“But,” said the old man, “to resume. Why did I fail is still the question. Because I had not been taught those lessons of steady endurance in my youth which would have strengthened me against failure, and enable me finally to triumph. There is a rich significance in what we hear of the Spartan boy, who never betrayed his uneasiness or agony though the fox was tearing out his bowels. There is a sort of moral roughening which boys should be made to endure from the beginning, if the hope is ever entertained, to mature their minds to intellectual manhood. Our American Indians prescribe the same laws, and in their practice, very much resemble the ancient Spartans. To bear fatigue, and starvation, and injury--exposure, wet, privation, blows--but never to complain. Nothing betrays so decidedly the lack of moral courage as the voice of complaint. It is properly the language of woman. It must not be your language. Do you understand me, William?” “In part, sir, but I do not see how I could have helped being what I am.” “Perhaps not, because few have control of their own education. Your parents have been too tender of you. They have not lessoned you in that proper hardihood which leads to performance. That task is before yourself, and you have shrunk from the first lessons.” “How, sir?” “Instead of clinging to your Blackstone, you have allowed yourself to be seduced from its pages, by such attractions as usually delude boys. The eye and lip of a pretty woman--a bright eye and a rosy cheek, have diverted you from your duties.” “But do our duties deny us the indulgence of proper sensibilities?” “Certainly not--PROPER sensibilities, on the contrary, prescribe our duties.” “But love, sir--is not love a proper sensibility?” “In its place, it is. But you are a boy only. Do you suppose that it was ever intended that you should entertain this passion before you had learned the art of providing your own food? Not so; and the proof of this is to be found in the fact that the loves of boyhood are never of a permanent character. No such passion can promote happiness if it is indulged before the character of the parties is formed. I now tell you that in five years from this time you will probably forget Miss Cooper.” “Never! never!” “Well, well--I go farther in my prophecy. Allow me to suppose you successful in your suit, which I fancy can never be the case--” “Why, sir, why?” “Because she is not the girl for you; or rather, she does not think you the man for her!” “But why do you think so, sir?” “Because I know you both. There are circumstances of discrepancy between you which will prevent it, and even were you to be successful in your suit, which I am very sure will never be the case, you would be the most miserably-matched couple under the sun.” “Oh, sir, do not say so--do not. I can not think so, sir.”