The Kansas herald of freedom., 1855-02-24
A(iseeiiapeeas.
Make the best Of Everything.

Make the Best d Eyeryt1tng
An important lesson 10 learn, and the
earlier in life it IS learned the better, is
"to make the best of everything" As
the cid adage says. ss there is no use in
crying over split milk Misfortunes
that have already happened cannot be
prevented, and therefore, the wise man,
instead of wasting his time in regret, viii
set himself to work to recover his losses.
The mistakes and follies of the past may
teach us to be more cautious for the flu
ture but they should never be allowed
to paralyze our energies or surrender us
to weak repinings. A millionaire of New
York tells the story, that, at one period
early in his career, he had got almost to
the verge of bankruptcy but, said he, l
plowed deep keel and kept my own
counsel, and by these means he soon re-
covered Had this man given way to
despair, had he sat down TO bewail his
apparent ruin, he might now have been
old and poor, instead of capitalist in a
leading position. He adds that his char
acteristic was, that through life, in all cir
eumstances, he did the best that he could,
whatever that was, consuming no time in
useless regrets over bad speculations.
The rule holds good, not only in mer-
camille affairs, but in the whole conduct
oflife. The man who is born to indiffer-
ent circumstances, will never rise, if,
abandoning himself to envy ofthose more
blessed by fortune, he goes about sullenly
complaining, instead of endeavoring to
use, to the best of his ability, what few
advantages he has. The patriot deplor-
ing the decline of public and private
morals, will never succeed In reforming
thecommonwealth, if he stickles forvision-
airy or impraeticable measures, rejecting
those more moderate ones which are
really attainable.
The friend will soon have no intimates
at all, if, making no allowance for the in
irmities of human nature, he judges too
harshly the conduct of his acquaintances.
Many matrimonial separation might be
avoided, if husband and wife, instead of
taking ofense at each other at slight pro-
vocation, would dwell rather on the good
traits their partner displays. There are
not few statesmen now living in retire
ment who might have still gratiied their
ambition by serving the public, if they
had understood, amid the intrigues and
disappointments of public life, how to
make the best of everything.
Nations, as well as individuals, should
cherish this principle. The European
revolutions of 1848 would not have ended
so disastrously for liberty if the people
had understood how to make more of the
advantages they secured at first. The
ultimate triumph of the monarchs is to
be attributed chiefly to their obeying the
golden maxim, which their subjects had
neglected, of making the best of every
thing. When the Emperor of Austria
was fugitive, when Hungary, Bohemia
and Italy were free, it would have re-
quired nothing but concert among the
people to have established their rights on
a lasting foundation. But they suffered
jealousies of lace to arise, allowed them
selves to be attacked in detail, and even
assisted the tyrants to subjugate each
other. Instead of making the best of
things, they made the worst, and natu
rally, we almost said deservedly, lost all.
We never see man bewailing his I'll
fortune without something of q contempt
for his weakness. No individual or ma
ton ever rose to eminence, in any de-
partment. which gave itself up to this
childish behavior. Greatness can only
be achieved by being superior to misfor-
tunes, and by returning again and again
to the assault with renewed energy. And
this it is which is truly making the best
Of everything. ~