1. Many young persons seem to think it of not much consequence if they do
not improve their time well in youth, vainly expecting that they can make
it up by diligence when they are older. They also think it is disgraceful
for men and women to be idle, but that there can be no harm for persons
who are young to spend their time in any manner they please.
2. George Jones thought so. When he was twelve years old, he went to an
academy to prepare to enter college. His father was at great expense in
obtaining books for him, clothing him, and paying his tuition. But George
was idle. The preceptor of the academy would often tell him that if he did
not study diligently when young he would never succeed well.
3. But George thought of nothing but present pleasure. He would often go
to school without having made any preparation for his morning lesson; and,
when called to recite with his class, he would stammer and make such
blunders that the rest of the class could not help laughing at him. He was
one of the poorest scholars in the school, because he was one of the most
idle.
4. When recess came, and all the boys ran out of the academy upon the
playground, idle George would come moping along. Instead of studying
diligently while in school, he was indolent and half asleep. When the
proper time for play came, he had no relish for it. I recollect very well,
that, when "tossing up" for a game of ball, we used to choose everybody on
the playground before we chose George; and if there were enough without
him we used to leave him out. Thus he was unhappy in school and out of
school.
5. There is nothing which makes a person enjoy play so well as to study
hard. When recess was over, and the rest of the boys returned, fresh and
vigorous, to their studies, George might be seen lagging and moping along
to his seat. Sometimes he would be asleep in school; sometimes he would
pass his time in catching flies, and penning them up in little holes,
which he cut in his seat; and sometimes, when the preceptor's back was
turned, he would throw a paper ball across the room.
6. When the class was called up to recite, George would come drowsily
along, looking as mean and ashamed as though he were going to be whipped.
The rest of the class stepped up to the recitation with alacrity, and
appeared happy and contented. When it came George's turn to recite, he
would be so long in doing it, and make such blunders, that all most
heartily wished him out of the class.
7. At last, George went with his class to enter college. Though he passed
a very poor examination, he was admitted with the rest; for those who
examined him thought it was possible that the reason why he did not answer
questions better was because he was frightened. Now came hard times for
poor George. In college there is not much mercy shown to bad scholars; and
George had neglected his studies so long that he could not now keep up
with his class, let him try ever so hard.
8. He could, without much difficulty, get along in the academy, where
there were only two or three boys of his own class to laugh at him. But
now he had to go into a large recitation room, filled with students from
all parts of the country. In the presence of all these, he must rise and
recite to a professor. Poor fellow! He paid dearly for his idleness.
9. You would have pitied him if you could have seen him trembling in his
scat, every moment expecting to be called upon to recite. And when he was
called upon, he would stand up and take what the class called a "dead
set;" that is, he could not recite at all. Sometimes he would make such
ludicrous blunders that the whole class would burst into a laugh. Such are
the applauses an idler gets. He was wretched, of course. He had been idle
so long that he hardly knew how to apply his mind to study. All the good
scholars avoided him; they were ashamed to be seen in his company. He
became discouraged, and gradually grew dissipated.
10. The officers of the college were soon compelled to suspend him. He
returned in a few months, but did no better; and his father was then
advised to take him from college. He left college, despised by everyone. A
few months ago, I met him, a poor wanderer, without money and without
friends. Such are the wages of idleness. I hope every reader will, from
this history, take warning, and "stamp improvement on the wings of time."
DEFINITIONS.--1. Con'se-quence, importance, influence. 2. A-cad'e-my, a
school of high order. Col'lege, a seminary of learning of the highest
order. Pre-cep'tor, a teacher. 3. Prep-a-ra'-tion, a making ready. 5.
Vig'or-ous, full of activity and strength. 6. A-lac'ri-ty, cheerfulness,
sprightliness. 8. Pro-fess'or, a teacher in a college. 9. Lu'di-crous,
adapted to raise laughter. Ap--plaus'es, praises. Dis'-si-pa-ted, given up
to bad habits. 10. Im-prove'ment, increase of knowledge.