Bloomington herald. [volume] (Bloomington, I. T. [Iowa]) 1840-1849, 1842-02-04
co ON.
"Honor and shame from no condition rise.
Act we'll your part, THEAR al the honor lies. { &

HOnOr and shame nom NO c0Hutiou ISes
Act we'll your part, rHkAE all the honor lies. {
There can hardly be 4 more sublime specta.
Gle presented for our admiration, than that Of
young man, who urged on BY the impulses
Of struce Cling intellect, starts boldly from the
trembling ranks of obscurity and want, deter
mined to battle his way through every obsfa-
Gle, TO honor and rcnown. Thank Heaven,
that through the gifts of fortune arc denied to
such, they possess that god like principle with
in, before the irresistible energy Of which tie
most formidable obstacles become as cobweb
barriers in the path which honorable ambition
points out. Obstacles, the terrors OF which
cause the pampersd sons Of luxury and ease
to shrink back from the journey with dismay,
are to him objects of smile. Long endu.
rance strengthens the capacity to meet them
boldly and triumphantly. As the laboreI's
limbs are knit in strength by active exercise,
30 is his abilityto undergo hard ships strength
ened by being brought into frequent requisl-
ton. And this is the solution Of the question,
why the majority Of great men, who have ad-
orned, not only our owns but the annals OF the
world, have sprung npsfrom the lower ranks
of lite. They have learned by experience,
(ssths best of teachers,'') how to encounter
difficulties, and are therefore prepared to meet
whatever may come. Like the tried mariner
they know how to maDage<he ship and steer
her safely throuq the gale. But place an mex
perienced landsman at the helm.in such an
emergency, and the chances Of successful
event are extremely doubtful. Besides, those
who have no opponents to encounter. have no
laurels to win. Tie man who inherits patri-
clan eminence as patrimony, has nothing to
boast of, because he has achieved nothing.
The question is, what have You done! not
what have your ancestors done. What foes
have you conquered? What obstacles over
come! In proportion TO the magnitude Of
| your laurels-so the measure of your honor
| and your fame.-Had the son Of the iron for
ger Of Athens done nothing by his own exer-
! tons, would his name have descended for the
| yeneration of the present age? Had the King
! of the Roman Forum relied upon the exploits
of his ancestors for future renown, would his
name have been known to US as the first to
which grateful people annexed the proudest
of all human titles--the Farther Of his Coun.
try? Time can never obscure lhaSpt11Dg oil
! their fame-successive generations will bring
fresh offerings to the shrine Of their memories
and bind new laurels around their brows.-
Reader. Demosthenes and Cicero fought theil
way through the most formidable obstacles
and under the most discouraging circumstan'
| ces, and now their names are held up as.
flights of the world, aid demi-gods Of fame. .
But it is not necessary for Us to ransack the
| annals of the past, for examples of wha. indus
try, backed by lofty determination, to ''be
| something" has performed. There are many
| in our own age, and in our own land, who are
living witnesses tc the truth that nothing can
fetter the capaSility of the human mind Re.
solve to be great, and follow out your resolu'
ton by the proper means, which are rarely
denied, and your object will assuredly be &C
ccmplished, unless prohibited by the laws Of
nature, for deeds are the criterion Of ability
There is maxim that ''every man is the arti6.
Ger Of his own fortunes" aud within the limits
Of nature, in no respect is it truer than this
1t is necessary, however, for him who sets oul
for eminence to be well fortified against the
assaults of malevolence and envy. Those who
are his equals will use their utmost efforts Il
prevent him from rising-those who are below
him will endeavor to pull him down-and
many among those above, actuated by the igno-
BILE fear of having their own light abscured
amid the splendors Of greater, will ''stoor
to little things for the sake of maintaining
their ascendency, and impeding his onward
career. But away! first bind the whirlwind
chain the floods, bid the sun stand still amid.
heaven, and THEN with reason seek to curb the
determined mind struggling for mastery.
deem not that the mighty mind,
Will cover before the blasts of hate,
Or quail at dark and causeless ill;
| For though all else be desoate,
II stoops not from its high estate.''
Young man, are you engaged in the landa-
BILE pursuit Of gaining edgd-endeavor
ing to place yonr name among those of the
great and good of the earth! Go on, and God
speed you Turn not aside, to the right or &c
the left. Disregard the frowns and sneers OF
little souls. prompted by envy. Go on. On
Y use the will, and the deity within will
manifest lite might in the achievement Of all
that honorable ambition could desire" Lit
erary Gem.