Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: CHAPTER III. MANHOOD. AFTER settling down at home, and losing the first freshness of its novelty, discouragement seemed again to close upon him. He saw no opening in life to satisfy his hope or his eager ambition, or even to make his living. He had become quite intimate in Europe with Mr. W. H. Aspinwall, who took an interest in him, as every one did who was brought into his society, and felt the influence of his sweet temper, genial manners, and original mind. He visited at Mr. Aspinwall's house on Staten Island, and it was from thence that the new impulse and new hope was to come. Extracts from Journal. "April, 1851. I was long uncertain as to what would be my course in life, and almost despaired again; but when things seemed at their worst, I received Mr. Aspinwall's offer and hope revived again. On the first of April, 1851, I began my new life, by entering the office of the Pacific Mail Steamship Company, where I am to be for a time. My occupation has principally been copying papers, and I suppose it will be some time before I am fit J£t. 22] THE STEAMSHIP COMPANY. 73 for anything else. My education with respect to business is, I think, below the average. Still, if taking pains can teach me, there shall be no lack. I am interested already, and not merely in feeling that I am settled, and no longer idle, but in the glimpses I get of the management of the most important and varied affairs of the concern. My Spanish studies go on slowly. Mr. Aspinwall commands more and more my admiration. I too would be clear and distinct as the form of a fossil fish. Self-command! attention! energy! " Men die for three reasons, because they have not, because they cannot, because they will not, achieve their destiny. Blessed are the good aul faithful servants who are numbered...