own words--"not so learned as he is poor, not so poor as proud,
not so proud as happy."

The maxims of men often reveal their character. (12) That of Sir
Walter Scott was, "Never to be doing nothing." Robertson the
historian, as early as his fifteenth year, adopted the maxim of
"VITA SINE LITERIS MORS EST" (Life without learning is death).
Voltaire's motto was, "TOUJOURS AU TRAVAIL" (Always at work). The
favourite maxim of Lacepede, the naturalist, was, "VIVRE C'EST
VEILLER" (To live is to observe): it was also the maxim of Pliny.
When Bossuet was at college, he was so distinguished by his ardour
in study, that his fellow students, playing upon his name,
designated him as "BOS-SUETUS ARATRO" (The ox used to the plough).
The name of VITA-LIS (Life a struggle), which the Swedish poet
Sjoberg assumed, as Frederik von Hardenberg assumed that of NOVA-
LIS, described the aspirations and the labours of both these
men of genius.

We have spoken of work as a discipline: it is also an educator of
character. Even work that produces no results, because it IS
work, is better than torpor,--inasmuch as it educates faculty,
and is thus preparatory to successful work. The habit of working
teaches method. It compels economy of time, and the disposition
of it with judicious forethought. And when the art of packing
life with useful occupations is once acquired by practice, every
minute will be turned to account; and leisure, when it comes, will
be enjoyed with all the greater zest.

Coleridge has truly observed, that "if the idle are described as
killing time, the methodical man may be justly said to call it