The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1855-02-23
"Gbe 5turs---Dstnd ns be Blou but tb Sm"


1t is common mistake, especially with Young
men Of ability TO suppose that what they call ge.
MUS is sufficient Tor success in life. They sneer
at the sludIous stupid book orms," deride
The industrious as "mere pIodders," and boast
that it is only necessary TO apply themselves for
few minutes 10 order TO conquer the most difficult
tasks. We have seen in cur time, many such.
We have observed them, moreover, in every walk
OF life. We have known them ss quickworking
mechanics, as brilliant declaim in debating So
cIetles, witty or eloquent students IN College,
But we have lived long eBou2 h TO notice that most
Of Them have made shpwreck OF themselves forever.
The smart mechanic disdaining to work all The
week when four or five days labor would produce
much us Others earned from Monday morning
ill Saturday night, has generally acquired habits
Of dissipation and idleness, and ended sometimes
In the penItentlary, but more frequently In the
drunkard's grave. The snowy orator has become
lazy lawyer or good for. nothing editor, or pot.
house politician. The idle though able student
has sunk into " last young man. and died be-
fore reaching forty, The vlclim of his own excess.
es AS we look back on those we knew Of these
classes, scarcely twenty years ago, we alas
that almost general ruin has overaken them.
That there IS naturally difference between
men, in point Of ability, we do not pretend to de,
ny. This difference is less great, however, than
is generally supposed; and no genius, moreover,
is sufficient Of itself without discipline and study.
The difference we say, is not great as is usually
believed. Ii is true that one person may excei
another in wha; is popularity called eloquence, bu 4
generally he is deficient iu something else, as for
example, in the pnrely logical faculty. A witty
lawyer, able to keep jury in roar, may no!
he as competent 10 argue case in bane as less
fellciious rival. An excellent book keeper, 10
whom long columns Of figures no'hiHg, may
yet have no mechanical faculty at all and gooc
n
wisely distributes her avors. generally bestowing
dffcrt mt speclales, so 10 speak, on different per
SINS. Jefferson was great civilian, but had no
talent for war whatever. Wayne n splendid
general but quite indifferent legislator. Put
nam could head a charge gallantlv, defend
post herocaIy, but lad no head for planning
complicated campaign. In more bumhe lie we
see similar proofs of this difference. There are
women, for instance, who can cut and fit, as Il by
instinct, who seem, indeed, natural born mantua-
makers or ,aiiors. There are others who always
bunge if they attempt such things.
Every body, in fact, who is not an idiot, has
iaVorie faculty, Or, 10 use Iha proverbal phrase,
- a knack Of doing something," Now genius, in
IT'S true accepation, is q knack OF doing many
things; or. in lis narrow sense, is knack Of ex-
ceiling in literature, politics, war. But as, in
the humbest life, proficiency, even in that for
which the person has peculiar faculty, is only
Of mind, discipline is absolutely ecessary. The
boy, who IS put to learn the cutters trade,
because he is always moulding figures in clay,
never becomes sculptor unless he studies hard.
The youthful dabbIer in water coIors never rises
TO BIZ great painter without long years devoted
to his art. The lad who makes capital college
speech, ends in becoming mere wordy declaim
er. unless he learns to think. 1t was not only his
talent for painting, which won for Raphael the
title Of "divIne," but the days and nights he de.
voted 10 mastering drawing and composition. The
great Milton worked hard at poetry for thirty
years, endeavoring TO perfect himself, before he
began Paradise Lost. There is not famous his
torian of which the same cannot be said 10
rely merely on what is called genius, is 10 insure
failure, nay is 10 cast away opportunities be.
slowed by Nature; it is, i'll fact TO squander, like
spendhift, the fortune it were, which was
given in advance at birlh.-PhiLaoelphia Ledger.