314 



Order — Carefulness. 



Vol. IX. 



gence of this feeling cause more of our 

 troubles and difficulties than many are 

 aware of? 



For instance, — if we have unnecessaril}' 

 neglected a duty, or have left an article out 

 of place, wiiich might as well have been re- 

 turned at the time ; if we have done a thing 

 indifferently which ought to have been done 

 well — or if we have failed to accomplish an 

 object for want of due exertion; — What is 

 the reason ] Let us be honest, and examine 

 it fairly. Is it not that we have given way 

 to the feeling spoken of? And do we not 

 find that this feeling gains strength by in- 

 dulgence? But how are we to get rid of it? 

 The reply is, we must contend against it, 

 and show it no quarter; and little by little 

 we will gain the mastery. Early life is the 

 best time to eradicate it; but it will yield 

 to proper efforts, at all ages. 



You ask, — how is this to be effected? 

 The answer is, by learning to love labour. 

 But to do this, you must study to make every 

 kind of business a pleasure. To a great 

 extent this can be done. For by carefully 

 digesting, and then adopting, the most sim- 

 ple and systematic mode of performing every 

 duty, greater precision and success will be 

 attained; and being simplified and made 

 easy, the performance will become a plea- 

 sure. For no position is more true than 

 this; Whatever we feel we do well, we take 

 pleasure in doing: and is not the converse 

 equally so? Whatever we feel is not well 

 done, afibrds us no satisfaction. If, therefore, 

 we learn to do everything well, will not the 

 doing of everything then be a pleasure? 

 Does not this correspond with our own ex^ 

 perience? 



Difficulties will frequently occur, but these 

 must not dishearten us, as nothing valuable 

 can be accomplished without effort; and for 

 our encouragement we should always bear 

 in mind that there is a way of doing every- 

 thing, and if one method fails, we must try 

 another. 



The principles of order and of neatness 

 are so simple and so plain, that^it needs but 

 moderate attention to understand them ; and 

 but reasonable effort to put them in practice: 

 but that effort must be continued and perse- 

 vered in, until we succeed. "For step by 

 step we shall gain on our deficiences ; and 

 the consciousness of some progress will en- 

 courage further exertion. We should never 

 fcrget that to become fitted to train others, 

 it is especially needful we should first disci- 

 pline ourselves. 



An eminent and successful agriculturist, 

 when asked what made a good farmer, re- 

 plied, " To mind little things." When we 

 visit a neighbour who is remarkable for good 



management, we are struck with the pecu- 

 liar effect and beauty of his arrangements; 

 although perhaps at first we can hardly tell 

 why. But when we come to analyze, we 

 discover it is the result of attention to "little 

 things;" providing places for things, and 

 keeping them in their places. 



If, when we enter a house, we see scraps 

 of paper, rags and pieces of thread scattered 

 over the floor — if the dress of the housewife 

 has been thrown upon her without care, and 

 perhaps soiled and torn : if her children are 

 disorderly, uncombed and uncleanly, does it 

 not affect us unpleasantly ? and accustomed 

 to better management, do we not turn from 

 it with disgust? Are we at any loss to de- 

 termine that indolence is the cause of all 

 this? Can we doubt that if the housewife 

 had properly attended to " little things," — 

 was an early riser, and had made the best 

 of her time — that her room, her dress and 

 her children, would have been entirely the 

 reverse, and instead of an offensive, would 

 have presented an inviting appearance? For 

 what is more becoming than a neatly dressed 

 woman ? or more delightfully interesting, 

 than a family of clean and orderly children? 

 The mere circumstance of a small bag 

 being hung up in each room, and the scraps 

 regularly deposited there, will promote hab- 

 its of care and tidiness, beyond what could 

 have been anticipated. This may seem a 

 small matter, but it is the beginning of 

 order; and if strictly followed up, its influ- 

 ence will be felt throughout the whole 

 family. 



But may not the same principles be ap- 

 plied elsewhere? Is there nothing to be 

 done on the outside of the house? Let us 

 examine — how is it with the fences and the 

 hedges, and the appearance of the dwelling? 

 Are they all snug? Have you a supply of 

 choice fruit trees convenient? And of such 

 grape-vines as will stand the winter, and are 

 they kept well trimmed? Have you a wood- 

 house? Is it well supplied with fuel, and 

 neatly arranged? How is it with the gar- 

 den and the front yard — and the lane — and 

 the barn-yard, and the barn ? Are they in 

 good condition? Have you scrap bags there? 

 or in other words, have you suitable places 

 for unsightly things — for such things as 

 cause disorder and litter your premises; and 

 serve as examples of mismanagement and 

 waste to those about you ? If you have not, 

 why is it? How can you expect them to be 

 careful, when you are careless ; to be indus- 

 trious, when you are slothful ; and to be 

 saving, when you are wasteful? If you 

 permit this state of things, do you not en- 

 courage it? and is it not really teaching 

 them the reverse of what your interest re- 



