German composition

Section 229 An Oration on the Power of Habit. I.

I will now speak of a habit which I believe⁠1 is, more than any other, debasing, degrading, and embruting to man⁠2, both⁠3 physically, intellectually, and morally. I am not going to give you an address⁠4 full of my favourite theme [temperance], but I must speak of it⁠5. I must speak of it before this assembly, for I shall never see you again till we meet on that day when we shall see things as they are⁠6. Let me then speak of one habit which, in its power, and⁠7 influence, and⁠8 fascination, seems to rear its head like a Goliath or Saul above all its kindred agencies of demoralization; I allude to⁠9 the habit of using intoxicating liquors as a beverage, until that habit becomes a fascination⁠10. You will allow me to give⁠11 my opinions upon these points freely. I consider drunkenness not merely to be a moral evil, but also a physical evil, and⁠12 it depends a great deal more upon the temperament, and the constitution, and disposition of the young man, whether if he falls into the drinking usages of society, it becomes a habit or not, than it does upon his strength of mind or firmness of purpose⁠13.

Take a young man, and he shall be full of fire⁠14 and poetry. He shall be⁠15 of a nervous temperament and generous heart; fond of society, and open and manly in everything he does. Every one loves him. That is the man most liable to become intemperate.

Notes

1 = as I believe.

2 is... to man, auf den Menschen wirkt.

3 ‘both’, hier und zwar.

4 to give an address to a person, einem eine Rede halten; of, über.

5 ich muß dasselbe aber wenigstens berühren (allude to).

6 Render ‘for — are’ Liter. = for we shall see one another only (S. 109, N. 5) on that day, when (wo) we shall see (schauen) the things in their true form (Gestalt, f.).

7 = in its.

8 = and its.

9 = I mean; of using — beverage = of drinking intoxicating liquors.

10 until — fascination, bis diese Gewohnheit einen zauberhaften Reiz auf den Menschen ausübt.

11 = express.

12 Say ‘and when a young man once follows the general habit of taking intoxicating liquors, it depends, etc.’

13 his — purpose, seine Geistes-oder Willenskraft.

14 = who is full of (voller) fire.

15 The student will do well to omit the words ‘He shall be’ and join this period to the preceding one.