S DECISION AND STUBBORNNESS. 



through which the future can be seen, the man of 

 truly decided character must be an incessant and 

 also a silent observer from his youth. The stub- 

 bornness which often combines with and tends to 

 endanger decided characters, has in its nature 

 some resemblance to fatalism, or a belief in the 

 certainty of future events, without any evidence, 

 or with very slender evidence from the past ; and 

 though that often leads to success, by keeping the 

 thoughts fixed upon one object, and thus produc- 

 ing a continual tendency to find out and take ad- 

 vantage of every thing likely to forward the ac- 

 complishment of that object. Upon the same 

 principle, prophecies made determinedly, and with 

 knowledge of the means of accomplishment, are 

 made conducive to that accomplishment. Napo- 

 leon Bonaparte is, perhaps, the most remarkable 

 instance of decision of character, and also of the 

 ultimate failure of that decision, that occurs in 

 well authenticated history ; and therefore his life, 

 if properly written, would be highly instructive. 

 But as times like those which called him forth, do 

 not very frequently occur, (and the less frequently 

 the better,) he can serve as a model or a warning 

 to few. Useful examples may, however, be found 

 in most places, in men who from small beginnings 

 have risen to eminence by means the most ho- 

 nourable ; and without any of those unforseen 

 advantages, which are usually called points of 

 good luck, or good fortune. 



Such are some of the advantages that result 

 from observation, duly tempered with thought. 

 We shall next show that there is pleasure in the 

 practice ; and explain how the works of nature are 

 the grand field for its exertion. 



