STUDENT'S PRAYER. PRAYER BEFORE THE STUDY THE STUDY OF LAW, BY DR. SAMUEL JOHNSON. SEPTEMBER 26, 1765. ALMIGHTY GOD, THE GIVER OF WISDOM, WITHOUT WHOSE HELP RESOLUTIONS ARE VAIN, BLESSING STUDY IS INEFFEC WITHOUT WHOSE TUAL, ENABLE, ME, IF IT BE THY WILL, TO ATTAIN INSTRUCT THE DIRECT THE GLORY, AND MY OWN SALVATION; A STUDENT'S RESOLUTIONS. I AM RESOLVED [Deo Juvente,] 1. To have a scheme of life. 2. To have a scheme of study. 3. To live temperately. 4. To rise early. 5. To apply myself to study. 6. To oppose indolence, and never to postpone to the morrow the duty of to-day. 7. To take exercise. 8. To adhere to my hours for sleep. 9. To be moderate in my amusements. 10. To note my daily deficiencies, and endeavour to correct them. 11. To avoid, rigidly, all STUDIES on the Sabbath. 12. To preserve my health of body and mind, by a careful observance of all physical necessities and comforts. 13. To be moderate, but never mean, in my expenses. 14. To guard my mind from idle thoughts, and sensual images. 15. To reflect carefully, on the first of January in every year, on my past neglects, and to form all necessary resolutions. 16. To give due attention to my religious studies. 17. To give due attention to my classical studies. 18. To pay special attention to such necessary studies as I find myself particularly averse to. 19. To avoid useless knowledge; at the same time to be very sure that it is useless. 20. To avoid, at least during my novitiate, political disputations; religious polemics; all ephemeral causes of excitement; and all merely fashionable and light reading. 21. To dress fairly in the fashion, but never beyond my means, and studiously to shun foppery. 22. To avoid intimate association with young men of doubtful principles. 23. To pay cash for every thing, and rather to deny myself a present gratification than to be a debtor. 24. To regard as absurd and dangerous the opinion of some, that men of distinguished talents are never capable of much application. 25. To avoid all eccentricity; and to root out every idiosyncrasy. 26. To cultivate practical knowledge, and a business tact; but to be sure that I am well grounded in the theory. 27. To subdue my imagination, if too wild; to strengthen my judgment, if apt to be false, and to improve my memory, if naturally dull. 28. To rely mainly on my industry, however great may be my talents. 29. To take care of the unavoidable fragments of time, and to see that they are as few as possible. 30. To keep constantly in view the essential distinction between reading and studying; two things often confounded; and, that as to elementary books, especially, the safest rule is 'multum legendum, non multa.' |