The weekly mountain Democrat. [volume] (Placerville, El Dorado County, Calif.) 1861-1862, 1862-02-22

--- While We pursue our way on the jour
ney of life, it would be well for US to
pause and see what others have done in
order to gather strength and resolution to
battle against impending perils. To the
aspiring mind this is truly Beneficial
We are tnco~ rIged and depressed to
ID great de-, r ~ by the smiles and jeerS of
Others, and therefore when we undertake
1mSee11.-:SS, &c r,>::.-rU~ @Sak fer the ap
probation OF our friends, and tho hatred
OF our enemies; that is, when any great
object is to be achieved. Thus Byron,
having published his first attempt at po-
etry, was severely criticised by the wits
Of the day, but instead Of giving up in
despair, when the sages Of Grub Street
and Paternoster Row predicted that he
would never be heard from again, he was
aroused and replied in a way that at once
established his reputation and secured
him in the future from the malicious at
lacks of his enemies. In studying the
history Of our race, we are impressed
with the greatness Of the difficulties which
those who have achieved cminence had to
overcome. The poor boy who has risen
to power and wealth only after years Of
struggling and toll, does it through his
mate good qualities; and yet, men say,
when they hear Of the success of such a
one, he is lucky, it is all an accident
little thinking Of the labor and Selfdenial
his position has cost him. Samuel John
son struggled for years in the poverty and
obScurity Of London garnet, before he
became the favorite of the public. One
Of the best of his works, RdSSetdS, was
written to pay the expenses Of his moth
er's funeral. The many reverSes he met.
Soured his temper and put him out Of hui
NOR with his fellow men. yet he never
yielded to opposition, and rode down ev-
erything that came in his way. Lord
Chief Justice Campbell was poor and un.
known when he entered an Office as prin-
ter's devil. But where there is will
there is a way, and he worked slowly up,
until at last he sat upon the wool sack,
and became worth a nTifiion OF dollars.
Tho examples of such men teach US
that what has been done can be done
again:
The heights by great men reached and kept,
but they, while their companions slept,
Were tOiling upw ards in the night.
The reply of Euclid to the King
There is no royal road to Geometry, is
Just rs true now as two thousand years
ago, and just as applicable as any other
art or science. Little did Sallust, the Ro-
man historian, think that one single SEN
tence from his pen" Governments are
easily preserved by those arts by which
they were obtained in the begnning"-
would afterwards be quoted and adopted
A. political maxim by the nations OF the
world. Neither did the artifcer who dis.
covered the art Of making glass, know the
benefit he was about to confer OH man.
kind, by creating q substance which
should gather the rays of the sun, protect
against the wind, and act as subsidiary
to old age, and thus prolong the enjoy
lnent of light, enlarge the field of sciences,
and confer the most lasting pleasure.
Thus we see that every man, from the
highest to the lowest, may be useful to
the world, and send down his example 10
cheer and encourage others. One may
SOW and another reap, and all contribute
to the general stock of human happiness.
Then let US not hesitate or waver, but
looking to the example Of those who have
gone before, keep steadily on and success
will crown our efforts.