Mr. W. S. Morrison, Minister df Agriculture, who distributed prizes at Dean Close School, Cheltenham, recently, alluded to the custom of inviting some guest to speech days to address boys and parents and to give what was popularly called "good advice."
There was, he said a perfect spate of exhortation of this character at this sean of year. When he found it difficult fo°follow that course he comforted himself with the old Chinese proverb, "If people only spoke on subjects on which they were qualified to speak, then the world would be filled with profound and dignified silence."
Referring to.-the. choice of a career, he advised. both, boys..and parents not. to be. in a. hurry, for}. beys, he -saidy* changed greatly a: they grew. Up.
"In my, own case,"'.he continued, remember, my" parents expressed a kindly preference that. I should enter the. Church," my schoolmaster wanted. me to be a_ scientist, while} I myself was set. on joining the Indian Police..I find myself, instead, a member of- that section of humanity which Adam Smith describes as That crafty animal vulgarly known as a politician." (Laughter.)
"Yet. to. be.a successful politician cine must have the three qualities associated with the professions to which Ido not belong—something of the power..of exhortation of the clergyman, something of the analytical mind of the chemist and, above all, the good nature of the, policeman. If he does his best to devote himself to the service of his. brother men—and is not too solemn about it—he reed have no fear of himself or of the nation of which he is a unit."
It was not true, he. continued, say that adult life had no happiness. It was a gross distortion of fact, and he hoped that no boy would leave €chool with the impression that he need be frightened of what awaited him in the outside world.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.