Sentinel of the valley. [volume] (Woodstock, Va) 1841-1848, 1844-11-07
Fhono .4athur's Magazine.
SUCCESS!
By ONE OF TUE UNSUCCESSFUL.

How important is SUGGEST All
great actions, and small ones, are fol-
lowed by praise or condemnation, ac-
cordilg to their success or failure
Had the Duke of Wellington lost the
battle Of Waterloo, he would have been
tried by court martial, and, most
probably, Notwithstanding it, he was
heaped with honors; yet, his failure
and defeat, would not have made his
conduct more reprehensible, nor did
his victory make il less SO. He'd Gen.
Jackson lost the Battle of New Or
leans, every month would have con-
demned, as arbitrary and overbearing,
a course, which is now considered to
have been the essential to his success.
Wise judges are we of actions -
Causes are forgotten-etforts only are
noticed. In many instances, we GER
tainly have no other means Of judging
actions than by their effects-not SO III
ali cases--there are thousands, nay,
millions of instances on record, of peo-
pie having been praised, Or blamed,
with a total disregard to Intentions
We seem to require fresh arrange
ment--a new standard, whereby to-
jndge-another crucible in which to
refine our gold.
Mems intentions ought to decide as
to their merit or dement,. Success can
not be commanded. The man who
least deserves it, most frequently pro-
cures it, while he who is worthy Of if,
gets an allowance Of an inverse ratio
to his merits.
The doctrine that success may be al
ways obtained is not true. It's creed
promulgated by the successful, with a
view to convince others, as well as
themselves, that their talents and gen
ius have met proper reward. The
opposite doctrine, SO frequently acted
upon, produces supineness and indo-
lence-a middle course is the tue one.
That success in all undertakings is
partially dependent upon the energy,
caution, and determination used in en-
deavoring to accomplish them, is pref
ty evident; bat, there are so many va
ried circumstances, over which, neitl1-
er wisdom nor courage can ensure con
troll, that much Of cur good or i'll for
tune must necessarily be attributable
to other means than our own ability
Prudent measures, combined with cour-
age and perseverance, rarely fail in
Gpcuring desired object; bat, al
Shough great and noble actions have
been achieved by this desirable com
bination, there have been many men,
possessed Of wisdom, courage, and
perseverance, in an eminent degree,
who have wholly failed in their under
takings-and that as before remarked.
solely from the fact of there being
number Of things connected with their
enterprise, over which, neither wis
dom, nor courage have any control
Suppose couple of generals, equal in
their tactics and courage, with each an
army equal in numbers-the men e.
qually disciplined by the wisdom and
skill of their oficers,-yet one army
might have more physical strength
than the other, simply from a differ
ence of diet, produced by passing
through country where food, particu-
larry animal food, was more plentiful
than in that district through which the
other had passed,-that physical SUI
periority would in all probability decide
the battle, and the victorious general
be considered infinitely superior to his
opponent, although the district of
country through which each had to
pass-the point upon which success or
failure hinged-was a matter OF neees-
sity, not choice.
This instance, perhaps, is by no