Polynesian., 1856-12-20
The Successes Of Inferior Men,

generously, but always within the bounds of mod
eration.-Scenes IN the Home Of Luther.
The Successes OF Inferior Men.
1t is remarked by Thucydides we believe that in
conflicts inferior for the part prevail and the
reason given IS that the superor despsng their anag
pnists and trusting 10 their mental and moral supe
nony, do not attempt TO gain by action what they
conscious is theirs by right and wisdom while the ine-
rior conscious of their danger, proceed quick
and antcpaory course OF action, and destroy their ad
yersares hcinre they put themselves their guard
The London Times recently called attention 10 the fact
the key to the success Of the O'Donne Coup d'Etnt
in Spain. But is it not iu fact truth capable of far
more general applicatOn The King of Naples dis plays
1t quite eectuay the Queen and Ministry of Spain
How often do tyranIs succeed where of the most
liberal views fail. Ko>suih was defeated and the boy
Emperor of Austria succeeds. The Poles crushed
the earth, and the SeriS OF Russia tread them down The
few strong hut unprHcp!ed triumph again and again
IN governments, IN commercial and private life, where
many innocent wiser, better men fail. Walker and i
few hundred desperate Adventures, hold Central America
with its well meaning thousands in suIecliOn, and the
literary amiabe, eXCelent-inCnioned LamaTtIne, with
the best wishes of France al his hack, driven
INTO exile by who only known having lived
up to that time, wild, reckless life Of mad adventure
folly and d:sciPalion.-[ Public Ledger.
Doubtless the above is partly true. But the
London Times in finding an instance Of its truth
in the success of O'Donncll over Espartero, for
gets that in several qualities, such activity and
decision, Espartero was not the superior man.
EsparterO, Judging from some of the statements
we have seen, is noble and honorable, but rather
inclined to inacton-rathcr lazy, as some might
disrespectfUIly term it. Now, that must be a
very weighty body which can exercise much infiu-
ence with a very slow momenum-and the active,
resolute man, who is able to bring all his faculties
to bear when and where they are wanted, may
really be the superior man so far as power alone
Is concerned.
Looking at the history Of the world, we do not
think that the great successes have been with the
inferior men. Alexander. Hannibal, Caesar, Crom-
well, Napoleon, WashingtOn-these certainly
were not inferior men, As to the trumphs of
the scientific and literary world, these it will be
admitted, have been almost exclusively won by
the superior men in those departments of thought.
But many minds are fond of paradox even
above the truth. And smaller minds may be al
lowed at least to take their rcvenges Of great
ones, by proving that greatness is not everything.
But the attempt would be more successful, if it
were attempted to be proved that the mere posses
sion Of great faculties, without the power or de-
sire to them. did not imply a superiority over
moderate abilities, eneTgetlcalIy and pcrscvcringly
eXcrted.
Looking at the matter from higher point of
view, mere worldly successes may not be taken
as the true gauge of successful life. The effect
of life upon not only one generatiOn-but upon
continuous generations of men-is the test Of the
highest success. Often great man purchases Il
mere temporary success, at the cost of that true
success which he had not sufficient greatness to
toll and wait, and it may be, die for. Milton was
not Il successful man, in one sense-but who will
say now that he was not really more successful
than if he had trained and Cramped his muse to
sing such strains as would have given him imme-
diate popularity at the cost of immortal fame?
6" EIe who ascends to mountain tops, shall find
The Ioftesl peaks most wraPt in clouds and snow,
He who surpasses or SubdueS mankind,
Must oOk down he hate Of those below.
Though high above the sun of glory glow,
And far beneath the earth and ocean spread,
Round him icy rocks, and loudly blow
ConteudIng tempestS on his naked head,
And thus reward the tolls which those SUBMITS lej!
Now while we do not fully endorse the senti-
ments of the splendid but misanthropic bard, we
quote them for the modicum of truth which they
contain. Too often Is the greatness Of man a
bar between him and his fellows. Until they learn
to respect and reverence the superior gifts of such
ar one. they often ridcule and despise him. Es-
pecialy is this the case with men morally in ad
vance of their age. For such seem to be con-
stantly reproVing by their words and actions the
less scrupuous world around them. And thus it
is that an inferior may succeed in worldly
aim over far superior cOmpetltor-the former pos
ses>ng in greater degree the sympathles of the
multitude, and therefore understanding them better.
The great statesman may appeal TO high principles,
l-forgetful that principles have much stronger
sway over him than over his brethren; while the
cunning and selfish politician nay appeal to like
cunning and selfshness in the Masses and see his
appeal successful while that of his nobler antago-
mist is despised and ridiculed. Thus it is some
times that milton will choose some truly noble
and unselfish man for its leader, when raised by
strong excitement to the level of his greatness =
and afterwards, as it gradually subsidies to its nat
ura level, and the selfish prOpensities begin once
more to acquire the ascendency, abandon itself to
the rule of cod-braned and INSCRIPTIONS despOt
until patriotic fervor carries 1t up to
the heights of the self sacrificing and the sublime
when one looks to France, for instance, and re-
members what fulness of the emotions she is capa-
bic of feeling 1t is difficult to believe that she can
long rest quietly under the cold and tyranny
of Louis Napoleon.
But we leave the subject Our view of 1t is
briefly that what the world calls success, is often
the saddest disappointment; and what one genera
ton calls defeat often the brightest triumph in the
ewes of the generations that follow that the su
perior men, considered not only as men of thought,
but of action do generally succeed in what they
undertake and lastly, that when they do not, 1t
is often because they rate their fellow men too
highly If our views be not wholly correct, a con-
sideration of them may nevertheless lead to great
er correctness of view in others.
~ Lately, at distribution of prizes in Ger
man village little girl seven years old, whose
parents had Just been turned out Of their lodgings
! III fIaa-rr mt l.