You will gradually find, by
various trials (which trials see that you make honest, manful ones,
not silly, short, fitful ones), what _is_ for you the wonderfullest,
beautifullest--what is _your_ true element and province, and be able
to profit by that. True desire, the monition of nature, is much to be
attended to. But here, also, you are to discriminate carefully between
_true_ desire and false. The medical men tell us we should eat what
we _truly_ have an appetite for; but what we only _falsely_ have an
appetite for we should resolutely avoid. It is very true; and flimsy,
desultory readers, who fly from foolish book to foolish book, and get
good of none, and mischief of all--are not these as foolish, unhealthy
eaters, who mistake their superficial false desire after spiceries and
confectioneries for their real appetite, of which even they are
not destitute, though it lies far deeper, far quieter, after solid
nutritive food? With these illustrations, I will recommend Johnson's
advice to you.
"Another thing, and only one other, I will say.
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