The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1855-12-26
aBe Dilisent in Business. -

Franklin has somewhere said that he owed
q considerable share Of his success in life to
tie impression made upon him, while yet
boy athome, by passage in the Book Of
Kings that those who were "diliscnt in bu-
siness" should stand in the presence ofprin-
ces. Ii is well known that few men were
more industrious. II is equally well known
that, while he began his careeras poor boy,
he lived to be an honore,l Ambassador at the
Court ot the proudest monarch in Christcn-
dom. lie was an example, therefore, Of the
text.
But lie was not the only man who has
realized its truth. We doubt indeed if any
man ever succeeded in life who was not dii-
igent in business. The supposed instances
TO the contrary, so often popularity quoted,
invariably prove lallacious when rigiIly er-
amined. Curran. the great Irish orator, was
said TO have had eloquence native born but,
on the contrary. he has left IL on record that
he took the greatest pains to perfect his elo-
cuti0n, his gestures, and his knowledge Of
law. Burke, the British Cicero, built up
the edficc Of his fame BY slow, pcrscycring,
lahorious effort. The late Stephen Girard
amassed his colossal fortune by assiduous at
tention TO business. Clay, Webster, and
Calhoun all worked hard. And Napoleon
the First. who was born genius, Il ever
man was, achieved most of what he did by
unceasing labor, often debating to several
secretaries at once, aud always tiring out
every bo,ly about him.
If these great men achieved distinction on
~ by their diligence in business, or even IL
this, as hone can deny, was the principal
cause Uf their success, huw can those Of in
lcriur abilities expect to prosper unless they
follow the same example: lie who ncglects
his business will soon find his business neg.
lecling him. Ability, without industry, will
not do. Ncn who think TO succeed By doing
half days work must sooner or later 90
to the wall. There is but one way to rise {:
tits to be diligent, always diligent. The ncr-
chant who leaves his store 60 take ." suei-
able drink T. the mechanic who stops work
to have "blue Monday;" the professional
man who goes of on parties uf pleasure, and
misses the chances OF clients o. patients call.
ing-all these either fail utterly in life al
last, as 10 the case Of nine examples out of
ten. or fall short Of that complete success
which they might otherwise have obtained.
The old fable Of The tortoise, who beat the
hare to the goal because the latter stopped 80
often. is realized every day and hour in life.
The old adagc, slow but sure" is verified
continually by experience. Even genius il.
self has been said by no kss thinker than
Sir James Macintosh, to be only another
name for industry. Go and ask III The scores
ol beggared old men, wha, once prosperous.
nov eat the bread Of dependence. what il was
that ruined them. and they will answer, il
honest, "because we we're mt diligcnt."
u is young men just starting out ia
life who should especially lay this truth to
heart. They must not foolisllly suppose, be.
cause they sec their rich employers dining
IN fine houses, dressing cxpcnsitcly, doing
little hard work, or lavishing time OF money
10 other ways, that they alsu may do the same.
II their superiUrs had not been diligent il
early life they would never have earned the
means 10 live luxuriously. A clerk is not
the head Of FIRM, or an apprentice master
mechanic. By &" diligence in business" thou.
sands Of poor lads have risen to opalcncc,
aud come at last 10 have ail the leisure thrv
desired, bat tens u thousands, who could