if i were a boy again, i would practice perseverance more often, and never give up a thing because it was or inconvenient. if we want light, we must conquer darkness. perseverance can sometimes equal genius in its results. “there are only two creatures,” says a proverb, “who can surmount the pyramids—the eagle and the snail.”
if i were a boy again, i would school myself into a habit of attention; i would let nothing come between me and the subject in hand. i would remember that a good skater never tries to skate in two directions at once.the habit of attention becomes part of our life, if we begin early enough. i often hear grown up people say “ i could not fix my attention on the sermon or book, although i wished to do so” , and the reason is, the habit was not formed in youth.
if i were to live my life over again, i would pay more attention to the cultivation of the memory. i would strengthen that faculty by every possible means, and on every possible occasion. it takes a little hard work at first to remember things accurately; but memory soon helps itself, and gives very little trouble. it only needs early cultivation to become a power.
【译文】
假如我又回到了童年,我做事要更有毅力,永不放弃的事,因为它是或不方便。如果我们要光明,就得征服黑暗。毅力在效果上有时能同天才相比。说,“只有两种生物一个谚语,“能登上pyramids-the鹰和蜗牛。”
假如我又回到了童年,我要培养自己成为一种习惯的关注,我将让我的手。我将优秀的滑冰手从不试图同时滑向两个不同的方向。注意力的习惯成为我们生活的一部分,如果我们及早开始。长大我经常听到人们说“我不能集中注意听牧师讲道或读书,尽管我希望这样做”,原因是,不是青年形成的习惯。
如果我是生活,我会更加注意记忆力的培养。我将加强,教师通过每一个可能的方式,并在每一个可能的场合。需要一点努力工作要正确无误地记住一些东西起初;但记忆很快帮助自己,给很少的麻烦。只需及早培养,记忆自会成为一种才能。
