the man of one
line of work, the sharp-edged man, who cuts his way through obstacles
and achieves brilliant success. While we should shun that narrow
devotion to one idea which prevents the harmonious development of our
powers, we should avoid on the other hand the extreme versatility of
one of whom W. M. Praed says:--

His talk is like a stream which runs
With rapid change from rocks to roses,
It slips from politics to puns,
It glides from Mahomet to Moses:
Beginning with the laws that keep
The planets in their radiant courses,
And ending with some precept deep
For skinning eels or shoeing horses.

If you can get a child learning to walk to fix his eyes on any object,
he will generally navigate to that point without capsizing, but
distract his attention and down he goes.

The young man seeking a position to-day is not asked what college he
came from or who his ancestors were. "_What can you do?_" is the great
question. It is special training that is wanted. Most of the men at
the head of great firms and great enterprises have been promoted step
by step from the bottom.

"I know that he can toil terribly," said Cecil of Walter Raleigh, in
explanation of the latter's success.

As a rule, what the heart longs for the head and the hands may attain.
The currents of knowledge, of wealth, of success, are as certain and
fixed as the tides of the sea. In all great successes we can trace the
power of concentration, riveting every faculty upon one unwavering aim;
perseverance in the pursuit of an undertaking in spite of every
difficulty; and courage which enables one to bear up under all trials,
disappointments, and temptations.

Chemists tell us that there is power enough in a single acre of grass
to drive all the mills and steam-cars in the world, could we but
concentrate it upon the piston-rod of a steam-engine. But it is at
rest, and so, in the light of science, it is comparatively valueless.

Dr. Mathews says that the man who scatters himself upon many objects
soon loses his energy, and with his energy his enthusiasm.

"Never study on speculation," says Waters; "all such study is vain.
Form a plan; have an object; then work for it, learn all you can about
it, and you will be sure to succeed. What I mean by studying on
speculation is that aimless learning of things because they may be
useful some day; which is like the conduct of the woman who bought at
auction a brass door-plate