Spirit of the times. [volume] (Ironton, Ohio) 1853-1858, 1855-03-20
From the Boston Investigator.
MENTAL COURACE fs''

Il seems 70 me that the distinction mai
under the head ofMentai Ooufaee is an in,nor.
tant one. Many valuable essays have been
written on the subjects OF moral and physicaI
courage. bntI do not remember seeing mach
on tne particular subject Of this article.
sncM define Mental Courage, 9 Just cona-
dence IN, and reliance on our own understau nd.
ing in rega I'd TO the deductions which We mate.
nom known facts, and the conclusion We ar.
rive At from them. u 10 something more than
mere passive confidence or trust IN our iuds.
mentj u implies this quality Of the mind. anil
something more; it u an active principle.
which gives tone and frmness to our manner Of
acting, .s well as thinking. A distinguished
writer OF the present age hes embodied some,
tntng Oh thls sentiment in the following words:
II know what know as well a. anybody else.
and krose that know it a. we'll a. ANYBODY
else" consider mental courage ono Of the
most essential requisites OF Q truly noble in.
telIest, and manly character. Upon this
quality Of mind depends very much, II not en-
tffeiy, the position that q man ig 10 occuDy
among his fellow creatures. Even great nAtu.
raj abilities. and superior mental endo wments.
without IT, are scarcely of any real value to
lneir possessor; are altogether insufficient to
place him in the true and exalted position tbs.
he should occupy.
OF what consequence were the most vigor
S'ASHeSuS"StvS iUtcll6CL 10 4 man NJ no
possessed not the mental courage 10 trust in
me deductions OF its powers!-who would
shrink back and startle at the thought that he
was Ieadiny on new and strange Rroundl-
lhat ne was alone in the world Of mind in re-
gard to the past, as we'll as the present. And
YET, such must have been the position of every
tluiy great mind the world has ever produced;
every great man must have felt that he stood
alone; isolated from his fellow creatures by his
,kn - = y
man, in asserting the circulation of the blood
Copernicus alone maintained the true theory
Of the solar system. franklin alone establish
ed the identity Of electricity, and the lightning
OF heaven. Was not their position, the fart
that they were alone in the world of mind,
witho9l one solitary support, enough 10 startle
any mind, not possessed of an extraordinary de-
gree OF mental courage? Had they and the
DINER pioneers in intellectual discovery, falter.
co, what were our condition now7 Where
would be the light that now beams over the
world Of science ndmorals7 Ignorance and
superstition would wrap their gloomy pail
around the mind; and the nineteenth century
would be midnight, without CLEAN of light
10 herald the approach of day.
Every-day's observation, il we attend Ia
wnat Is passing within our own mind. and
around us, teaches us the Importance and ne.
cesslty OF this principle. The person who
acks mental courage-no matter what hi,
other endowments are-is quite useless to the
world; and we might almost say, to himself
ne is at the mercy Of every crafty and design
ing person, who plays upon his fears;and NJ
aosurdlty is too great for him to gulph down
provided only, that il receives the approval o
the world. He feels safe so long as he has tn
countenance of the mass and would rather b,
deceived and foiled by them, than be alone il
the right. Such person is, and forever mus
be, the dupe OF every mad opinion that may b
imposed upon him-the veriest slave in exis
tence.