THE TRAINING OF A FORESTER 



lar subject varies, and of necessity must 

 vary, from time to time. Under these cir- 

 cumstances, it is inevitable that the Forester 

 must meet discouragements, checks, and de- 

 lays, as well as periods of smooth sailing. 

 He should expect them, and should be pre- 

 pared to discount them when they come. 

 When they do come, I know of no better 

 way of reducing their bad effects than for a 

 man to make allowance for his own state of 

 mind. He who can stand off and look at 

 himself impartially, realizing that he will not 

 feel to-morrow as he feels to-day, has a 

 powerful weapon against the temporary dis- 

 couragements which are necessarily met in 

 any work that is reaUy worth while. Prog- 

 ress is always in spirals, and there is always 

 a good time coming. There is nothing so 

 fatal to good work as that flabby spirit under 

 which some weak men try to hide their in- 

 efficiency — ^the spirit of " What's the use? " 



74 



