Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1853-12-30
uhat The VIII con Do.

IL WAS one of the leading characteristics OF Napo
leon to regard nothing as impossible ms as'o
sbinc successes to be attributed 10 ms hhon,,'
abia will scarcely less than his vast military gen
ms Wellington was distinguished for similar
,ecnliarity. The entire Peninsula campaign was,
indeed but one long display of an iron WILL resouee
70 conquer difficulties by wearing them out. Alex
ander the Great quite as striking an e1ap'e "
termination to subdue the Persians, his perseverance
IN the crisis of BATTLE and the emulation TO "hlch
he thus stimulated his officers and men, olo more ol
his wonderful career of victory, than even bis
strategic abilities $1,000 1,c1and
and France during the first fifteen years OF this cen
tury it was the stubborn will OF the former "nlIn
carried the dav for though Napoleon defeated the
British coalitions again and again, new ones were as
constantly formed, until at last the french PeopAe'
If not their Emperor, were completely worn OUT
The battle of Waterloo, which was the cllu,aA "
this tremendous struggle also an Illustration OF
the sustained energy, the superior Will Oh tue Dl
;sh In that awful struggle, French lmpetuoslty
nroyed too weak for English resolution e VIII
see who can pound the longest" sald WeHng'oh'
and as the British did they won the battle
But it is not only in military ehlettans thae d
STRONG will is :. Jewel Of great price" Nations
and individuals will and this alike in large under
takings and in small 1t was the determined VIII OF
our forefather6 to which we are prncipay lhoeo'eu
for our freedom
For the first few years after the Declaration OIL
Jndependence we lost most of the battles that were
fought New York and Philadelphia were success
siveiy captured by the foe South Carolina fell
New Jersey was practically re annexed to England
almost everything went against US. Had the Amer,
lean people been feeble and hesitating, all would
have been lost But they resolved to conquer OF
die Though their cities were taken, their heldS
ravished and their captured soldiers incarcerateo
in hideous prison ships they still maintained the
struggle making the pilgrimage of freedom It WE
may speak in metaphor, literally with naked feet
which bled at every step. Had our fathers been IN
capable at Valley Forge, had they shrunk from the
storm beaten march On Trenton, we should never
have been an Independent nation. There are people
in the Old World to-day full of genius as well as o.
enthusiasm for liberty who yet cannot achieve tree
dom, principally, perhaps because they want the
indomtable will to walk the bloody pilgrimage
+ TO the individual strong will IS as necessary az
to the nation Even intellect is secondary in lmpor
lance to will. A vaciIiating man. no matter what h
Abilities invariably pushed aside, in the race OF life
by the man of determination. 1t is he who resolves
! to succeed, who begins resoluteIy again at every
fresh rebuff that reaches the goal. The shores O
fortune are covered with the stranded wrecks of bril-
! liant men, who have wanted energy, and therefore
courage and faith, and have persisted in sight of more
resoute but less capable adventures, who succeeded
in making port. In fact, talent without will is like
steam dssipating itself in the atmosphere, while
abilities controlled by energy are the same steam
brought under sub ectlon as motive power Or vii
is the rudder that steers the ship, which, whether
fast sailing clipper slow averbarge, is worthless
without it. Talent. again, is but the sall-Wlll Il
what drives it. The without will is the pup
pet and bubble of others by turns. The man with
will is the that pulls the strings and catches the
dupes. Young men, starting out in life, have will
of your own If you do not, you will be ruined. i
yon do you will succeed, though your abilities
be moderate. Philadelphia Ledger