
happiness.
3. VICIOUS HABITS.--Vicious habits, when opposed, offer the most
vigorous resistence on the first attack. At each successive encounter
this resistence grows fainter and fainter, until finally it ceases altogether
and the victory is achieved. Habit is man's best friend and worst enemy;
it can exalt him to the highest pinnacle of virtue, honor and happiness,
or sink him to the lowest depths of vice, shame and misery.
4. HONESTY, OR KNAVERY.--We may form habits of honesty, or
knavery; truth, or falsehood; of industry, or idleness; frugality, or
extravagance; of patience, or impatience; self-denial, or self-indulgence;
of kindness, cruelty, politeness, rudeness, prudence, perseverance,
circumspection. In short, there, is not a virtue, nor a vice; not an act of
body, nor of mind, to which we may not be chained down by this
despotic power.
5. BEGIN WELL.--It is a great point for young men to begin well; for
it is the beginning of life that that system of conduct is adopted which
soon assumes the force of habit. Begin well, and the habit of doing well
will become quite easy, as easy as the habit of doing badly. Pitch upon
that course of life which is the most excellent, and habit