If, provided his toil served to gain his subsistence, He had answered in full the whole end of existence,-- Where then would be poets, philanthropists, sages, Who have written their names high on History's pages? They stood not aloof from the battle of Life, But, placing themselves in the van of the strife, Marching manfully forward with banner unfurled, Left their deeds and their names a bequest to the world. Have you ever (forgive me the bold impropriety) Reckoned up your outstanding account with society, Or considered how far, should your life close to-morrow, You would merit her real and genuine sorrow? If, in dying, the world be no wiser or better For your having lived there, then you are her debtor; And if, as Faith, Reason, and Scripture, all show, God rewards us in heaven for the good done below, I pray you take heed, idle worldling, lest you With that better world should have nothing to do! TRANSCRIBER'S NOTE: Obvious printer errors have been corrected. Otherwise, the author's original spelling, punctuation and hyphenation have been left intact. End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Nothing to Do, by Horatio Alger Jr.