ate, and that the only loss sustained
arises from the _manner of procuring it_. But suppose, once more, we
sleep an hour too much daily. This involves a waste just twice as great
as that which we have already estimated.
Do you startle at these estimates! It is proper that many of you
should. You have misspent time enough. Awake your 'drowsy souls,' and
shake off your stupid habits. Think of Napoleon breaking up the
boundaries of kingdoms, and dethroning kings, and to accomplish these
results, going through with an amount of mental and bodily labor that
few constitutions would be equal to, with only _four hours of sleep in
the twenty-four_. Think of Brougham too, who _works_ as many hours,
perhaps, as any man in England, and has as much influence, and yet
sleeps as few; i.e., only four. A hundred persons might be named, and
the list would include some of the greatest benefactors of their race,
who never think of sleeping more than _six_ hours a day. And yet many
of you are scarcely contented with eight!
Would you conquer as Bonaparte did--not states, provinces, and
empires,--but would you aspire to the high honor of conquering
yourselves, and of extending your conquests intellectually and morally,
you must take the necessary steps. The path is a plain one; requiring
nothing but a little moral courage. 'What man has done, man may do.' I
know you do not and ought not to aspire to conquer kingdoms, or to
become prime ministers; but you ought to aspire to get the victory over
yourselves:--a victory as much more noble than those of Napoleon, and
Caesar, and Alexander, as intellectual and moral influence are superior
to mere brute force.
[2] Dr. Franklin, in view of the latter fact, wrote a humorous
Essay, at Paris, in which he labored hard to show the people of
that luxurious and dissipated city, that the sun gives light as
soon as it rises.
SECTION VII. _On Duty to Parents._
It was the opinion of a very eminent and observing man, that those who
are obedient to parents, are more healthy, long lived, and happy than
those who are disobedient. And he reasons very fairly on the subject.
Now I do not know whether the promise annexed to the fifth command,
(whatever might have been intended, as addressed to the Jews,) has any
special reference to happiness in this life. I only know that in
general, those who are obedient to parents are apt to be virtuous in
other respects; for the virtues as we
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