Spirit of the times. [volume] (Ironton, Ohio) 1853-1858, 1855-03-13
7M;sagalAMT..o, .ols 4
DELUSIONg ABOUT GENIUS.

DELUSIONq ABOUT GENIUS.
oeItisa common mistake, especially
with young men 81 ability, TO. suppose
that what ,they call genius is sufficien,
Iorsuccess ina life. They sneer at the
studious, as stupid 'book worms, ohd
boast that ii Is only necessary to, apply
themselves. for a few minutes, in orler
10 conquer the most difficult tasks.--
We have seen in our time, many such.
Werhave observed them, tinteovsr,' in
every walk Of life, b we, hive known
them as quiet working mechanics, as
brilliant disclaimers inedebatidg socie.
ties, OF witty and eloquent students IN
college. But we have lived long esonsh
vaoaieaAhAl. .aaoss sthspa bayezs0asls
shipwreck ,of, themselves FOREVER. The
smart mechanic, disiaining 10 work all
the wesk when (onf or FIVE, days, lpbor
would produce asmuch as, others earn;
ell who worked from Monday. m9rEins
'tilE{ Saturday night, has generally aci
quired habits OF dissipation and idleness;
and eaded, sometimes in the. pepiien'
tipy, bui. more rfeqnenlly in the drunk
ads grave The, ,hhowy orator has be-
come a lazy lawyer, or good; for thing
editor, orp9,:h house poll isiana The ids,
thonsh, able STUDENT has sunk JUG a
Iasli yopng man, and died long ybefgfe
reaching Sforiy, ,lthe yictm Of his pw'he4a
cesses. AS we look back 90 those .We
knew 0C these Glasses, kcairely iwenytE
years ago. We See. lsIp<! ,hat aImos!gea..
eral ruin has oyertakep iheem. heem W. .al ~
That there .is,nasutaNy y a:lilerenee in,
men. ippoiht OF ability, we do not. pre-.
tsnd TO deny, This 6d,ifsrence slssS
' great, howevef, than is general X suPp9,,
ssd; and no genius, moreoYsf, isl sulilcl2
entafilself withou. discipline and study.
The differences, we say is not as great,as
Unusually believed. Il, is true one per-,
son msy, excel another in what is, popu-
laIly called iaIoausncc,,, but gepsrallY,l
6a il deficient ini something else, as for
example, ia ,tbe nprelY logical (aculty,l
4 witty lawyer, able to, keep q jYfy ina
roar, may not be able TO argue 2 cass .inl
bank as hess falieilous IiyaL,, An excel, !,
lapt book.keeper. 10 whom long icoli
nmus of figures are, nothing, may, yet be,
without any mechanical faculty at all;
and "a gqoA meehsnic may ba, a.poonac.
copnlant.a Mature. wisely distributes hegl
fayors,a generally beslowins different
specialities so to speak on different indi'I
viduals, Jefferson was great civilian,
hut had 20 | talent foy WI, VIII atever. .r7t
Wayne ,wass, Q, splendid general, but
quite an Indifferent legislator. Put:
nsm could heaa-a chssge gallantly. or
defend "a post. hefoicaliy, bur had no
hssA for tpfanning accomplished 'csln'
paisn! In more hpmbla;lileo we see on'
tinuAd proofs ofthis difYsreneesa There
sve wonisnst5r instance, who can cut
anatft a,farmenfs astifsbyinstinct,lwko
ssemd1AeSd2 2as il natural born mantaa.
mdkets, orr ,tail0s.s There are Others
whosIaay bUnsls afsthey attempt such
thjngsln stnalIi QaNa' 9ii sepT safaiti
.sHsefyhoay,osin feet; who is not an
IDIOT has 4 Avpsites fec ulty, erto use
the bsosssbgsr phfasey iaa K mock Of do
.isE soms,hi1s.s'vNow genius,in its true
asxsptssioayis aknstk Of deing many
things; br, snsits nBfrewsr senses the att
of.sxueaiing i'm literAtuie, politics. or
warss But,sss iathe hambfest life, pro.
ficiency; eveKs id, yhat fof which "a per.
son nihsYa peculiar fAculty, issonlyi 10 be
obtsiAetl ty prdaiee,; tso,d IN fthei higher
whaksg6f MIND. discipline % absolutely
nSesssary. : The boy whoAs pafto fear1
a slens sicussrss trade, sbeea6se ahs Is al.
wsydnq,AdfAg gtnss ~ clay, never be.
cddnnsdl5e Vi ptcf Unless he studies fidtA.
The ysathfsb dsbbler In water ac9lofs