Section 232. AN ORATION ON THE POWER OF HABIT. IV.
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“Young men, ahoy, there!”—“What is it?”—“The rapids are below you!”—“Ha, ha! we will laugh and quaff; all things delight us. What care we for the future? No man ever saw it. ‘Sufficient for the day is the evil thereof[1].’ We will enjoy life while we may[2]; we will catch pleasure as it flies. This is enjoyment; time enough[3] to steer out of danger when we are driving swiftly with the current.”—“Young men, ahoy!”—“What is it?”—“Beware! Beware! The rapids are below you!”—Now you see water foaming[4] all around you.—See how fast you pass that point!—Up with the helm!—Now turn[5]!—Pull hard[6]—quick!—quick!—pull for your lives!—pull till[7] the blood starts from the nostrils, and the veins stand like whipcord upon the brow! Set the mast in the socket! hoist the sail! Ah, ah!—it is too late! Shrieking, cursing, howling, blaspheming, over you go[8]!—Thousands go over the rapids of Intemperance[9] every year, through the power of evil habit, crying out all the while[10]: “When I find out that it is injuring me, I will give it up!” The power of evil habit, I repeat, is fascinating[11], is deceptive; and man may go on arguing and coming to conclusions while on the way down to destruction[12].—J. B. Gough.