Fix this text
COLONIAL
Fix this textLITERARY JOURNAL
Fix this textAND
Fix this textWeekly Miscellany of Useful Information.
Fix this text“ NON TUA TE MOVEANT, SED PUBLICA VOTA.”
Fix this textVol. I. No. 22.]
Fix this textSYDNEY, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 1844.
Fix this text[Price 4d.
Fix this textADVANCEMENT IN LIFE.
Fix this textThe ambition of well-doing is a feeling both salutary
Fix this textand honourable ; and, though all are not born to
Fix this textattain the first rank, and all cannot expect to reach
Fix this textthe eminence to which they may aspire, yet no one, if
Fix this textguided by right principles, can fail of partial success.
Fix this textThe many animating examples, placed before us by
Fix this textthe page of history, of men, pre-eminent in all the
Fix this textvarious departments of learning and science, who have
Fix this textrisen from the humblest and most unfavourable situ-
Fix this textations, forbid the weakest to despair, for the greater
Fix this textmerit will be his. Wealth is an object at which all
Fix this textaim. In this shadowy pursuit, the poor man may be
Fix this textcomforted by the reflection, that so far from his po-
Fix this textverty being detrimental to him—in a country blessed
Fix this textwith free and liberal institutions—the experience he
Fix this textis gaining operates for his greatest benefit. If he com-
Fix this textmence life, animated by a resolute spirit, and guided
Fix this textby good principles, the poor man has a chance of
Fix this texteventual success, oftentimes superior to the youth
Fix this textwhose patrimony is considerable. The former learns,
Fix this textby experience, the value of the minutest sums, and
Fix this textthe value of time, which is but wealth, as yet unde-
Fix this textveloped, to him; whereas th£ latter squanders heed-
Fix this textlessly or unknowingly the one, and, by his consequent
Fix this textfailure, misspends the other. The progress of the
Fix this textformer is ever onward; the latter, probably, loses
Fix this textdaily, and, after all, has to begin afresh, and learn his
Fix this textfirst steps (so to speak) under the tuition of that
Fix this textbitter monitress—practical experience.
Fix this text“ In fact, fortune, or original good circumstances,
Fix this text(as observed by an excellent writer,) appear as re-
Fix this textquisites of a very unimportant character compared
Fix this textwith ta 7 ent, 'power of application , self-denial , and,
Fix this texthonourable intentions .”
Fix this textThe above remarks are carried out in so clear and
Fix this textable a manner in the following observations, that, we
Fix this textfeel we cannot do better than give them, slightly
Fix this textabridged, for the benefit of our readers.
Fix this text“ First, there is one great maxim that no youth
Fix this textshould ever want before his eyes, namely, that hardly
Fix this textany thing is beyond the attainment of real merit
Fix this textLet a man set up almost any object before him on
Fix this textentering life, and, if his ambition be of that genuine
Fix this textkind which springs from talent, and is not too much
Fix this textfor his prudence , there is a strong chance in his favour
Fix this textthat a keen and steady pursuit of the object will make
Fix this texthim triumph at last. It is very common, when the
Fix this textproposal of a young man’s entry into life is discussed,
Fix this textto hear complaints as to the pre-occupation of every
Fix this textfield of adventure by unemployed multitudes. There
Fix this textmay occasionally be some cause for this; but the
Fix this textgeneral truth is undeniable, that, in spite of every
Fix this textdisadvantage, men are rising daily to distinction in
Fix this textevery profession—the broadest shoulders, as usual,
Fix this textmaking their way best through the crowd. It is the
Fix this textslothful and the fearful that generally make such
Fix this textcomplaints ; and they obviously do so in order to
Fix this textassure themselves that they are not altogether wrong
Fix this textin continuing to misspend their time. "When we hear
Fix this textof the over-crowded state of any proposed profession,
Fix this textwe are apt to overlook that an immense proportion of
Fix this textthose engaged in it are destined, by the weakness of
Fix this texttheir character, and want of specific qualifications, to
Fix this textmake no way for themselves, and must soon be the
Fix this textsame, so far as rivalry is concerned, as if they had
Fix this textnever entered it. If the entrant, then, has only a
Fix this textwell-grounded confidence in his own powers of ex-
Fix this textertion and perseverance, he need hardly be afraid
Fix this textto enter any profession. With the serious desire of
Fix this textwell-doing at heart, and some tolerable share of
Fix this textability, he is sure very soon to get ahead of a great
Fix this textproportion of those already in the field. 'Only let
Fix this texthim never despair—that is, tell himself it is all in
Fix this textvain, in order that he may become idle with a good
Fix this textconscience—and there is hardly any fear of him.
Fix this textTalent. —It is a common cry that those who suc-
Fix this textceed best in life are the dullest people, and that talent
Fix this textis too fine a quality for common pursuits. There can-
Fix this textnot be a greater fallacy than this. It may be true
Fix this textthat some decidedly stupid people succeed through
Fix this textthe force of a dogged resolution, which hardly any
Fix this textman of superior genius could have submitted to. But
Fix this textI am disposed to dispute, in a great measure, the ex-
Fix this textistence of talent, where I do not find it at once pro-
Fix this textductive of superior address in ordinary affairs, and
Fix this textattended by a magnanimity which elevates the pos-
Fix this textsessor above all paltry and vicious actions. The
Fix this textgenius which only misleads its possessor from the
Fix this textpaths of prudence, or renders him a ridiculous and
Fix this textintolerable member of society, is too much allied to
Fix this textBedlam to be taken into account ; and in reality there
Fix this textis nowhere so much of what is called genius as in the
Fix this textmad-houses. The imputation of dulness to a man
Fix this textwho has prospered in life, will be found by impartial
Fix this textinquirers, in nine cases out of ten, to be a mere
Fix this textconsolatory appliance to the self-love of one who has
Fix this textneither had the talent nor the morality to prosper in
Fix this textlife himself. Let every man, then, who possesses this
Fix this textgift, rejoice in it with all bis heart, and seek by every
Fix this textmeans to give it proper guidance and direction.
Fix this textApplication is another of the indispensable requi
Fix this textIt's easy and takes two shakes of a lamb's tail!
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Reading, James & Sandoe, Francis. (1844). Colonial literary journal and weekly miscellany of useful information Retrieved August 6, 2025, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-2029393824
Reading, James and Sandoe, Francis. Colonial literary journal and weekly miscellany of useful information Sydney: Printed and published by James Reading and Francis Sandoe, at the General Printing Office, 1844. Web. 6 August 2025 <http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-2029393824>
Reading, James & Sandoe, Francis. 1844, Colonial literary journal and weekly miscellany of useful information Printed and published by James Reading and Francis Sandoe, at the General Printing Office, Sydney viewed 6 August 2025 http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-2029393824
{{Citation
| author1=Reading, James.
| author2=Sandoe, Francis.
| title=Colonial literary journal and weekly miscellany of useful information.
| year=1844
| section=2 volumes ; 29 cm.
| issn=1327-6638
| issue=Vol. 1 No. 22 (21 November 1844)
| location=Sydney
| publisher=Printed and published by James Reading and Francis Sandoe, at the General Printing Office
| url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-2029393824
| id=nla.obj-2029393824
| access-date=6 August 2025
| via=Trove
}}
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