THE PHI-servation as to his bad writing, he actually LISTINE took a writing-master, and wrote copies like a schoolboy until he had sufficiently improved himself. Tho a corpulent man, he was wonderfully active at picking up tennis balls, and when asked how he contrived to do so, he playfully replied, "Because I am a very painstaking person." The same accuracy in trifling matters was displayed by him in things of greater importance, and he acquired his reputation, like the painter, by "neglecting nothing." Sir Walter Scott, writing to a youth who had obtained a situation and asked him for his advice, gave him in reply this sound counsel: "Beware of stumbling over a propensity which easily besets you from not having your time fully employed-I mean what the women call dawdling. Do instantly whatever is to be done, and take the hours of recreation after business, never before it. When a regiment is under march, the rear is often thrown into confusion because the front does not move steadily and without interruption. It is the same with business. If that which is first in hand is not instantly, steadily and regularly dispatched, other things accumulate behind, till affairs begin to press all at once, and no human brain can stand the confusion." HE world accepts a man at the THE PHIestimate he places upon himself. LISTINE Many men are strong at times, but strong men make enemies-they have detractors-calumny calls and hate hisses. Then doubt comes creeping in, possibly the enemies are right-ah, who knows! And instantly the doubt is communicated to the public-the man's face tells his fears to all he meets. And their estimate of the man is the lowest standard he sets upon himself. That is why we need Some One to believe in us-if we do well, we want our work commended, our faith corroborated. So note this, when you find the strong man he is one who is well sustained. To associate closely with those who doubt or distrust you is eventually going to make you distrust yourself. And then we get dead conformity, hopeless mediocrity, nothing more. The individual who thinks well of you, who keeps his mind on your good qualities, and does not look for flaws, is your friend. Who is my brother? I'll tell you, he is one who recognizes the good in me. ** Secrets are things we give to others to keep for us. THE PHI- HERE once lived under the same roof an empty man and an empty lady, and neither had any thoughts of their own. The man was Rector of a Fashionable Church. He loved his people with a large and empty love, and listened to them with a large and empty listen, and preached to them with an empty resounding preach. The lady knelt in church, looked at the people's clothes and said, "Good Lord deliver us." Besides this she told all the things the man had listened to. Their life-work went on and they built up a large and empty parish. The hungry came and went hungry away. The rich said, Selah! It is the Lord's work: we do not understand. The buildings increased and the facilities multiplied and a larger Year-Book was issued each year. They were never discovered and they never died MORAL: If you would live a long and easy life, follow out a large and empty aim. In useful work there is no degree. That which is necessary is sacredand nothing else is. |