Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1866-08-11
SUCCESS b AIM.

Of fun, but not a little too fond Of firta:
ton, was also very skillful in archery.
With bow in hand and arrow on the string
she stood naturally and gracefully prac-
Using against the target, and hitting it,
seemingly almost without aim, to the ad-
miration Of her friends, but most of all Of
q favored beau, who, unperceived, had ap-
preached the scene. At last, seeing him,
and perhaps more anxious to smite him
than any other mark then within range,
she firtingly drew al arrow upon him,
and let it fly, after long pretended aim.
1t missed him altogether. But handing
it back to her, he remarked that he be-
lieved that ladies were generally more
successful at that kind of thing where
they took the least aim. His arrow
struck, il hers did not.
ut is far from being universally true,
that to get a thing you must aim at 1t.
There are some things which can only be
gained by renouncing them. 1t is easy to
breathe evenly as long as you do not
think about il, but as soon as you try it
becomes impossible" So writes the ad-
mirable author Of Ecce Homo. There is
nothing more distressing than to see a
dyspeptic aiming at restored health by
critically thinking what he shall eat and
what he shall drink at the dinner table.
It may be all necessary and useful as a
peuance for past physical transgressions,
and every man will learn instinctively to
avoid all things that he finds injurious to
his health. But it is by taking such food
and in such quantity, and with such ex-
ercise, as costs no afterthought or nice
criticism, that health is best preserved and
restored.
1t is a very necessary thing that the
virtues and accomplishments and intelli-
gence of our young ladies should become
known to our young men. But they
must be exhibited naturally, as they will
where they are cultivated for their own
sake, and not merely to show off, like an
old charger on parade days, which, with
no qualities or speed for real battle, is
sufficient for the sham work on a muster
day.
Lord Byron wrote his Hours Of Idle
ness at the age Of 10, and published them,
seeking popularity. Stung by the criti-
cism Of Jeffrey, he wrote, not for fame,
but for satisfaction, his English Bards and
Scotch Reviewers, and became the most
renowned Of English poets. a woke one
morning." said he, "and found myself
famous" The most popular men OF all
ages and countries have generally found
the tide urn in their favor where and
when they least expected it. Let it once
be even suspected, however enormously,
that popularity is a mans aim, and he
will seldom succeed. This was the chief
drawback to General SCOTS political sue
cess. simplicity Of character cannot be
produced by thinking about it, and hu-
mility is not to be won by constantly
comparing yourself to Others" Nor is
pleasure to be obtained by making it our
chief object; we destroy it by making a
business Of it. Here, as the author be-
fore alluded to, well remarks, is the prin-
cipal objection TO Epicureanism (; not so
much that it makes pleasure the chief
good, as that it recommends US to keep
this chief good always in view. For it is
far from being universally true that to get
a thing you must aim at it. Pleasure is o
bounty of nature-a gift Of God, as the
reward of virtue. But it is the virtue we
are to seek first, not the reward.
"Not enjoyment and not sorrow
Is our destined end or way;
But to act that each tomorrow
Finds US further than to-day"
True wisdom, then. consists neither
in pursuing pleasures, however refined, as
the chief good, as Epicureanism teaches,
nor in contemning it, as Stoicism directs,
but, leaving the measure Of that to be as
signed by the great Giver Of all good, aim
at the discharge of each duty, making use
Of pain and pleasure as the indications Of
the Fathers will, and assured that He
knows what measure Of this worlds good
we have need Of. That is the point where
the highest philosophy and Christianity
meets. Success will thus be attained, in
oil the common and secondary things Of
life, more perfectly than by making them
the primary aims, and the success which
follows this will not ~intoxicate.