680 
INTRODUCTORY ADDRESS. 
heaven.” Let them not be wasted, nor thought little of. 
Seize on the passing hours and improve them “ as golden 
moments burnished on the dial of eternity.” We are all 
too apt to think we have time enough and to spare, and that 
hereafter ample opportunities will be afforded us of gaining 
a position in life ; but of this be assured there is no greater 
regret felt by a man in afterlife than that by which he is re- 
minded of lost opportunities in his youth. Time, you know, is 
represented as an old man, nearly bald, having only a single 
lock of hair on his forehead. This has been designated the lock 
of opportunity, and you are advised to take hold of him by 
it, for, neglect to do so, and the opportunity is for ever lost. 
I believe the fag-ends of time are not sufficiently estimated 
by young men. It is astonishing, and I speak from experi- 
ence, how much may be done by employing half-hours that 
otherwise would have been wasted. Having an object in 
view, let it be steadily pursued by you. Opportunities to 
accomplish it will make themselves. Each may achieve 
much if he be only determined. Since “ Art is long and 
time is fleeting,” and lost moments can never be recalled, it 
behoves us ail to seize every minute and render it available 
for our purpose. Theophrastus, at the age of 107, said, life 
was too short for a student, and that it terminated just as we 
were beginning to solve its problems. “ Life,” says Dr. 
Franklin, is made up of moments. If, then, you value life, 
take care of these and improve them.”- We little think how 
much might be accomplished by using up the minutes and 
hours in which, as it is commonly said, we have nothing to 
do. The aggregate of these constitutes a large portion of our 
lives, which may be profitably turned to account, if some 
division of science be systematically studied. It is well 
known that many of our most valuable works, in connection 
both with law and philosophy, have been written during 
these periods. Possibly the most striking exemplification we 
have on record of this is that of Lord Bacon. Although a 
lawyer, he found time to study philosophy, and became the 
originator of inductive reasoning, thus placing science on a 
solid basis. Indeed, before his time this can be said scarcely 
to have existed. It has been remarked that had he not lived 
Sir I. Newton would have been merely a star-gazer, and Sir 
Humphrey Davy and Wollaston empirics. In this our day, 
we may perhaps adduce a parallel instance in Lord Brougham. 
Let not, then, frivolity of mind, and the love of pleasure, 
take the place of graver studies, occupying those hours 
which should by you be devoted to the acquirement of 
knowledge. 
