they are ready to take hold of any thing that offers. Perhaps they go to the city to obtain a situation in a shop, if they can; if not, to serve in almost any capacity, even that of bar-waiter. You hear of them in this, that, and the other place, but in all doing no more than enough to keep soul and body together. They verify the old proverb, "The master of one trade will support a wife and seven children, and the master of seven will not support himself."

Perhaps we find here a reason for the vast number of bunglers in all the trades and professions. We have seen that only a few merchants are successful. The same is true of men in other callings. Not a tenth part of preachers, physicians, and lawyers, ever distinguish themselves. In the trades we observe the same thing. You want a nice suit of clothes made: are skilful tailors plenty? You want a finished carpenter or machinist: is the first one you find of this class? Are all the shoemakers you know complete masters of their trade? Nay: far otherwise. The skilful workmen in all these spheres of toil are few and far between. If you want one of this class you are obliged to search for him. Perhaps, in the country, you have to send to another town; and even then you may be disappointed. glers are everywhere found; but thorough practical men are scarce; and all because so few fix upon a business early in life, and pursue it with unabated pur

pose.

Bun

Archbishop Leighton says: "With respect to final aim and end, the greater part of mankind live at hazard. They have no certain harbour in view, nor direct their course by any fixed star. But to him that knoweth

not the port to which he is bound, no wind can be favourable; neither can he who has not yet determined at what mark he is to shoot, direct his arrow aright."

Nearly all men who have won distinction chose their calling when young. This was true of Amos Lawrence, as the portion of his history already cited proves. From the day he decided to enter a shop, but one purpose seems to have animated his soul. He had no other object to divide his thoughts and attention. He had only one iron in the fire. As if he had determined to make the mercantile business his employment for life, he bent all his energies to the work before him. He did not stop to inquire if he could not do better in some other business. He did not become weary of his occupation, and sigh for another. He had voluntarily entered a sphere of duty well chosen and honourable, and he would follow it till death.

When he left Groton, and went to Boston, it was not to change his avocation, but to perfect himself in it. He had decided to open a shop in Groton, with a fellowapprentice, and his visit to the city was to form business acquaintances, and make such arrangements as would aid him in setting up for himself. Contrary to his expectations, however, he was offered a clerkship in a mercantile house, which he accepted. He designed to be a merchant and nothing else, and the desire to pursue his work with success, induced him to accept the above offer. He thought it would afford him an opportunity to obtain knowledge of some branches of traffic with which a country shop had not made him familiar. In all this we see that "singleness of aim" exerted a con

trolling influence over his career. It was equally conspicuous after he commenced business for himself, and through the whole of his eventful life.

We have said that nearly all men of renown made choice of their profession in early life. The celebrated Dr Farr determined in his childhood to be a preacher. His reply to the frequent inquiry of visitors-"What are you going to be?" was, "A preacher." As if bis answer were the result of a settled determination, he was known to deliver sermons in the hearing of his mates at times. Many a time they proposed to have a funeral over a dead bird, and he always delivered the sermon. His father was a physician, and designed that his son should follow the same profession; but in consequence of his inclination and determination to be a minister, the father, much against his wishes, yielded to his desire. From that time the son went on, pursuing his studies with one purpose, until his fame spread over two continents.

Columbus is another example of the same trait of character. His father was a very humble man, a woolcomber in Genoa. The son's advantages were of course very limited indeed. He was reared for a life on the sea, and became in consequence extremely fond of geographical studies. While a youth, he conceived the idea of vast territories west of the Atlantic ocean. It was not

to him a mere thing of fancy-it was real. The idea was revolved over and over in his mind, and finally absorbed his whole soul. Time rolled on, and he resolved to realise his conception. But he was without reputation or money. How could he expect to execute his purposes? Notwithstanding the obstacles in his

F

way, the animating thought still fired his soul. He made his appeal for aid to the Government of Portugal, and was denied. He went next to his native city, Genoa, and endeavoured to arouse his countrymen to the importance of his proposed voyage of discovery, but all in vain. He then repaired to Venice, but received no favour. From thence he proceded to Spain, where, after pressing his appeals for some years, he obtained the necessary aid. The result is known to the reader. It was the fruit of a single purpose formed in early life, and pursued to its glorious consummation.

Sir Robert Peel was educated by his father expressly for the House of Commons. He was required to repeat so much as he could remember of sermons and addresses to which he listened, when not more than eight years of age. He was frequently placed upon a table and required to deliver an extemporaneous speech. The idea that he was to be a member of the House of Commons was thus early instilled into his mind, and it never left him. At school he was the originator of a mock parliament, in which he exhibited some of those remarkable powers which gave him distinction in manhood.

It is said of a former President of the United States, that he resolved in youth to occupy the presidential chair. This object he kept continually before him, subordinating all his plans and labours to its accomplishment, and, like all persons who have one all-absorbing purpose of life, his hopes and expectations were realised.

Napoleon Bonaparte won his military fame through this trait of character. One thought only stirred his soul, when some great battle was before him, and that

was a thought of victory.

One

Indeed, from his youth up, the desire for military glory seemed to be his ruling passion. His sports, plans, and studies, all pointed to a warrior's life. His fame on the field of conflict is well known. When a battle was projected in his mind, all things yielded to this one purpose. He surveyed the ground, calculated the chances, formed his plans, and went forward to the contest. A purpose once formed in his soul, commanded his whole being. fact may serve as an illustration of his character in this regard. He was expecting to meet a powerful foe in mortal strife. With pencil and paper he sat down and spent a whole night in drawing a plan of his march and expected engagement. He decided that if he could meet the enemy at a certain point, his banners would be crowned with victory. After calculating the chances, he considered them in his favour, took his place at the head of his army, went forth to the deadly conflict, and met the enemy on the very spot marked upon his plan, and conquered. Nothing but singleness of purpose, allied with invincible determination and perseverance, could have made such a life as his. On one occasion, when one of his officers said of some imposing difficulty: "It is impossible," Napoleon, with his brow frowning, indignantly replied, "Impossible! Impossible is the adjective of fools."

Turning to men of letters, we find numerous examples of the subject under consideration. Sir Isaac Newton devoted himself to philosophical studies with undivided attention, even in his youth, and his most important discoveries were made before he was thirty. Lord Bacon conceived the idea of overthrowing the philosophy