In addressing you as a graduating class, permit me to suggest for your consideration a few thoughts on the importance of regarding self-culture not only as a duty, but as the only means of elevating and ennobling your aspirations in life.

Though you have completed your academical course with a degree of success which does you credit, you should remember that the great work of education still lies before you, and that the formation of your characters and the shaping of your destinies are committed to your own hands. And here let me assure you that it is little rather than great things which mark the character of a true gentleman. In fact, there is but one way in which a refined education can be acquired, and that is, "little by little."

It is thus from day to day, from year to year, from everybody, and from everything, that you may learn, if you will, something new, something useful; and though you care not to do it, yet you will, in spite of yourselves, learn something, good or evil, just as you may choose to apply it.

You certainly have the power to choose between good and evil,—in other words, to achieve the loftiest aims. Yet in directing your aspirations, you must adapt means to ends; collect your materials and refine them, and in refining them give them the brilliancy of costly jewels,—jewels which you can wear with becoming grace and dignity wherever you may go, and at all times and under all circumstances.

The acquisition of a mere book-knowledge, however desirable, will avail you but little, unless you acquire at the same time correct habits and principles, united with refinement of manners. The world will be likely to take your personal appearance, your style of dress and address, as the true index of your character, and whether deceived at first view or not, will finally estimate you at your true value. In perfecting your education, it is not to be expected that you are to master every branch of human learning, but rather that you are to make your life a life of thought, of study, of observation, of strife to excel in all that is good, and in doing good.

In attempting to achieve great things in the world, you must not overlook little things,—little attentions, little civilities due to others with whom you may come in contact; for your claims to consideration will be estimated by the character of your conduct in social life. There are certain conventionalities recognized in good society which you must respect, and to which you must conform, if you would be well received. Your manners and habits are therefore of vital importance as elements of character.

It has been truly said that man is a "bundle of habits." It may be said with equal truth that our own worst enemies are "bad habits." We all know that bad habits fasten themselves upon us, as it were, by stealth; and though we may not perceive the influence which they exert over us, yet other persons perceive it, remark it, and judge us accordingly. The formation of correct habits in early life is comparatively easy, while the correction of bad habits, when once formed, is always difficult, especially in more advanced years. In a word, if you would become model characters, you must discard all bad habits, all odd habits, all that is ungracious or ungraceful in word, deed, or manner, and make it the leading rule of your life to observe the proprieties of life in all places and under all circumstances. In order to achieve all this, it is indispensable that you should study yourselves, watch yourselves, criticise yourselves, and know yourselves as others know you. The value of self-examination has been forcibly as well as beautifully expressed in a single stanza by Robert Burns,—

It is true that in relation to the laws of etiquette many books have been written, which are in fact more read than observed, and which are more perplexing than practical. No lady or gentleman was ever made truly polite, truly agreeable, truly amiable, by a strict observance of artificial rules. Something more is needed; something must be done. It is in the heart, in the exercise of all the moral and Christian virtues, that true politeness has its foundation. True politeness is never selfish, never ostentatious, but always overflowing with kindness, always angelic in its attributes. In word and deed, it is always considerate, delicate, and graceful; yet in its ministrations it always preserves its own self-respect, while it manifests its sincere respect for all that is good and for all that is meritorious.

Heaven has imposed on us the duty of acquiring all the knowledge we can. In discharge of this heaven-born duty, we should begin at once the great work of self-culture,—a work never to be discontinued. He who would build a spacious and a lofty temple, a fit dwelling-place for divinity, must first lay the foundations broad and deep,—not in sand, but on a rock; and then, though storm and tempest beat against it, it cannot fall, because it is founded on a rock.

But in adopting a system of self-culture, too much care cannot be bestowed on the cultivation of your manners, your attitudes, your style of conversation, and your expression of sentiment. In regard to manners, it is impossible to prescribe exact rules. The best models for you to copy are to be found in the manners of the model men and women of our country who give tone to society. At any rate, be governed by good sense and by the dictates of nature, so modified by art as to conceal art. To disguise art is the perfection of art. In this lies the secret power of angelic charms,—the charm of polished womanhood and manhood.

In your social intercourse employ a pure and unambitious style of diction, and be careful to maintain a quiet and unobtrusive deportment; and above all things avoid singularities and eccentricities, nor attempt to attract attention for the sake of gratifying an overweening vanity. And while you manifest a due respect for others, be careful to maintain your own self-respect. Never indulge in exhibiting violence of temper; but on all occasions control your feelings and expressions, though provocations arise which justly excite your indignation.

If you would attain to the highest possible standard of social refinement and moral virtue, you must rely on yourselves, must look into the mirror of your own hearts and behold your own defects, and then proceed at once to apply the appropriate remedies. To do this effectively may cost you much labor, yet the task will be found comparatively easy when you have resolved to execute it.

It is not only your privilege, but your duty, to acquire knowledge from every source, as the bee gathers honey from every flower. Collect and compare facts; for in every fact, whether great or small, there lies hid a lesson of wisdom,—a logic which is not only irresistible, but divine. Theories are of but little value unless attested by facts. All mere theories are alike worthless, whether they relate to the physical or moral world. "Prove all things, and hold fast that which is good." No better rule than this, for your guidance through life, ever was or ever can be given. Facts, though "stubborn things," are never falsehoods. You may therefore regard facts as truth, as the kind of mental food you should acquire, digest, and convert into nutriment, and thus grow strong and wise, until you have realized the great fact that "man was created but a little lower than the angels."

For the purpose of self-culture, in its highest sense, an ordinary lifetime seems quite too short, though prolonged to threescore years and ten. The value of time cannot be overestimated. If we would but consider how many precious moments we fritter away and lose in an unprofitable manner, we should see that it is the want of a due regard for the value of time, rather than a want of time, of which we should complain. It is not, therefore, the fault of a Divine Providence that we have not time enough to perfect ourselves in the arts of a refined civilization, and in the realization of the highest enjoyment of which our nature is capable. Whatever else you may lose, never lose a moment of time which can be profitably employed. A moment of time once lost can never be regained. Insignificant as a moment may seem, your destiny may depend on the improvement you may make of it, on the deed or thought it may prompt. Life, though long, is made up of moments, and terminates in a moment; and all true knowledge is founded in truth.

If you would prolong your lives, and enjoy health and happiness accompanied with vigor of mind, study the laws of health and obey them. Make yourselves thoroughly acquainted with yourselves, by becoming acquainted with the physiology of the human system, and by living in compliance with the requisitions of its principles. Nature is the best physician you can employ, whatever may be your malady; but in order to be healed by her prescriptions, you must apply to her in time, and adopt the uniform and temperate habits of life which her laws require.

It is said that Nature has her favorites. This may be true. It would seem that some persons are born poets, some philosophers, some fiddlers, some one thing, and some another. It may be said that such persons are specialists, born to accomplish a special purpose. They doubtless subserve the interests of mankind as models, or standards of merit, in their respective specialties; yet to be born a genius is not in itself a matter of merit, but it is the good one does in the world which creates merit and crowns life with honors.

Nearly all of our truly great men are men of self-culture, who have acquired brains by the slow process of a lifelong industry in the pursuit of knowledge. This class of men are not only much more numerous than born geniuses, but much more useful. They have a wider range of intellect and wield a wider influence. They are men who read, think, and digest what they read. In their choice of books they select standard authors. They are not book-worms, devouring everything that is published; nor are they literary dyspeptics, who feed on sentimentalism and French cookery, but hale, hearty men, who prefer common-sense and roast beef,—caring more for the quality of their food than for the quantity.

The world in which we live is a beautiful world. He who made it pronounced it good, and designed it for the residence of the good. It is in itself a paradise for all who choose to make it a paradise. In a physical sense, it is not only a beautiful world, but a great storehouse full of knowledge, full of wisdom, full of facts,—a record of the past and of the future, written by a divine hand. In short, it is the great Book of Life—of Revelation—in every word of which we may find an outspoken thought,—

In estimating your life-work, you should feel that yours is a high destiny, and that much is expected of you. If you would succeed in the world, you must have faith in yourselves as well as in a Divine Providence, and act upon the principle that "God helps those who help themselves." Wherever you go, make yourselves as acceptable and as agreeable to all with whom you come in contact as possible. If you would be preferred, prefer others; and if you would be beloved, scatter flowers by the wayside of life, but never plant thorns, and in all you do and say, unite modesty with simplicity and sincerity.

There can be no true manhood or womanhood that does not rest on character, in the highest sense of the term. In fact, it is the character we bear that defines our social position. The formation of character is a work of our own, and requires the exercise of all the better and higher powers of our nature. On character depends not only our usefulness in life, but our individual happiness. Character is the engraved mark, or sign, by which every individual is known, and indicates the essential traits of his moral composition, the qualities of his head and heart, as displayed in his aspirations and in the work of his life. Character is more enduring than reputation. God respects character; man respects reputation. The one is as lasting as eternity; the other as evanescent as the bubble that glitters in the sunshine for a moment, and then disappears forever.

In forming a true character, such an one as crowns the true man with an imperishable diadem, there are many things to be considered, especially the materials which enter into its moral masonry. Its foundation must be solid and immovable, its superstructure chaste and elegant, and its proportions harmonious and beautiful. Like a temple built for the gods, it should be worthy of the gods. It should be not only beautiful in its exterior, but be in its interior the life-work of a truly heroic soul.

Character represents soul. As character is moulded by human instrumentalities, so is soul. Soul is therefore the essence of a true manhood, a living principle that cannot die. It is an influence in itself, and out of itself, felt everywhere and forever. It is the moral life and the eternal life. Like a pebble cast into the broad ocean, its impulse is sensibly felt by the entire ocean; every particle moves a particle, until the vast deep is moved. Such is individual influence. If character, then, be what it should be, truthful, noble, divine, it will necessarily be godlike, and exert an influence in harmony with the benevolent designs of Heaven.

And yet there are thousands who seem to live without purpose,—live merely to vegetate. Of course such persons do not live in earnest, and hence do nothing in earnest. They have life, but no lofty aspirations. They may have souls; but if so, they remain undeveloped. In fact, persons of this character have no character, no earnest work, no significance. And for this reason, though living, they are literally dead. If we would make the world what it should be, we must first make ourselves what we should be. The work must begin at home in our own hearts, and with a view to our own moral needs.

In the cultivation of a pure heart-life, we should begin by cultivating "a conscience void of offence." If we would unlock the gate of paradise, we must look for the key where it is to be found. We may rest assured that it cannot be found in an uncultivated field of brambles and briers, nor amid the rubbish of a misspent life; yet to find it, only requires diligent search. Though everything beautiful, everything noble, everything sublime, may lie in the distance, yet it is attainable; it is the ultimatum that we should seek,—something substantial, something eternal. Mere fame is nothing worth. It is a thing of earth, and not of heaven.

There may be an innate feeling or principle that constitutes what is called conscience; yet it must be conceded that conscience is practically but the product or outgrowth of education, and may therefore be so moulded as to become the just or unjust judge of the moral questions which involve both our present and future welfare. How important, then, that this judge should not only be a righteous, but an educated judge, familiar with the principles of right and wrong, and stern in the application of them! In a word, conscience is the central life of character,—the silent monitor within our own breasts, whose moral influence controls our destiny.

The law of love may be regarded as the great law which underlies all law, because it is divine. In fact, love is the law that pervades the universe, and in itself is sufficiently indicative of our moral obligations. He who is governed by it, cannot err. It is not, however, what we do for ourselves, but rather what we do for others, that can afford the most substantial happiness. If you would receive, you must give, influenced by a kind and generous spirit. "Overcome evil with good." In this way, like a moral Alexander, you may conquer the world.

It is doubtless true that conscience, being essentially the outgrowth of education, is ever in a formative state, and may therefore be strengthened and elevated in its moral perceptions by culture. The more perfect its judgment, the more perfect the man or woman. There can be no religion without conscience; nor can there be conscience without religion. The one is a counterpart of the other; and equally true is it that the character of the one reflects the character of the other.

A true religion does not consist in a mere profession of faith, nor in church membership, but in that which is the leading principle of our lives; in that which binds us to achieve an ultimate aim; in that which calls into exercise all our moral powers, and harmonizes our lives with the requisitions of the divine law. Yet any religion is better than none. Even the pagan is not destitute of a religion of some sort, however debased it may be. It is simply the refinement of a higher civilization which has made the difference between the pagan and the Christian. Nothing can be more important, therefore, than the kind of education which is bestowed on us in childhood, or the kind of self-culture which we choose to bestow on ourselves. And though circumstances may be adverse to our interests, it is our duty to conquer circumstances, and take into our own hands the fabrication of our fortunes. In this life every day brings with it new lessons; and though some of them may be pernicious, all of them have their value. If there were nothing evil, there would be nothing good,—for the reason that there would be no contrast, no standard of comparison. And yet between good and evil there is no halfway house, no "happy medium."

In every question of right and wrong there are but two sides. The one or the other we must take, either directly or indirectly. We cannot take a neutral stand if we would; nor can we identify ourselves with both sides. Sincerity and hypocrisy are not born of the same parentage, and cannot therefore walk hand in hand, nor take the same social position. They are marked by a different sign, and by their sign they are readily recognized. Appear where they will, the one will be respected, the other despised.

If you would excel in anything, in any particular pursuit, you must first resolve to excel, and then persevere, cost what it will. If you encounter lions in your path, exterminate them. In ascending mountains, make difficulties your stepping-stones, and never look back until you reach the summit, and can breathe freely in a pure atmosphere. If you would reach the stars, construct your own ladder, and climb until you not only reach them, but are crowned with them. The soul never becomes truly heroic until it becomes truly godlike in its aspirations and purposes.

It is only in the practice of the cardinal virtues—prudence, justice, temperance, fortitude—that we acquire that divine power which alone can make us divine. It is only in the adoption of lofty aims that we can expect to reach a lofty ideal. Everything is possible to him who has resolved to make it possible. In other words, where there is a will there is a way. The will is the motive-power; if this be wanting, then all is wanting that goes to make up the character of an heroic soul. The world needs moral as well as physical heroes,—heroes who know their duty, and dare do it. In the battle of life none but the wise and the valiant can be safely intrusted with the command. The hostile powers of darkness, of ignorance, of superstition, challenge the field, and cannot be overcome without a severe conflict. The crisis has come. Whether armed or unarmed, you must meet the foe; for results you must trust in yourselves. It will never do to trust in shields, in breastplates, in fire-arms, or in faith without works. If you would conquer, you must go into battle inspired with lofty aims, and with a divine enthusiasm; then will victory perch on your standard, and the eagle of freedom, fire-eyed, pierce the sun.

And yet you should remember that in your attempts to achieve success, you must deserve success. It is only in severe moral discipline that you can see what you need, and acquire what you need,—eminent virtue, industry, and sagacity. In social life, be social, amiable, and accomplished; in domestic life, be something more,—be kind, considerate, and sympathetic. Whether you have one or more talents, improve them; they will grow brighter by constant use. Whatever may be your capacities, never indulge in vain aspirations. However seductive the temptations which may beset you, never compromise your integrity. However ambitious you may be in your ultimate aims, regard a good moral character as of infinite value. Always true to yourselves, be true to others. Place implicit confidence in no one, but confide in the strength of your own individuality. In adversity be hopeful, and always look on the bright side of things.

In selecting a profession or business for life, be governed by your natural taste or capacity,—your peculiar talent for this or that pursuit. If embarrassed by circumstances, never yield to them, but resolve to excel in whatever you undertake. Perseverance is the secret of success. If born with the gift of genius, make it available; do something new; invent something new; and in this way bequeath something valuable to mankind. In other words, live for mankind, and if need be, die for mankind. Adopt this as the religious sentiment of your life, and act in accordance with it, and your works will sufficiently attest the purity of your faith.

And yet you are not required to crucify yourselves; but on the contrary, it is your duty, while striving to live for others, to live for yourselves, and thus make yourselves and your homes as happy as possible. It is not in the shade, but in the sunshine, that you should seek to live. It is only the now of life, the fleeting present, of which you are certain. If, then, you would be prosperous, if you would be happy, if you would look to the future with a pleasing hope, so live as to feel that you are sustained, in all you do, by an approving conscience, and by the divine counsels of Infinite Wisdom. It is only by living thus that you can make life on earth what it should be,—a heaven-life.

He who made all things has made no distinction between heaven and earth. It is man that has made the distinction. The natural atmosphere which surrounds the earth is pure and healthful; it is only the moral atmosphere that has become impure and deleterious. It needs no chemical agencies to purify it; it must be purified, if at all, by moral agencies. In other words, we must recognize our obligations to our fellow-men, and obey the "Golden Rule," as prescribed by the law of love, if we would succeed in making earth a heaven.

Almost every American of culture has an object in view for which he lives,—some ultimate aim or aspiration which stimulates him to effort. It may be a desire to excel in some one of the learned professions, or to become a millionnaire, a hero in the battle-field, a Solon in the halls of legislation, perhaps President of the United States. In attempting achievements of this character, it should be remembered that knowledge is the basis of success. It is knowledge that gives power, and wisdom that should direct us in wielding it. Yet a man may be learned, and still be a cipher in the world. God gave to man a divine outline, and then left him to perfect himself, at least in a mental sense. This he must do, or remain an animal, and "feed on husks."

Nearly all our great men are self-made men. This is true of Washington, Franklin, Jefferson, and scores of others who, like them, have acquired an enviable renown. Thus, in all ages of the world, have men of noble aspirations reached eminent positions and immortalized their names.

It is somewhat surprising, however, that most of our American graduates look to the learned professions, rather than to a practical business life, as affording the widest field for the acquisition of wealth and high social position. This, it seems to me, is a great mistake. Not more than one professional man in ten ever rises above mediocrity in his profession, though he may prove to be useful, and succeed in acquiring a comfortable livelihood.

In fact, the learned professions have yet to learn that the supply exceeds the demand. And hence there is but little use in attempting to shine as a "star" in any of the professions, unless you have a sufficient brilliancy to take rank as a "star of the first magnitude."

And yet we cannot have too many men of liberal education; the more the better. They are needed in every pursuit in life, and in every place. It is not the occupation that dignifies a man, but the man that dignifies the occupation. When you have chosen a pursuit, whatever it may be, aim high. Yes,—

AMERICA AND HER FUTURE.