economical habits, several important points must be
secured. You must have for every _purpose_ and _thing_ a _time_, and
_place_; and every thing must be done _at the time_, and all things put
_in their place_.

1. _Every thing must be done at the time._ Whether you attempt little
or much, let every hour have its employment, in business, study, social
conversation, or diversion; and unless it be on extraordinary
occasions, you must not suffer your plan to be broken. It is in this
way that many men who perform an incredible amount of business, have
abundant leisure. And it is for want of doing business systematically
that many who effect but little, never find much leisure. They spend
their lives in literally 'doing nothing.'

An eminent prime minister of Holland was asked how he could perform
such a vast amount of business, as it was known he did, and yet have so
much leisure. 'I do every thing at the time;' was the reply.

Some of you will say you have no room for any plan of your own; that
your whole time is at the will of your master, or employer. But this is
not so. There are few persons who are so entirely devoted to others as
not to have minutes, if not hours, every day, which they can call their
own. Now here it is that character is tried and proved. He alone who is
wise in small matters, will be wise in large ones. Whether your
unoccupied moments amount in a day to half an hour, or an hour, or two
hours, have something to do in each of them. If it be social
conversation, the moment your hour arrives, engage in it at once; if
study, engage at once in that. The very fact that you have but a very
few minutes at your command, will create an interest in your employment
during that time.

Perhaps no persons read to better purpose than those who have but very
little leisure. Some of the very best minds have been formed in this
manner. To repeat their names would be to mention a host of self
educated men, in this and in other countries. To show what can be done,
I will mention one fact which fell under my own observation. A young
man, about fifteen years of age, unaccustomed to study, and with a mind
wholly undisciplined, read Rollin's Ancient History through in about
three months, or a fourth of a year; and few persons were ever more
closely confined to a laborious employment than he was during the whole
time. Now to read four such works as Rollin in a year, is by no means a
matter to be despised.

2. _Every thin