John Muir On the Sea. He Writes of the Throng Pushing Northward. The Scientist Advises Fortune-Hunters Not to Be in a Hurry. Spend This Winter Trying Your 'Prentice Hands on the Gold Belt of the Sierras .... ' Port Townsend, August 22.

Authors

John Muir

Files

Kimes Entry Number

212

Original Date

8-23-1897

William and Maymie Kimes Annotation

In giving his sage advice to the eager throng of goldseekers. Muir philosophizes: "It is a fine thing to see people in dead earnest about anything. Even so dull a business as gold-getting may be interesting. ... But in the search may become insane and strike about blindly in fierce excitement, moved more by the mere lust of wealth than appreciation of its right use. A little money we all need nowadays, but there is nothing about getting it that should rob us of our wits. Gold digging is only a dull chore, and no sane man will allow it to blind him and draw him away from the real blessings of existence. Life is too short to allow much time for money-making. Many are beginning to find this out, and so are in great part gold-proof.''

Publication

The [San Francisco] Examiner, Aug. 23, 1897

Page/Column

p. 1, cols. 1-2

Recommended Citation

Muir, John, "John Muir On the Sea. He Writes of the Throng Pushing Northward. The Scientist Advises Fortune-Hunters Not to Be in a Hurry. Spend This Winter Trying Your 'Prentice Hands on the Gold Belt of the Sierras .... ' Port Townsend, August 22." (1897). John Muir: A Reading Bibliography by Kimes (Muir articles 1866-1986). 237.
https://scholarlycommons.pacific.edu/jmb/237