Excerpt from Platt's Essays, Vol. 1: Business-Money-EconomyI rave re-arranged, revised, and added to my six essays, making one volume of Business, Money, and Economy, and another of Life, Morality, and Progress. My Object is to make men think more of life as it is, to study living - how to live, what to do with life, but, above all, to alter the prevailing tone that life has to be undergone as a kind of penance. There are a few who think it tolerable, a few in easy circumstances may think it comfortable, but few thoroughly enjoy it, or regard it as a great blessing, and I doubt if there be any who heartily return thanks to the Giver of all life for having bestowed it upon them.How is it that men do not enjoy more this world There must be a cause. The principal reason is, that men are not trained to lead a successful life, are not started on their journey with the conviction that if all men cannot succeed, few, if any, need fail if they know their business thoroughly, and work indefatigably and thriftily at it. Men are not taught in such a manner that their in telligence perceives that honesty is the only policy, and that, unless morality be the guiding spirit and the controlling power of their actions, they may attain success, but it will be of uncertain tenure, and bring remorse instead of happiness. Money, its Object and value, should be taught at school, the wise and thrifty spirit of God's government of the universe be clearly indicated, and the misery and waste in human ad'airs whenever mankind acts upon expediency instead of adhering strictly to principle. It should be carefully explained to all why individuals and nations have advanced from barbarism to civilization, the value Of capital, of the middle class, by what means the individual or the nation has Obtained a supremacy, and how the same is to be retained.The people are not happy - fail instead of succeeding - because they lack what Goethe asked for in his last words, More light. Never, perhaps, at any period was it more necessary that men should be taught how to make the best of their talents - how to use them to the best advantage, how to avoid alike the misuse or abuse of them. To succeed in life now, you must be no dreamer, but under stand what you have to do, and do it thoroughly. Study the age you live in, but more especially the people upon whose support your success in life depends, ascertain their needs, and skilfully adapt yourself to supply them. Be supported because you do things well, better than others, so that you keep your own self-respect and gain the respect of your patrons. To benefit the masses, we must put before them an object in life, they must be made to understand that it is possible for them, one and all, to progress, to get on in the world, if they once have a fixed resolve to advance mentally, morally, and socially. By teacher, pastor, and lecturer, it must be proved to them what can be done by persistent industry and thoughtful thrift. They must be taught to think. But the first thing is to make them see - to love the light, and resolve to have it. All classes need a clearer vision, a sight that can peer through the darkness that envelope them, to be free of prejudices. I would have men so trained that sinecures, pensions, feudal privileges, bankrupts, criminals, drunkards, wasted lives of all kinds, would gradually die away, because of man's own disgust of, and contempt for, such weak specimens of human nature.About the PublisherForgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com