The Union and eastern journal. [volume] (Biddeford [Me.]) 1854-1858, 1854-02-17
WILLING AND DOING.

A gentleman, who recently retired on 4
large fortune, accumulated through patient,
persevering industry, united with great en-.
ergy and an indomiiable will, sends US foe
publication the following article from lais
number from The. Ledger. In his note 10 us
he says :-"It was rule followed, never
to suffer the word impossible 10 be used
in our siore.n What volume OF pracii.
cal suggestions Tor young men about siait-
ing in lie is contained in this brief SEN
lence! In neither genius nor talent lies
the guaranty Of success. Power can never
accomplish any great results, unless united
with an active, uniIing, unfaliering will -
-, WHAT THE WILL CAN Do. II was,one
'of the leading characteristics Of Napoleon
10 regard nothing as impossible. His as
ionlshinS successes are 10 be attributed 10
his indomilable will, scarcely less than 10
his vast military genius. Wellington was
distinguished for similar peculiarly. Tho
entire Peninsular campaign was, indeed,
but one long display OF an iron will, reso.
Lutte TO conquer difficulties by wearing
them out. Alexander the Great was quite
rs striking an example Of wha, a power.
ful will can effect. His stubborn dc,ermi.
nalion 10 subdue the Persians; his perse-
verance in The crisis of battle, and the EN-.
ulaion 10 which he thus stimulated his
officers and men, did more for his wonder
ful career Of victory, than even his great
Strategic abilities. In the life aud death
struggle between England and France,
during the first fifteen years Of this century,
il was the stubborn will OF the former which
~ FrI InI th., Iau. Inr ttn,.b Nnnnl.n., a.
iea,ed the British coalitions again and again,
new ones were rs constantly formed, uli.
I'll a, last the French people, il not their
Emperor were completely worn out. The
battle OF Waterloo, which was The climax
10 this tremendous struggle, was also M
illustration of the sustained energy, the
superior will Of The British. In that awlu!
struggle, French impe,uosiiy proved too
weak for English resolution. 'We vii!
see who can pound the longest, said Wei
lingion, and as the British did, they won
the battle.
"Bnl il is not only in military chiellains
that strong will is a jewel ol srea, price
Nations and individuals experience the
advantages OF aresolue will, and this alike
in large undertakings and in small II was
the determined will OF our foreia,hers 10
which we are principally indebted Tor our
freedom.
I" For the first few years after the Decla
ration of Independence, we los, mos, Of
the battles that were fought; New York
aud Philadelphia were succcssively caplur-
ed by the foe; South Carolina fell New
Jersey was practically rc.annexed TO Eng
land almost everything Went against U.S.
Had the American people heen feeble and
hesi,aing, all would have been lost. But
they resolved 10 conquer or die. Though
their cities were taken, their fields ravished,
aud their captured soldiers incarceraled in
hidcous prison.ships, they still maintained
the struggle, making the pilgrimage OF
freedom, If we may speak in metaphor,
literally with naked feet, which bled at
every step. Had our fathers been incapa-
BILE Of Valley Forge, had they shrunk from
the stormbea,en march OH Trenton, we
should never have been. an Independent
nation. There are people Of the Old World
to-day, full of genius as well rs OF en,hu-
siasm for liberty, who yet cannot achieve
freedom, principally, perhaps, because they
want the indomi,able will 10 walk the
bloody pilgrimage.
"To the individual strong will is as
necessary as to the nation. Even intellect
is secondary in importance TO will. A
vacillaling man, no matter what his abili-
ties, is invariably pushed aside, in the race
of life, by the man of determination. Ii is
he who resolves 10 succeed, who begins
resoluleIy again at every fresh rebuff, iha,
reaches the goal. The shores 10 fortune
are covered with The stranded wrecks Of
brilliant men, who have wanted energy,
and therefore courage and faith, and have
perished in sight of more resoute, but less
capable adventurers, who succeeded in
making port. In fact, talent without will
is like steam dissipaling itself in the al.
mosphere, while abilities controlled by
energy are the same steam brought under
subsection as motive power. Or will is
The rudder that steers the ship, which,
whether fas,.sailing clipper, or slow
river.barge, is worthless wiihou, il. Tai.
en-, agaiu is bu, the sail, will is wha, drives
it. The man without will is the puppet
and bubble Of Others by turns. The man
with will is the one iha, pulls the strings
and catches the dupes. Young man, start
ing out in life, have will of your own -
If you do not, you will bo.ruined. II you
do, you will succeed, even though your
abilities be moderate"