large/4104/letterstohischildren_1510_librivox_64kb_mp3/letterstohischildren_17_roosevelt_64kb_28
large/4104/letterstohischildren_1510_librivox_64kb_mp3/letterstohischildren_17_roosevelt_64kb
English
4104
Did you ever read Pliny's letter to Trajan, in which he speaks of its being advisable to keep the Greeks absorbed in athletics, because it distracted their minds from all serious pursuits, including soldiering, and prevented their ever being dangerous to the Romans? DID YOU EVER READ PLINY'S LETTER TO TRAJAN IN WHICH HE SPEAKS OF ITS BEING ADVISABLE TO KEEP THE GREEKS ABSORBED IN ATHLETICS BECAUSE IT DISTRACTED THEIR MINDS FROM ALL SERIOUS PURSUITS INCLUDING SOLDIERY AND PREVENTING THEIR EVER BEING DANGEROUS TO THE ROMANS
 chance of your damaging yourself in body is outweighed by the possibility of bitterness of spirit if you could not play. Understand me, I should think mighty little of you if you permitted chagrin to make you bitter on some point where it was evidently right for you to suffer the chagrin. But in this case I am uncertain, and I shall give you the benefit of the doubt. If, however, the coaches at any time come to the conclusion that you ought not to be in the second squad, why you must come off without grumbling. I am delighted to have you play football. I believe in rough, manly sports. But I do not believe in them if they degenerate into the sole end of any one's existence. I don't want you to sacrifice standing well in your studies to any over-athleticism; and I need not tell you that character counts for a great deal more than either intellect or body in winning success in life. Athletic proficiency is a mighty good servant, and like so many other good servants, a mighty bad master. IT I THINK THAT THE CHANCE OF YOUR DAMAGING YOURSELF IN BODY IS OUTWEIGHED BY THE POSSIBILITY OF BITTERNESS OF SPIRIT IF YOU COULD NOT PLAY UNDERSTAND ME I SHOULD THINK MIGHTY LITTLE OF YOU IF YOU PERMITTED CHAGRIN TO MAKE YOU BITTER ON ON SOME POINT WHERE IT WAS EVIDENTLY RIGHT FOR YOU TO SUFFER THE CHAGRIN BUT IN THIS CASE I AM UNCERTAIN AND I SHALL GIVE YOU THE BENEFIT OF THE DOUBT IF HOWEVER THE COACHES AT ANY TIME COME TO THE CONCLUSION THAT YOU OUGHT NOT TO BE IN THE SECOND SQUAD WHY YOU MUST COME OFF WITHOUT GRUMBLING I AM DELIGHTED TO HAVE YOU PLAY FOOTBALL I BELIEVE IN ROUGH MANLY SPORTS BUT I DO NOT BELIEVE IN THEM IF THEY DEGENERATE INTO THE SOLE END OF ANY ONE'S EXISTENCE I DON'T WANT TO SACRIFICE STANDING WELL IN YOUR STUDIES TO ANY OVER ATHLETICISM AND I NEED NOT TELL YOU THAT CHARACTER COUNTS FOR A GREAT DEAL MORE THAN EITHER INTELLECT OR BODY IN WINNING SUCCESS IN LIFE ATHLETIC PROFICIENCY IS A MIGHTY GOOD SERVANT AND LIKE SO MANY OTHER GOOD SERVANTS A MIGHTY BAD MASTER
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