按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
om a doctor； and Dick a farmer。〃 He then goes into town and looks about to see what he will do with Sammy。 He returns home； and says： 〃Sammy； I see watchmaking is a nice； genteel business； I think I will make you a goldsmith。〃 He does this； regardless of Sam's natural inclinations or genius。
We are all； no doubt； born for a wise purpose。 There is as much diversity in our brains as in our countenances。 Some are born natural mechanics； while some have great aversion to machinery。 Let a dozen boys of ten years get together； and you will soon observe two or three are 〃whittling〃 out some ingenious device； working with locks or complicated machinery。 When they were but five years old their father could find no toy to please them like a puzzle。 They are natural mechanics； but the other eight or nine boys have different aptitudes I belong to the latter class； I never had the slightest love for mechanism； on the contrary； I have a sort of abhorrence for complicated machinery。 I never had ingenuity enough to whittle a cider…tap so it would not leak。 I never could make a pen that I could write with； or understand the principle of a steam…engine。 If a man was to take such a boy as I was； and attempt to make a watchmaker of him； the boy might； after an apprenticeship of five or seven years be able to take apart and put together a watch； but all through life he would be working uphill and seizing every excuse for leaving his work and idling away his time。 Watchmaking is repulsive to him。
Unless a man enters upon the vocation intended for him by nature； and best suited to his peculiar genius； he cannot succeed。 I am glad to believe that the majority of persons do find their right vocation。 Yet we see many who have mistaken their calling from the blacksmith up （or down） to the clergyman。 You will see； for instance； that extraordinary linguist； the 〃learned blacksmith；〃 who ought to have been a teacher of languages； and you may have seen lawyers； doctors and clergymen who were better fitted by nature for the anvil or the lapstone。
Avoid debt。 Young men starting in life should avoid running into debt。 There is scarcely anything that drags a person down like debt。 It is a slavish position to get in； yet we find many a young man； hardly out of his 〃teens；〃 running in debt。 He meets a chum； and says； 〃Look at this： I have got trusted for a new suit of clothes。〃 He seems to look upon the clothes as so much given to him； well； it frequently is so； but； if he succeeds in paying and then gets trusted again； he is adopting a habit which will keep him in poverty through life。 Debt robs a man of his self…respect； and makes him almost despise himself。 Grunting and groaning and working for what he has eaten up or worn out； and now when he is called upon to pay up he has nothing to show for his money； this is properly termed 〃working for a dead horse。〃 I do not speak of merchants buying and selling on credit； or of those who buy on credit in order to turn the purchase to a profit。 The old Quaker said to his farmer son； 〃John； never get trusted； but if thee gets trusted for anything； let it be for 'manure；' because that will help thee pay it back again。〃
Mr。 Beecher advised young men to get in debt if they could to a small amount in the purchase of land in the country districts。 〃If a young man；〃 he says； 〃will only get in debt for some land and then get married； these two things will keep him straight； or nothing will。〃 This may be safe to a limited extent； but getting in debt for what you eat and drink and wear is to be avoided。 Some families have a foolish habit of getting credit at 〃the stores；〃 and thus frequently purchase many things which might have been dispensed with。
It is all very well to say； 〃I have got trusted for sixty days； and if I don't have the money the creditor will think nothing about it。〃 There is no class of people in the world who have such good memories as creditors。 When the sixty days run out you will have to pay。 If you do not pay； you will break your promise； and probably resort to a falsehood。 You may make some excuse or get in debt elsewhere to pay it； but that only involves you the deeper。
A good…looking； lazy young fellow； was the apprentice boy； Horatio。 His employer said； 〃Horatio； did you ever see a snail？〃 〃IthinkIhave；〃 he drawled out。 〃You must have met him； then； for I am sure you never overtook one；〃 said the 〃boss。〃 Your creditor will meet you or overtake you and say； 〃Now； my young friend； you agreed to pay me； you have not done it； you must give me your note。〃 You give the note on interest and it commences working against you； 〃it is a dead horse。〃 The creditor goes to bed at night and wakes up in the morning better off than when he retired to bed； because his interest has increased during the night； but you grow poorer while you are sleeping； for the interest is accumulating against you。
Among the maxims of the elder Rothschild was one； an apparent paradox： 〃Be cautious and bold。〃 This seems to be a contradiction in terms； but it is not； and there is great wisdom in the maxim。 It is； in fact； a condensed statement of what I have already said。 It is to say； 〃you must exercise your caution in laying your plans； but be bold in carrying them out。〃 A man who is all caution will never dare to take hold and be successful； and a man who is all boldness is merely reckless； and must eventually fail。 A man may go on 〃'change〃 and make fifty or one hundred thousand dollars in speculating in stocks at a single operation。 But if he has simple boldness without caution； it is mere chance； and what he gains to…day he will lose to…morrow。 You must have both the caution and the boldness to insure success。
The Rothschilds have another maxim： 〃Never have anything to do with an unlucky man or place。〃 That is to say； never have anything to do with a man or place which never succeeds； because； although a man may appear to be honest and intelligent； yet if he tries this or that thing and always fails； it is on account of some fault or infirmity that you may not be able to discover； but nevertheless which must exist。
There is no such thing in the world as luck。 There never was a man who could go out in the morning and find a purse full of gold in the street to…day； and another to…morrow； and so on； day after day。 He may do so once in his life； but so far as mere luck is concerned； he is as liable to lose it as to find it。 〃Like causes produce like effects。〃 If a man adopts the proper methods to be successful； 〃luck〃 will not prevent him。 If he does not succeed； there are reasons for it； although； perhaps； he may not be able to see them。
We all depend； more or less； upon the public for our support。 We all trade with the publiclawyers； doctors； shoemakers； artists； blacksmiths； showmen； opera singers； railroad presidents； and college professors。 Those who deal with the public must be careful that their goods are valuable； that they are genuine； and will give satisfaction。 When you get an article which you know is going to please your customers； and that when they have tried it they will feel they have got their money's worth； then let the fact be known that you have got it。 Be careful to advertise it in some shape