The hydraulic press., 1859-04-09
Do Something Useful.

some way that will benefit your fellow.
Don't sit with that pack of cards in
your hand, listlessly playing for triAes,
when the great game Of life is going on
all around you, and you are called on to
take part. You may not have genius,
but you can have application and indus
try, which win the victor's crown often
er than genius does. Besides, this great
talk about genius has much error and in
justice in it, and often prevents the
humble aspirer, who has no vain belief
in his own mental superiority, from at
tempting what otherwise he might easily
accomplish. Even genius, so called,
does not reach it's ends per saltum-by
a single leap, but after long toll. True,
success may come in some unexpected
moment, by some seeming chance, as it
has come to thousands, and as it came
to the ancient philosopher who cried
out in the Joy of his heart, Eureka p
But this sudden chance is invariably the
elimination of long protracted effort.
Every man can be useful to his fellow
in some capacity, and should be. If
any other incentive to exertion be nee
ded than the unselfsh dictate of duty,
one may be found in the magnificent
rewards which nowadays attend upon
acts of public utility. Who says merit
is not rewarded? The remark is not
true in any large sense, and has chief
ly retrospective application. The world
is wiser than it was, and merit does not
now, as formerly, go about like mead
icant, seeking appreciation bat finding
only contumelious neglect. The day
for prosecuting, despising, or neglecting
authors, inventors and the disciples of
science, has gone by forever. We know
that past age looked upon Columbus
as visionary, and that he went from
court to court with the offer of that new
world which faith and reason told him
lay beyond the horizon. Weremember
that Solomon De Coste, the Norman,
who was one of the first to conceive the
grand idea of steam navigation, followed
Richelieu from place toplace, exhibiting
his drawings and importuning for assis
tance, until the Cardinal wearied of him
and confined him in mad house, where
he was accustomed to cry out to the
passer by-"I am not mad; 1 am not
mad / have made discovery which
will enrich the kingdom that shall
adopt il" 1t cannot be forgotten, Ell
ther, that Copernicus only escaped per-
secution for asserting the true theory Of
the solar system by dying just as the
book promulgating it was printed ; nor
that Galileo, for afterwards maintaining
the same theory, was consigned for awile
to the tender mercies of the inquisition.
Near our own times, too, We recollect
that Stephenson was pronounced fool
on account of his locomotive and railway
projects; and that the Congressional
wisdom of America looked upon Morse
as madman when he was experimenting
in the Capitol at Washington.
But these are such notable instances
as only occur once or twice in a century,
and we cannot all expect to do anything
so wonderful that it shall exceed belief.
Morever, lessons like these have taught
the present generation wisdom. Schemes
for the exploration of the worlds yet
unknown corners meet with prompt
sympathy and assistance, and Ross,
Franklin, Kane, Livingstone and Barth
are honored for the daring which de-
served if it did not always win success.
The discoveries and theories of astrono-
mers are waited for with impatience and
instantly added to the stock of popular
knowledge. Inventors are encouraged
and protected, aud if their inventions
are real benefits, they are certain of for
tune. The patentee of Mccormick s
Reaper has realized from his patents Of
1S45 and 1S47 upwards of one aud a
quarter million dollars. Morse has ac-
quired worldwide fame ard great
wealth; the Sewing Machine is singing
its new "Song of the Shirt" all over the
civilized earth, and it's inventors are ac-
quiring immense riches. Not less in
the walks of literature is merit appreci-
ated, as witness the extensive popularity
of host of the best writer's, the sales of
whose works reach fifties and hundreds
of thousands. Merit Of the humblest
kind is appreciated as well, SO that if a
: man will but make himself useful in any
J form, he is sure of reward. The world
wants those who are willing to serve it,
and whatever is done to advance its in
terests or to promote its comfort, happi-
ness or amusement, will not fail to re-
ceivc liberal guerdon. Whether our
aims be lowly or exalted, then, there is
ample scope for all to labor; and if we
cannot be satisfied with the silent ap-