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,-- "Tongues in trees, books in the running brooks, Sermons in stones, and good in everything." 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.