Early rising.—­Whoever has tasted the breath of morning, knows that the most invigorating and most delightful hours of the day are commonly spent in bed; though it is the evident intention of Nature that we should enjoy and profit by them.—­Southey.

Who would in such a gloomy state remain
Longer than nature craves; when ev’ry muse
And every blooming pleasure wait without,
To bless the wildly devious morning walk? 

          
                          —­Thomson.

The difference between rising at five and seven o’clock in the morning, for the space of forty years, supposing a man to go to bed at the same hour at night, is nearly equivalent to ten additional years to a man’s life.—­Doddridge.

I would have inscribed on the curtains of your bed, and the walls of your chamber:  “If you do not rise early, you can make progress in nothing.”—­Chatham.

When one begins to turn in bed, it is time to get up.—­Wellington.

Few ever lived to a great age, and fewer still ever became distinguished, who were not in the habit of early rising.—­Dr. John Todd.

Next to temperance, a quiet conscience, a cheerful mind and active habits, I place early rising as a means of health and happiness.—­Flint.

Thus we improve the pleasures of the day,
While tasteless mortals sleep their time away. 
—­Mrs. CENTLIVRE.

No man can promise himself even fifty years of life, but any man may, if he please, live in the proportion of fifty years in forty;—­let him rise early, that he may have the day before him, and let him make the most of the day, by determining to expend it on two sorts of acquaintance only,—­those by whom something may be got, and those from whom something may be learnt.—­Colton.

The famous Apollonius being very early at Vespasian’s gate, and finding him stirring, from thence conjectured that he was worthy to govern an empire, and said to his companion, “This man surely will be emperor, he is so early.”—­CAUSSIN.

Earnestness.—­Without earnestness no man is ever great, or does really great things.  He may be the cleverest of men, he may be brilliant, entertaining, popular; but he will want weight.  No soul-moving picture was ever painted that had not in it the depth of shadow.—­Peter Bayne.

A man is relieved and gay when he has put his heart into his work and done his best; but what he has said or done otherwise shall give no peace.—­Emerson.

Patience is only one faculty; earnestness the devotion of all the faculties.  Earnestness is the cause of patience; it gives endurance, overcomes pain, strengthens weakness, braves dangers, sustains hope, makes light of difficulties, and lessens the sense of weariness in overcoming them.—­Bovee.

There is no substitute for thorough-going, ardent and sincere earnestness.—­Dickens.