An English traveller, who has just published an account of a
Journey in Holland, makes the following remark--"The Dutch are as
punctual as they are industrious and parsimonious. The diligences
and treckschuyts start at the time appointed, during the striking of
the clock. If you are told that the hour is seven, you may be sure
to be away before the fourth of the seven strokes has sounded.--The
precision at which the hour of arrival is fixed, is such that you
may depend upon it within a few minutes; and the same reliance may
be placed on the period of finishing the journey, whether it be made
by water or by land." This is a most valuable trait of character in
that people, and is well worthy of universal imitation. There are a
considerable proportion of mankind who are always behind-hand.--Let
them make ever so many or so important engagements, as it respects
punctuality in time, they invariably fail.--Many such have fallen
within our observation; and the same want of exactness in point
of time attends all their concerns. If they go to church upon the
sabbath, they will not get there until after the services have
commenced--and this happens to good, sober, pious Christians,
as well as others; and it happens all their lives. Such is the
inveteracy of this habit of negligence, that people, who would be
shocked at the irreverence of any person who should so far forget
himself as to disturb the devotions of a religious congregation by
speaking, or in any other thoughtless manner, seem to have no idea
that their entrance into the church in the midst of the most solemn
exercises, has any thing in it improper or censurable.
The same thing occurs in the attendance of such persons upon public
business, where they are associated with others. At meetings,
appointed for the transaction of such business, if any considerable
number are necessary to its accomplishment, there is often, and
indeed usually, as much time spent in waiting for _a quorum_, as is
consumed in attending to the object of the meeting. This is a great
hardship upon those who make a point of being strictly punctual,
for it costs them a double quantity of time. And these _behind-hand
persons_, if they would only suffer themselves to reflect, could
not fail to remember, that punctuality would cost themselves no
more time than the want of it. Judging from considerable experience
and observation, we are very well convinced, that about as much
time is spent in waiting for dilatory people, as is necessary for
transacting the business immediately in view when appointments for
the purpose are made.
Espriella, if we do not mistake the writer, mentions his having
taken passage in a stage coach at York, in England, which was to
start at a certain hour. A few minutes before the time, every
thing was prepared; the passengers took their seats; the coachman
mounted his box, took the reins and his whip, but did not move.
Upon being inquired of why he did not start, as every thing was
ready, he replied, _he was waiting for the Minster_--which meant
the cathedral church of that name. In a minute or two the secret
was explained--the Minster clock began to strike, and before it had
finished, the carriage was on its way.--We have no doubt that this
habit in the driver made every body who intended to make use of his
vehicle strictly punctual. If, however, instead of starting at the
moment, he had practised waiting 5 minutes, occasionally, there
would have been much delay and vexation, by the dilatoriousness of
these behind-hand persons of whom we are speaking. We scarcely ever
recollect to have been on the wharf when a steamboat was casting
off, without finding some person left, or running with breathless
speed to get aboard, being a few minutes _too late_. Such persons,
when they find themselves safe on the deck, will almost always
look at their watches, and find it _a few minutes later than they
imagined_, or their watches a little too slow, or something else is
made chargeable with the evil--when the honest truth is, _they are
naturally or habitually behind-hand_.
It is not easy to imagine, unless our attention has been
particularly turned to the subject, how much time is lost, and how
much a man's affairs suffer, from this dilatory disposition. It will
more or less run through and affect all his concerns. A dilatory
man is perpetually in a hurry. His business always drives him--and
business transacted in a hurry, is rarely well done. We once knew a
respectable mechanic, whose habit of punctuality was such, that in
carrying on his trade quite extensively for more than forty years,
he never disappointed a single customer by not having his work done
at the time appointed--he never failed of sitting down to his meals
within five minutes of the time--he made his family, as well as his
workmen, conform strictly to his rules of punctuality--and it hardly
need be added, that he always supported the fairest reputation as
a man of business--and that he acquired an independent property,
beyond the handsome support of a large and expensive family.
[_N. Y. Daily Adv._