The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1858-11-28
METROPOLITAN MUSINGS.
Genius andLabor.

parance the word genius the explanation Of everything
wonderful accomplished In Art Literature Science II
seems, moreover, 70 have ascribed quality Of spon
aneity which resembles the Quakers power Of creation
who said OF new coat let it be made and it made
The nobest achievements OF this life are mainly indebted
for their existence TO hard work. the law written in
the members Of the most gifted children of earth that
though Genius may "kindIe its own fire, Industry must
supply with fuel For years sometimes grand thoughts
VIII be IN mans soul struggling, like Gagged birds beat
ing their poor wings against the bars in vain endeayors
for heedo aud he goes cropping through the shadows
OF his discipline restless dissatisfied unable TO under
stand himself when little inrospection, and resolute
claiming of himself to his work, would add his obscure
name to the list of i'Genitses" When the Great
Magyar said There is nothing impossible to him who
Wills, TWAS caught up and echoed like new utterance
Oh tile Delphc oracle; but there is sleeping In
quiet English grave who, many years ago, said the
Thing more pointedy and quite euphoniously for it
was South who first wrote at is dleness that creates
impossbilities Where men care not to do thing
they shelter themselves under persuasion that it can
not be done. The shortest and surest way to prove
work possible Is to set about it and no wonder
II that proves 1t possible which for the most part
makes 1T 80. Genius is the gift of God but
there Is no rock on which many noble vessels are
dashed 10 pieces every year upon the prevalent acy
which substitutes Genius for Industry 1t ia true there
are persons who born with an intutye perception of
the most occult problems in mathematics but natural
genius always dependent upon labor for securing its
trumphs That sort of genius which dispenses with n
dustry diseasoan abnormal prepondefance OF some
mental faculty-and is as undesirable as supcrauous
development of physical member at the expense of
the others All true genius recognises and obeys the
Creators requirement of toll as the price of excellence
The spirit of beauty is hidden precious gems are stored
NAV Ma
glimpse Of it, as he may pick up nugget of gold on the
beach, yet the law is the less exacng that only
NY strong effort shall the riches OF the mental or phys
cal world be obtained He who waits for genius to kin
die his lamp may sit in darkness all Ills days while
some patient podder shall mount to realms of light and
be thrilled with the music of the spheres There Is n
great overplus of modesy in the world Great deeds
come OF great daring Courage oowardice is the pa
rent OF success. As good old seIden said sThere is
hanfSas quedan IN raio such thing as faulty excess
of hunility) If does not take notice Of that ex
ccllency and perfection which is in himself how can he
be thankful to God who is the author of all cxceency
and perfection Nay if hath too mean an opin-
ion of himself it will render him unserviceabe both to
God and man" mans life is just what he chooses to
make it; he may live like Diogenes in tub (the
Oldest form of tubercuous affection and vet THE MAN
shall exalt his humble abode into magnificent palace
or he may dwell in the ALEXANDRIA with a soul that shall
make his dwelling the fthost and commonest of tubs
Ii Is the man. and not his surroundings, which to tell
upon the world. We may make life a matter of groye
ling toll and vexation, and go down our graves like
the close Of dismal day may walk erect on the
earth in the fair palace of God and out of all our
lowly cares and painful discipline evolve life impressive
here and jubant hereafter, SO thought Sir Thomas
Browne when he declared .gTo be nameess in worthy
deeds exceeds infamous history. The C.naanitish
ham
with 10 subsist in lasting monuments to live in
their productions to exist in their names and predca
ment of chimeras large satisfaction unto old expec
tations and made one part of their Elysum But all
this is nothing in the metaphysics of true belief To
live indeed is again to be ourselves, which being not
only hope but an ev dencc in noble believers It's all
one lie in St. Innocents Church yard as in the sands
of Egypt ready to be anything in the ecstasy of being
ever and content with six foot as the moes of Ad
anus =
am led into this sober sort Of musing by procession
of young men, some OF them bearing familiar faces and
looking like persons who live remote from the me-
tropos who pass before me in the curling smoke from my
Heidelberg pipe seem to read their anxieties can
look through the divers coverings of flesh and garments
which ordinarily hide their heart-workings from mortal
vision and mark their evcrh pulses and can see great
sitting aspirations rising from their souls to be spent only
in sighs, fancy myself conyesing with them and say
ing Oh my brethren do not wait for genius but seek
It's presence in working for its expression Above ALL do
not expect too much When you cast the seed into the
ground night you do not look the ripe corn the
next morning. but after weeks of patient waiting you are
content to the green fingers of the plant come slowly
aul cautiously feeling their way from the cold EARTH
lifting themselves by degrees towards the upper warmth
and light it is long after, indeed when the stalk seems
dead that the husbandman raises his song of thanks
giving for the harvest. Do not expect too much The
amount Of attainment possible under the best opportuni
ties and with the best gifts is after all very insignificant
The great mathematician La Place when he was closing
his earthly career said ''that which know is limited
that which do not know is infinite - and Newton as
every schoolboy has learned when the vastness of his
mental power and the brlliancy of his demonstrations
could only compare himself to boy gathering pebbles
on the beach, with the unknown and boundess ocean
stretching away beyond his vision. But also con-
tnuing the imaginary conversation should say Strive
for something You have some gift within YOU the
development of which is of more consequence than
the decaying interests which the mercenary srug-
gle, for which fools live and die but which wise men
only use TO make them more useful to themselves
and to Others. Educated mind is stronger than
ignorant muscle. Ignorance is shameful waste OF
power No rational being ought to be content remain
beauties of its marvellous wonders than common
ly passinto the conceptions Of Pick up pebble
examine a wild ilower--look upon the hills, rock
ribbed, and ancient the sun go out under the cano-
ny of heaven, when the stars in their myriad diyerses