Washington telegraph., 1854-08-30
Business Endurance.

Men of genious without endurance cannot sue
ceed Men who start in one kind of business may
find it impossible to continue therein all their days
I'll health may demand change. New and wild
er fields of enterprise and success may be open to
them; new elements of character may be devel-
oped. Men may have positive distaste for some
pursuits and success NAV demand change
None of these cases fall within the general rule.
Men may have rare talents, but if they 'are every
thing by turns, and nothing long" they must not
expect to prosper. No form of business Is free
from vexations; each knows the spot on
which his own harness chates; but he cannot
know how much his neighbor suffers 1t IS said
that a Yankee splice rope in many different
ways; an English sailor knows bat one method,
but in that method he does his work WELL Lie
is not long enough to allow any one to be really
master of but one pursuit
The history of eminent men in all professions
and caIlings proves this. The great statesman,
Daniel Webster, was great lawyer. His boy
hood was marked only by uncenlrnon industry;
as speaker he did not excel in early life With
great deiberation he selected the law as his pro-
iesson, nor could he be deferred from his chosen
pursuit While poor student. not the tempting
prize of fifteen hundred dollars year as clerk
of the courts, then a large sum, gained with great
difficulty for him by the zeal and influence of his
father, could all the persuasons of the father
turn him from the mark he had set before him;
anu SGtdG euiOoiSt. tIG AILOTIcy Ot
Massachusetts, is another marked illustration OF
resolute endurance and indomitabIe industry
long-life, centering in one profession making him
one of the chief ornaments in that profession, if
not its head, in the United States.
Our late distinguished ambassador at the Court
of ST.. James, Hon. Abbot Lawrence. whose
wealth is poured out for all benevolent purposes
in donations as large as the sea, can recall the
time when he had his profession to select, and
fha Erc+ hollo Of -
He chose deliberately calling; he pursued that
occupation with integrity aud endurance, through
dark days and trying seasons and the result is be-
fore the world. This care affords an apt illustra-
ton of the proverb of tie wise man, that man,
"diligent in his business shall stand before kings
and not before mean men,
The late JohE Jacob Astor, as he left his native
Germany, paused beneath a lnden-tree not far
from the line that separated his native land from
another, and made three resolutions which he in
tended should guide him through life: list. He
would be honest. 2nd. he would be Industrious
Sd. He would never gamblen He was on loot:
his wealth was in the small bundle that swung
from the stick laid on his shoulder. The world
was before him. He was able to make such res
olutions; he was able to carry them out. His sue
cess is the best comment on his endurance
Stephen Girard, at the age of forty years, was in
quite moderate circumstances, being the captain
of small coasting vessel on the Delaware, and
part owner of the same. No trait in his charac-
ter was more marked than his endurance, and
this element gave him fortune
All men who have succeeded well in life have
been men of high resolve and endurance. The
famed William Pitt was in early life fond of ga
ming the passion increased with his Years; be knew
that he must at once master the passion, OF the
passion would master him. He made firm re-
solve that he would never again play at game
Of hazard He could make such resolution; he
could keep it. His subsequent eminence was the
fruit of that power. William Wilberforce in his
earlier days, like most young men of his rank and
age, loved the excitement OF places of hazard
He was one night persuaded to keep the faro bank
He saw the ruin of the vice of gaming rs he never
saw it before; he was appalled, with W hat he be-
held. Sitting amid gaming, ruin, and despair he
took the resolution that he would never again en-
ter gaming house. He changed his company
with the change OF his conduct, and subsequently,
became one of the most distinguished Engishmen
of his age.
DR.. Samuel Johnson was once requested to
drink some wine with friend: the Doctor pro
posed tea. But drink a little winen said his
host. Il cannot was the reply. Il know alb
stinence-I know excess; but know no medirsl
Long since, resolved, [ could not drink little
wine, would drink none at alln A man who
could thus support his resolution by action was a
man OF endurance, and that element is as well dis
pidyeu III tulS DIS Ill the cOmDllatIOn OF
his great work. When Richard Binsey Sheridan
made his first speech in Parliament it was regard
ed on all hands as most mortitying failure His
friends urged him to abandon Parliamentary
career, and enter upon some field better suited to
his ability No." said Sheridan-'no. it is in me.
and it shall come oat!' And 1t did and he became
one of the most splendid debaters in England
Loyola, the founder of TIE order of Jesuits. the
courtier the man of gallantry and dissipation OBJ
tanned much mastery over himself by labor and
endurance, that, to illustrate the fact he stood
several hours, apparently unmoved, in a pond OF
Ice and muddy water, up to his chm. Perhaps
no other nation in Europe, at the time, could have
won the battle of Waterloo except the British.
because no other could have brought to that con-
tct that amount of endurance needed to win
For many hours that army stood manfully before
the murderous fire of the French; colpmn after
column fell, while not gun was discharged on
their part. One sulen word of command ran
along the line as thousands iel-"Fie up! file up!'
Not yet-not yetln was the Iron Duke. reply
to earnest requests made to charge and fight the
foe. At length the time Of action came. The
charge was given, and victory perched upon the
standard of England.