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COLONIAL LITERARY JOURNAL
Fix this textAND
Fix this textWeekly Miscellany of Useful Information.
Fix this text“ NON TV A TE MOVEANT, 3Bi> PUBLICA. YOTA."
Fix this textVol. 11. No. 36.;
Fix this textSYDNEY, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 1845.
Fix this text[Price 4d.
Fix this textDECISION OF CHARACTER.
Fix this textVIII
Fix this textTag second distinguishing characteristic which we
Fix this texthave noted of a decisive character, is punctuality.
Fix this textThis virtue —for so it may be justly designated—is
Fix this textmost important to the efficient working of society,
Fix this text.and, by a commercial community, more especially, it
Fix this textmust always be deemed a virtue of increasing neces-
Fix this textsity and importance. “ Method is the very hinge of
Fix this textbusiness* and there is no method without punctuality.”
Fix this textTo the man of business, therefore * time is *the same
Fix this textas money ; and if any one deprive him of a part of
Fix this textit, or cause him to misuse it, the same offence is com-
Fix this textmitted towards him —as far as loss of property is
Fix this textconcerned—as if his goods were abstracted, or a false
Fix this textcheque passed at his bankers. To him, the result is
Fix this textthe same, whether a certain actual sum be taken from
Fix this texthim, or the minutes in which he could earn that sum ;
Fix this textfor, to many, their time is equal to a capital of no
Fix this textordinary amount, and the loss of it may prove irre-
Fix this textparable. Appointments, indeed, become debts. 4 1
Fix this textowe you punctuality, if I have made an appointment
Fix this textwith voii, and have no right to throw away your time,
Fix this textif I do my own.'
Fix this textPunctuality is also highly important, because it
Fix this textsubserves the peace and temper of a family; and the
Fix this textwant of it not only infringes on necessary duty, but
Fix this textsometimes excludes that duty. The calmness of mind
Fix this textwhich it produces is another advantage of punctuality :
Fix this texta disorderly man is always in a hurry ; he has no
Fix this texttime to speak with you, because he is going else-
Fix this textwhere ; and when he gets there, he is too late for his
Fix this textbusiness, or he must hurry away to another before he
Fix this textcan finish it. Punctuality, again, gives weight to
Fix this textcharacter. ‘ Such a man has made an appointment—
Fix this textthen I know he will keep it.* And this generates
Fix this textpunctuality in others ; for, like similar virtues, it pro-
Fix this textpagates itself. A whole establishment must become
Fix this textpunctual where the head of it is noted for that quality.
Fix this textThough the want of punctuality may chiefly arise
Fix this textfrom mere thoughtlessness, we may assert that a man
Fix this textof sound moral principle will never be otherwise than
Fix this texta punctual man, It is, in reality, as easy to be punc-
Fix this texttual as the reverse, if we only desire to be so. There
Fix this textcan be no absolute difficulty in reaching a place of
Fix this textappointment at the exact hour if we only truly desire
Fix this textto be present at the exact hour. Habits of reflection
Fix this textand attention to the progress of time are the only
Fix this textrequisites for punctuality in appointments. We see
Fix this textthe man who is not punctual tb his business engage-
Fix this textments invariably lose caste. His affairs fall into
Fix this textdisorder, and speedy ruin is the result; and when we
Fix this textconsider the inconveniences attending a want of
Fix this textpunctuality as regards appointments, the practice does
Fix this textl not deserve to be less reprobated, for the one is
Fix this text| generally the forerunner of the other.
Fix this textEvery man of correct mind and steady regular
Fix this textj habits will take care that he performs the lesser but
Fix this textimperative duties of punctuality. He will act upon
Fix this textprinciple in this as in every other thing. On the
Fix this textcontrary, when we see a man habitually neglect them,
Fix this textwe may be certain that he is a person of little actual
Fix this textprinciple. The tradesman or mechanic who unhe-
Fix this textsitatingly promises the punctual performance of what
Fix this texthe neither expects nor intends punctually to perform,
Fix this text(a practice, alas, but too universal, and, therefore,
Fix this textindulged) proves this, and proves also that he cares
Fix this textlittle for the feelings or interests of hi 9 fellow- creatures.
Fix this textThe injustice and cruelty of this habit is apparent.
Fix this textNo advantage accrues therefrom to the one, while the
Fix this textother is probably suffering under much inconvenience
Fix this textand real discomfort. This failing is of universal
Fix this textextent, and is practised among all classes of society.
Fix this textEmployers and employees —masters and servants, are
Fix this textbut too frequently mutually guilty. We have all
Fix this textoccasionally to attend to duties in which the interests
Fix this textof others, perhaps poorer than ourselves, ore concerned,
Fix this textand for the performance of which, at or within a cer-
Fix this texttain time, we have passed our word. How often are
Fix this textsuch duties neglected, too often to the extreme mor-
Fix this texttification and injury of others, when in truth we
Fix this textmight as easily have accomplished them as left them
Fix this textunaccomplished, if we had hut exercised a slight
Fix this textdegree of energy and attention. As long, however,
Fix this textas there are thoughtless and irrational men in the
Fix this textworld, there will probably be a want of punctuality ;
Fix this textand the wise and well-principled must remain content
Fix this textto place it among the many temporal losses which
Fix this textthey sustain in connexion with their weaker brethren.
Fix this textIt is vain, perhaps, to hope by any means to advance
Fix this textmankind greatly in any single virtue. Every one,
Fix this texthowever, must be able to discern that which is right
Fix this textor wrong, convenient or inconvenient, advantageous
Fix this textor disadvantageous. To. attend to such duties as the
Fix this textabove, will surely appear very obviously as right and
Fix this textconvenient and advantageous, while the neglect of
Fix this textthem will appear in every respect as the opposite ; and
Fix this textthe reason of man will not allow him, if he fully con-
Fix this textsider the subject, to take any other than the former
Fix this textcourse. It is right (pursues a writer on this subject)
Fix this textto attend to such duties, because we have pledged
Fix this textourselves to attend to them, and the happiness
Fix this textof a fellow-creature depends on our redeeming our
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 July 25, 2025, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-2029394104
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. 25 July 2025 <http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-2029394104>
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 25 July 2025 http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-2029394104
{{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. 2 No. 36 (27 February 1845)
| location=Sydney
| publisher=Printed and published by James Reading and Francis Sandoe, at the General Printing Office
| url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-2029394104
| id=nla.obj-2029394104
| access-date=25 July 2025
| via=Trove
}}
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